F.P. Journe Unveils New Concept in Miami

Petrossian caviar, jamón Ibérico and vintage Moskovskaya vodka are just a few of the delicacies and rare spirits offered at Maison F.P. Journe here, the Swiss watchmaker’s unique, umbrella concept in the Epic hotel on the Miami River. The company relocated its longtime Miami office for North American operations to here, reintroduced retail to the market — its Bal Harbour boutique closed last year — and added in-house watch production and an experiential hospitality element. Customers neither have to buy a watch, nor be in the market for one to gain access to Bar Journe and Terraza Astondoa, an outdoor lounge with La Flor Dominicana cigars that was designed by Spanish yacht builder Astilleros Astondoa. They don’t even have to be F.P. Journe collectors. “We all know retail isn’t what it used to be,” said Pierre Halimi, general manager of Montres Journe America LLC, regarding the firm’s trifecta for 21st-century engagement: experiences, expertise and excellence. “It’s not just about a transaction but about discovering something new and getting away from the Tiffany counter display concept.” Ever since the brand’s first store, which opened in Tokyo in 2005, founder François-Paul Journe has aspired to emulate a home with its “bookshelf and bar” prototype. In

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