Introduced in 2012, the Chronomètre Optimum is François-Paul Journe's synthesis of the problems he had pursued since his earliest watches: stable force, low friction and an escapement designed for long-term serviceability. Its hand-wound caliber 1510 is made in 18k rose gold and uses two barrels in parallel. Rather than extending the reserve for display alone, the paired barrels reduce lateral pressure in the train and deliver a more even flow of energy.
The movement places a one-second remontoir d'égalité between the train and escapement. For the first forty-five hours it releases an equal packet of energy every second, helping the balance maintain consistent amplitude as the mainsprings unwind. Journe couples it to his oil-free EBHP direct-impulse escapement, whose twin escape wheels deliver impulse directly to the balance. A natural deadbeat-seconds display on the back records each release from the remontoir, while the central seconds hand on the dial continues to sweep at the movement's 3 Hz frequency.
The result is intentionally restrained from the front: hours, minutes, small seconds and power reserve, with the constant-force mechanism visible through an aperture. Platinum, rose-gold, Black Label and boutique executions change its character without changing the underlying calibre. For collectors, the Chronomètre Optimum sits between a scientific instrument and a dress watch and is often treated as the clearest summary of Journe's chronometric philosophy.