The Journe Impact

James Li's journey into the world of horology is both a personal narrative and an exploration of mechanical artistry that led him to discover the creative instinct of Françoise-Paul Journe, the independent watchmaker who has captured the hearts and minds of so many collectors in Hong Kong in just two decades

- Amrita Katara

James Li’s obsession with luxury watches began not in the nervewracking halls of auction houses nor the gleaming boutiques of luxury brands, but rather in the confines of his father’s wardrobe in his home in mainland China. It was there, among the “big, chunky, militarystyle watches from Russia”, that Li’s fascination began. “That is my first memory of any watches,” he says.

As China’s economy flourished, so too did the range of watches available to the young Li. From Omega to Cartier, his taste in timepieces became refined and sophisticated. At the same time, he was developing an interest in mechanical gadgets and technology sparked by his enthusiasm for film cameras. This soon translated into curiosity about the intricate workings of horological treasures—which were also easier to transport. He says, “Cameras, much like watches, require a keen eye for detail and an appreciation for the mechanics behind their functioning. Watches are mechanical, very cool, and you can bring them everywhere, which wasn’t the case with film cameras back then.”

After graduating from university in the US, Li returned to Hong Kong in 2017, and found himself in a thriving, knowledgeable luxury watch market. It was here that his path took a decisive turn towards FP Journe timepieces, drawn in by the unique aesthetics and mechanical innovations of the watches made by maestro François-Paul Journe himself. “Very, very few watchmakers can excel outside of technical skills ... very few people can design [the watches] very elegantly, in a way that [even] without the movement, it looks beautiful enough as an object, as an art piece,” Li says. For him, Journe achieves both with aplomb.