Messages: 16353 Location: san diegooo
Registered: August 2004
A Look at Frederique Constant: the Accessible Luxury Novelties
Fri, 22 June 2012 11:32
Peter and Aletta Stas founded Frédérique Constant in 1988. The husband and wife team dreamed of realising a manufacture, in-house movement in a Swiss timepiece at an attractive price. With the strength and popularity of their ladies Heart Beat collection, by 2001 they were financially poised to realise their dream and started developing and producing their own movements. The Frédérique Constant manufactory in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland is divided into four divisions dedicated to movement component production, calibre assembly, watch assembly, and extensive quality control. In 2011, production reached over 120,000 timepieces, sold in over 2,700 points of sale in 100 countries worldwide.
With their base calibers established, Frédérique Constant is moving aggressively towards the development of manufacture, in-house movement complications. New this year are a men's moon phase and world time. Also new is an automatic Tourbillon with silicon escapement priced at $33,995. Further details on the Worldtimer and Tourbillon to follow.
Heart Beats
The first Frédérique Constant caliber was the Heart Beat Manufacture Cal. FC-910 with an open dial aperture. The open dial highlights the difference between mechanical and quartz watches visually. The Heart Beat Manufacture has the characteristic bridge for the balance wheel placed on the front side of the caliber. Having the bridge on the front made it possible to have the spiral and fine regulation on the front, as well, creating a visually more appealing design.
The ladies Heart Beat remains the company's best selling model
Amour Ladies Automatic Collection designed by Chinese film star ShuQi
Classics Manufacture
Launched at Basel 2012, the new Classics Manufacture is developed and produced entirely in-house. Its calibre FC-710 features a mechanical, automatic movement with hours, minutes and seconds functions. A date counter is at 6 o'clock. The 42 mm stainless steel or rose gold plated Classics Manufacture are priced at $2,250.
Silver dial with Clos de Paris and guilloché decoration, hand polished black oxidized Breguet hands and date counter
In-house Cal. FC-710 with 26 jewels, open rotor, blued screws, perlage and Côtes de Genève decoration
Vintage Rally La Carrera Panamericana
Frédérique Constant is an official sponsor of the legendary La Carrera Panamericana vintage auto racing event, and marked the 24th anniversary of the rally with two limited edition hand-wound timepieces. Both editions feature a 43 mm stainless steel case, a manufacture FC caliber 435, hand-wound movement with small seconds and silvered dial with the original race logo. One model has a stainless steel hand-applied index and the other a rose gold-plated hand-applied index.
Vintage Rally La Carrera Panamericana (stock photo)
Moon Timer
The Moon Timer is a strikingly handsome watch with luminous hands, calendar along the periphery and moon phase indicator at 6 o'clock. Painted luminous numerals appear to float above the dial giving the dial depth and a sense of richness. Classic and elegantly Swiss, this traditional dial is an exercise in restraint. The 43 mm stainless steel case is available with black or white dial, as well as an open dial aperture. Pricing starts at $1,950.
- Jessica