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Watches and Wonders 2024: Frederique Constant Updates Classics 

Frederique Constant adds three smaller-cased variations to its Classic Date Manufacture collection, all in steel and all with an enhanced manufacture movement.

At the same time, the Geneva watchmaker updates its Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture with new dials, a new movement and a longer power reserve. 

One of three Frederique Constant Classic Date Manufacture debuts.

Classic Date Manufacture

With a new-generation manufacture FC-706 caliber, the latest Classic Date Manufacture series now offers seventy-two hours of power reserve, a smaller (40mm) case size and a longer warranty, newly extended to five years.

Instead of the 42mm case of the existing series, the new 40mm size frames a new dial with no numerals, refined hour-markers and a new “chemin de fer” minute track. All this impressive novelty will be offered in three models with sunray pattern dials in silver, black or salmon.

The new movement features multiple improved technical features. 

In addition to a larger barrel to enhance power reserve (which jumps from thirty-eight hours to seventy-two hours), the new Manufacture FC-706 movement has also been newly finished.

Now, circular-grained and fan-shaped côtes de Genève finishes decorate the bridges rather than circular motifs. 

In part thanks to these enhancements, Frédérique Constant increases the Classic Date Manufacture warranty to a full five years. 

New hour-markers, hands and minute track designs also signify the new generation Classic Date Manufacture series. The hour-markers are applied, diamond-cut, polished and slightly reduced at 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock.

No numerals means greater attention to the minute track around the dial, which has also been made more prominent with its railway style. Finally,  there’s a new onion-shaped crown on the watch. 

One model on a brown alligator strap features a salmon-colored dial combined with a steel case, and silver-colored hour-markers and hands. The second model offers a silver sunray dial with a navy-blue alligator strap and the third, the most contemporary, contrasts a black dial with its steel case and silver-colored hands and hour-markers.

The newly updated series continues to underscore Frederique Constant’s ability to offer high-quality Swiss manufacture movements within classically designed watches at relatively affordable prices.

Price: $3,495.

Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture

With a new trio of dial variations and an enhanced power reserve of seventy-two hours, the Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture, a flagship model for Frederique Constant, is now available in three new steel-cased variations with a silvered, blue or green dial.

Boasting the technical upgrades found in all the new FC-700 series calibers, the new the new FC-716 movement powers a redesigned refined dial with a sunray finish and thin fine hands.

And like the date model debut (above), the new Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture also now comes with a five-year warranty.

Price: $4,095

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The Watches

Frederique Constant Applies Humor to Moonphase Model 

While a glance at the newest Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Date might reveal a classical moon-phase subdial with a hand-date, a closer inspection reveals something much more unusual. The hour markers on the two hand dress watch seem oddly askew, scattered around the dial as if forgotten during assembly.

The new Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture Seconde/Second/Limited Edition

What’s more, the brand’s logo and the date display appear to be written by hand. Even the moon and stars within the moon-phase disk look uneven, as if written by an amateur.

Rest assured that the dial typography and finish are not made in error, but are a result of an unusual collaboration by Frederique Constant with artist Romaric André, known as ‘Seconde/Seconde/,’ that is meant to highlight the hand-assembled nature of the watchmaker’s products.

Each of the askew elements themselves are actually perfectly executed and embellished by hand, but their placement and tentative nature are aimed at emphasizing how Frederique Constant hand-finishes its dials, movements and cases.

The caseback gives the game away. The watch’s sapphire display back features a telltale explanation of the collaboration, with “How do we tell the world that manual‐assembly is at the core of our Manufacture? We asked artist seconde/seconde/. He took it too far” printed on the back. 

Just beneath the message the owner can eye the Frederique Constant FC‐705 in‐house automatic caliber that artisans have finished with perlage graining on the base plate, côtes de Genève striping on the bridge and blued screws throughout.

André notes that “As watch lovers, we’re looking for perfection… but when it becomes too perfect, we start to regret the lack of soul, the lack of connection with the ‘artisanal roots’ of watchmaking.”

Frederique Constant and André have created two limited editions of the watch. One is an online boutique limited edition of ten pieces that features rose gold accents on the case and dial. The second model is limited to 100 pieces encased in steel and available at Frederique Constant retailers worldwide. Price: $3,495.

 

Specifications: Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture Seconde/Second/Limited Edition 

(Ref. FC-705SOC4S6, limited edition of 100 and FC-705SOC4S2 with gold-colored indexes, limited edition of 10) 

 

Movement: FC-705 in-house caliber, automatic 38-hour power reserve, 28,800 alt/h. 

Case: 42mm by 11.3mm polished stainless steel 3-part. Anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 30 meters, see-through case back. 

Dial: Silver with matte finishing, Frederique Constant Geneve logo hand-written by artist Seconde/Seconde, hand-applied off-center silver color indexes, hand-polished silver color hour and minute hands, moonphase at 6 o’clock, date by hand at 6 o’clock written by Seconde/Seconde.

Strap: Black alligator leather with matte finishing and tone-on-tone stitching, stainless steel folding buckle.

Price: $3,495. 

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Frederique Constant Teams with Peter Speake  

British watchmaker Peter Speake continues his collaborative work with Geneva-based watch manufacture Frederique Constant, launching the Slimline Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Designed by Peter Speake, a steel-grey hued edition of the brown-accented collaborative watch from 2022.

The new Slimline Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Designed by Peter Speake.

The new 42mm steel-cased perpetual calendar retains the skeletonized design of the original model. The openwork design nicely displays Frederique Constant’s own automatic FC-775  caliber, here showing the hour and minutes without a seconds hand.

The idea is to allow the eye to more clearly focus on the perpetual calendar displays, which include the day and date, the month (at 12 o’clock), moonphase (at 6 o’clock) and, finally, the leap year. 

Frederique Constant explains that “since this detail is not needed for everyday use, it has been moved over to the month display at 12 o’clock. A discreet red dot appears for the month in question when the year has 366 days; at all other times, the window remains white.”

Frederique Constant finishes its in-house movement with a circular satin finish and blued screws. The watch’s transparent caseback displays an openwork, blue-colored oscillating weight. Also visible are the words ‘Limited Edition 135 pieces’ which are engraved on each watch. Each watch arrives on a grey nylon strap with matching overstitching. 

Price: $11,995.

 

Specifications: Frederique Constant Slimline Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Designed by Peter Speake

(Reference FC-775PS4S6, a limited édition of 135) 

Functions: Hours, minutes, moonphase, date, day, month, leap year.

 

Movement: FC-775 in-house caliber, automatic, perpetual calendar, Perlage decoration on movement, anthracite bridge, blue rotor, satin finishing on all springs, circular finishing on perpetual calendar wheels, 38-hour power reserve, 28,800 alt/h. 

 

Case: Polished stainless steel 3-part case, diameter of 42mm, height of 12,05 mm

Anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal, see-through case back, water-resistant to 3 ATM/30m/100ft.

 

Dial: Grey color dial with matte finishing, skeleton, luminescent printed indexes, 

White and polished hands with luminous treatment, moonphase with luminous treatment.

 

Strap: Grey nylon strap with tone-on-tone stitching, folding buckle.

 

Availability March 2024 at the Citizen Flagship Store New York and at select Frederique Constant retailers.

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Frederique Constant Celebrates with Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar 

Frederique Constant celebrates its thirty-fifth anniversary and the fifteenth anniversary of its Manufacture tourbillon with a limited-edition version of its Manufacture Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar.

The new Frederique Constant Manufacture Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar.

The Geneva-based watchmaker will release thirty-five examples of the new 41mm by 12.65mm pink gold watch. 

With a contemporary design, the watch melds both of its namesake technical complications within a blue dial, carefully adapting the upper half the tourbillon aperture to fit alongside the calendar displays.

This shape differs from the classically round aperture found within the watchmaker’s existing tourbillon models. 

On the dial you’ll find the day, date and month indications at the 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions. Each shows its indication with a hand, though the month/years display (at the 12 o’clock position) requires two hands. In addition to the month hand, another hand indicates leap years.

Frederique Constant’s characteristic Highlife globe pattern subtly underpins the watch’s dial, complete with map-like meridians and parallels. Each dial sector is finished slightly differently in either satin or sunburst patterns to enhance readability.

Frederique Constant’s own tourbillon regulator is fit with the watch’s seconds hand, which rotates just above the balance wheel, a series of blued screws and a gold-finished baseplate. Artisans engrave each plate with the watch’s individual serial number.

The movement here is Frederique Constant’s own FC-975 Manufacture caliber, which the watchmaker decorates with circular grained and Côtes de Genève finishes. The movement boasts a 38-hour power reserve and water resistance to 30 meters. 

Frederique Constant supplies the watch with interchangeable leather and rubber straps, allowing its owner to easily switch between traditional and sportier  looks. 

Price: $48,995. 

Specifications: Frederique Constant Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture 

(Limited to 35 pieces, available in January)

Movement: FC-975 in-house automatic caliber, perpetual calendar, tourbillon, 38-hour power reserve, 28,800 alt/h. 

Case: 41mm by 12.65mm brushed and polished rose gold three-part with
scratch-resistant and anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal. See-through case back. Water-resistant to 30 meters. 

Dial: Blue with matte finishing and globe pattern embossed in the center, rose gold plated applied indexes filled with white luminous treatment, rose-gold-plated hour and minute hands filled with white luminous treatment, date counter with rose-gold-plated hand. Heart Beat opening at 6 o’clock with 60-seconds tourbillon, rose-gold-plated seconds hand, day counter at 9 o’clock with rose-gold-plated hand. Month and (leap) year counter at 12 o’clock with rose gold plated hands. 

Strap: Navy blue alligator leather with nubuck finishing. Also included: additional navy blue rubber strap. 

Price: $48,995.

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Frederique Constant Celebrates Tourbillon Anniversary with Meteorite Dial 

Frederique Constant marks both its thirty-fifth anniversary as a watchmaker and the fifteen years since its debuted its first tourbillon with the release of the Classic Tourbillon Meteorite Manufacture, a stunning limited edition 39mm watch cased in platinum.

The new Frederique Constant Classic Tourbillon Meteorite Manufacture.

The Geneva-based watchmaker stresses the individualized nature of the thirty-five piece limited edition. As its name suggests, each hand-finished watch features a meteorite dial with a “Heart Beat” cut-out at the 6 o’clock location exposing the firm’s own tourbillon.

Frederique Constant explains that two of its watchmakers spent weeks finishing each of the commemorative watches, using traditional instruments and tools.

These included a buff file for beveling, a hammer and punch for hand-punching and nine-micron sandpaper for the fine charbonnage finishing of the bridge and the base of the tourbillon cage.

To finish each bridge requires two to three days of work.

The high-end finishing extends to the unique meteorite dial cut from a meteorite sourced from Gibeon, Namibia. Again, fine hand-finishing is required to cut out a flat, smooth disc without damaging it as well as to polish it.

Artisans then protect each dial with a coat of ruthenium, enhancing its natural color while also shielding the surface from oxidation.

The finished meteorite provides a spectacular frame for the tourbillon’s escapement wheel and anchor, both of which are linked to the anchor pallet. A hand atop the tourbillon cage indicates the seconds.

On the back of the watch Frederique Constant fits a brass and tungsten oscillating weight coated with ruthenium, which delivers power to the Manufacture FC-980 tourbillon movement.

You may recall the watchmaker first developed this movement in 2008, fitting it with a silicon escapement wheel and anchor, both of which are visible thanks to the clear sapphire back. 

Price: $44,994. 

 

Specifications: Frederique Constant Classic Tourbillon Meteorite Manufacture

(Ref. FC-980MT3HPT, a limited edition of 35) 

Movement: FC-980 in-house caliber, automatic, finished with chamfering (anglage),hammering, circular graining (perlage & cerclage), flanks drawing and mirror polishing. All decorations made in-house. Silicon escapement wheel and anchor, 38-hour power reserve, 28,800 vph.

Case: Polished platinum 39mm by 10.99mm three-part case, scratch-resistant and anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal, see-through case back, water-resistant to 30 meters.

Dial: Grey meteorite, hand finished.Applied diamond cut indexes, hand-polished silver color hour and minute hands, opening at 6 o’clock with 60 seconds tourbillon, silver color seconds hand.  

Strap: Black alligator leather with matte finishing.

Price: $44,994. 

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