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F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain 43 mm Green Stainless
F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain 43 mm Green Stainless — Front view

Front view

Dial, hands and bezel as delivered.

Case-back view

Case-back view

Case-back engraving and, where fitted, the sapphire display.

Movement

Movement

Calibre with its finishing and decoration.

On the wrist

On the wrist

Worn shot for proportion and strap drape.

F.P. Journe · Tourbillon Souverain

F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain 43 mm Green Stainless

Reference 16157ST.79

Reference at a glance

Brand
F.P. Journe
Collection
Tourbillon Souverain
Model
F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain 43 mm Green Stainless
Reference number
16157ST.79
Year / era
1999 · 1990s — mechanical revival
Complication
Annual calendar
Movement
In-house tourbillon, manual-winding
Case material
Stainless steel
Dial type
Green sunburst
Strap / bracelet
Alligator leather with folding clasp
Water resistance
30 m
Limited-edition status
Regular production, not a limited edition
Compare this reference

Case, dial & bracelet

Case dimensions
43 mm
Case thickness
11.3 mm
Case material
Stainless steel
Bezel
Emerald-set
Crystal
Box sapphire with AR coating
Dial
Green sunburst
Hands
Mercedes hour hand with Chromalight display
Indexes
Applied Arabic numerals with luminous coating
Bracelet / strap
Alligator leather with folding clasp
Clasp / buckle
Triple-folding clasp with safety catch
Water resistance
30 m

Movement

Movement / calibre
Calibre 22B — In-house tourbillon, manual-winding
Movement type
High-frequency automatic
Frequency
28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve
10 days
Number of jewels
27 jewels
Complications
Annual calendar
Functions
Annual calendar, moon phase
Watchmaker
Finishing, assembly and timing are carried out in the manufacture's own atelier.

Production & market

Production period
1999 – 2011
Limited-edition quantity
Not applicable
Current market information
Consistently trades above retail; waiting lists at authorised dealers remain long.

Designer

In-house design studio

The reference was drawn by the manufacture's internal design office, where case, dial and movement architects work alongside the watchmakers rather than as an outside commission.

Historical significance

F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain 43 mm Green Stainless sits within F.P. Journe's Tourbillon Souverain line, introduced in 1999. It carries the house codes established since 1999 — stainless steel case, green sunburst dial and in-house tourbillon, manual-winding — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.

Interesting facts

  • The bracelet tapers across its length, which is why the profile looks thinner on the wrist than the specification suggests.
  • The reference was originally planned as a one-year run and stayed in the catalogue for well over a decade.
  • The case is finished by hand, alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces in a single pass so the edges stay razor sharp.
F.

The House

F.P. Journe

Brand facts

Founding year
1999
Founder
François-Paul Journe
Headquarters
Switzerland
Tier
Ultra-Luxury & Haute Horlogerie
Major collections
Chronometre Bleu, Tourbillon Souverain, Octa, Resonance, Elegante, Linesport
Signature technologies
Proprietary case-hardening and polishing · Hand-applied guilloché dials · Composite and ceramic case materials
Famous movements
In-house automatic with 22k gold rotor · In-house tourbillon, manual-winding · In-house manual-winding, hand-finished · In-house automatic micro-rotor
Notable watches
F.P. Journe Chronometre Bleu 37 mm Silvered Sapphire (1999) · F.P. Journe Chronometre Bleu 38 mm Black 18k (1999) · F.P. Journe Chronometre Bleu 44 mm Ice Platinum (1999) · F.P. Journe Chronometre Bleu 43 mm Skeletonised Sapphire (1999)

Brand history

F.P. Journe has spent more than 27 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's Chronometre Bleu, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.

François-Paul Journe established F.P. Journe in 1999, working from Switzerland at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every F.P. Journe calibre produced today.

Historical milestones

  1. 1999

    François-Paul Journe founds F.P. Journe in Switzerland.

  2. 2024

    F.P. Journe continues to produce Chronometre Bleu, Tourbillon Souverain, Octa and other icons in limited numbers.

More Tourbillon Souverain