The first observations pertaining to the natural resonance phenomenon were made by 17th century Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens, followed by 18th century horologists Antide Janvier and Abraham-Louis Breguet, who developed timepieces based upon this principle. Since then, François-Paul Journe is the first and only watchmaker to manufacture wristwatches that perform through acoustic resonance.
When he presented his first Résonance wristwatch in 2000, it was baptized Résonance under the patented brand name Résonance®. The F.P.Journe Chronomètre à Résonance is the only wristwatch in the world that utilizes the physical natural resonance without any mechanical transmission phenomenon, previously known as double pendulum or double balance.
Conceived, developed and built to meet the demands of actual wear on the wrist and thereby provide chronometric performance driven to extremes, this watch represents one of the wildest challenges in the field of mechanical watches! Each of the two balances alternately serves as exciter and resonator. When the two balances are in movement, they enter into harmony thanks to the resonance phenomenon and begin to beat naturally in opposition. The two balances then support each other, giving more inertia to their movement. This result is possible only if the difference of the frequency from one to the other does not exceed 5 seconds per day cumulated on six positions. Their setting is an extremely delicate task.

Whereas an external disturbance affects the running of a traditional mechanical watch, the same disturbance, for the Chronomètre à Résonance, produces an effect that accelerates one of the balances as much as it slows down the other. Little by little, the two balances come back towards each other to find their point of harmony, thus eliminating the disturbance, and beating in perfect synchronization.
This emblematic watch that distinctively signs François-Paul Journe’s horological research on precision was awarded “Montre à Grande Complication” at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2010. François-Paul Journe has conceived several versions of his wristwatch throughout the last 20 years; the first 20 by Subscription (2000), the first collection series (2001), the Ruthenium series (2001-2002), with movement in 18 K rose Gold (2005), the digital 24 hours Résonance (2010), the analogic 24 hours Résonance (2019), and the new Chronomètre à Résonance (2020).

The new Chronomètre à Résonance has only one single barrel spring to provide power for the two movements. A differential placed on the first wheel, visible in the centre of the dial, transmits, independently, the energy of the barrel spring towards the two secondary gear trains. Each secondary gear train is equipped with a Remontoir d’Egalité of a frequency of 1 second. Working in such a way, the force received by the escapements remains linear and assures isochronism throughout 28 hours.

The Chronomètre à Résonance features a redesigned case with a crown now placed at 2 o’clock easing the winding of the watch in position 0 and the time setting in position 2, clockwise for the left dial and anti-clockwise for the right dial. The pulling of the crown at 4 o’clock simultaneously resets both seconds. On the movement side, 2 remontoirs d’égalité (constant-force device) provide a linear force to each of the two balance springs to remain isochronous during 28 hours.
This model is available with a case in Platinum or in 18 K 6N Gold in 40 or 42 mm diameter. The dial is proposed in 18K white or 6N Gold with 2 hour subdials in whitened Silver Guilloché clous de Paris. Leather strap or Gold or Platinum bracelet.

Resonance is a natural acoustic phenomenon. Any animate body transmits a vibration to its environment. When another body picks up this vibration at the same frequency, it absorbs its energy. In watchmaking it pertains to two independent movements set side by side that get in synchronization.