The esteemed auction house Phillips has officially announced the forthcoming sale of an exceptional and highly personalized timepiece: the F.P. Journe FFC Prototype. This watch was custom-commissioned for the legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, a figure synonymous with cinematic masterpieces. The highly anticipated auction is scheduled to take place across two days, December 6 and 7, 2025, in New York City. Industry analysts and horological experts are predicting a massive turnout, with initial estimates suggesting the watch will command a price exceeding one million dollars. This particular lot is more than just a luxury item; it represents a significant cultural artifact, highlighting the unique intersection of film artistry and high watchmaking through the collaboration between Coppola and master craftsman François-Paul Journe.
The defining characteristic of this horological marvel is embedded within its mechanism: the dial incorporates an intricately animated human hand designed specifically to indicate the hours. This groundbreaking feature originated from a pivotal conversation between Coppola and Journe, which first took place in 2012. Reflecting on the process, Journe admitted that the director's vision presented an unprecedented technical challenge, one he ultimately accepted and pursued with great vigor and enthusiasm. The finished prototype, a testament to years of development, was finally delivered to the director in 2021. It holds a singular place in the F.P. Journe catalog, being the only creation where the fundamental design inspiration did not originate from the mind of the master watchmaker himself, underscoring the depth of Coppola’s creative input.
This iconic prototype is set to headline The New York Watch Auction: XIII, an event strategically timed to celebrate the successful conclusion of a decade of operation for Phillips’ specialized watch department. The expected starting bid for the FFC Prototype is set at the one million dollar threshold. This valuation is notably high, though it follows the precedent set by another unique version, the FFC Blue prototype, which achieved a staggering sale price of 4.5 million Swiss francs at the Only Watch charity auction held in 2021. Before reaching the main stage in New York, the collection items belonging to Coppola will be showcased to international audiences as part of a comprehensive world tour, with exhibitions planned for London, Geneva, and Hong Kong.
The decision by the 86-year-old director to consign this valuable collection is taking place against a backdrop of widely reported financial difficulties. These troubles stem primarily from the massive underperformance of his latest passion project, the epic film "Megalopolis." Despite the director personally investing a sum exceeding 120 million dollars into the production, the movie only managed to secure a meager global gross of 14.3 million dollars. The sale of these seven significant pieces from his private collection is therefore understood to be a critical measure designed to generate necessary resources, ensuring the viability of his future artistic endeavors and providing him with the financial freedom to continue filmmaking.
The collection also features other historically important pieces, including a platinum F.P. Journe Résonance. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it was the director’s ownership of this specific Résonance model that served as the catalyst for the fateful 2012 meeting with François-Paul Journe. By monetizing these deeply personal and valuable horological possessions, Coppola is making a pragmatic choice, effectively converting his passion for fine watchmaking into the necessary funding required to sustain the next phase of his illustrious, yet costly, career in cinema.