Frederique Constant is a very popular luxury wristwatches manufacture. In what follows, this Frederique Constant review will unfold the story of the brand while also discussing some of their exquisite watches.
The company started out in 1988 when it was established by Peter Stas together with his wife, Aletta Bax. Starting with 2002, this company also owns Alpina Watches, a manufacturer of Swiss sports watches. The name of this luxury watch brand comes from the names of each founder’s great-grandparents, namely Frederique Schreiner (1881-1969) and Constant Stas (1880-1967).
In 1904, Constant Stas also developed a company that produced watch dials. To diversify their business, in 2002, Peter and Aletta Stas purchased Alpina Watches. This manufacturer of Swiss sports watches dates back to 1883. Gradually, Frederique Constant grew to become one of the largest and most successful Swiss watch manufacturers.
Back in 2011, the exquisite production surpassed the amount of 120,000 watches, which were sold in more than 2,700 points of sale located in 100 different countries. This company is one of the watch manufacturers in the accessible luxury segment. In 2011, the founders of the company indicated that they expect their business to continue developing, surpassing the annual rate of 25%, doubling in size every three years.
Last year, in May, Citizen expressed its wish to purchase Frederique Constant Holding SA, which includes Alpina Watches, Ateliers deMonaco, and Frederique Constant. If you are a watch collector or you simply love this brand, then you would be amazed to find out that the products have retail prices. Therefore, you will need to pay under $3,000 for a legit Swiss Made mechanical watch. You can get something exclusive at a very good price.
When Frederique Constant and the brand Alpina combined, they used both sourced movements from ETA/Sellita and in-house made mechanical movements. Usually, the brands which include the word ‘manufacture’ in their title tend to have in-house developed calibers. The Classic Manufacture includes the Frederique Constant caliber FC-710. This beauty is an automatic wristwatch that features a power reserve of 42 hours.
It also includes a subdial for the date and the time with central seconds. Some of the previous models look similar to this one except the seconds hand. The sapphire crystal case back window allows you to see the movement.
The movement is very similar to the one of the caliber FC-705 movement. This one features a skeletonized automatic rotor and blue steel screws that really offers it a unique look, far from the traditional ETA automatics. For this affordable retail price, the wristwatches that are in-house made have many things to offer.
Many people believe that acquisition of a Classics Manufacture will be completely relying on its use of an in-house movement for the price. Others would not take that into consideration. This type of brand exists in an interesting pricing category. Even if for some such a purchase would only mean a pocket change, for others it may be the purchase of their lifetime.
The watches from Frederique Constant manufacture are a safe budget buy, being quite good looking. Watch lovers who are indeed connoisseurs know that this brand makes the difference, standing for reliable style and value. If you are looking for a conservative sports watch or a classy dress watch, then you know that you can confidently choose one of the timepieces from Frederique Constant, being a quality choice.
The CEO of the company, Peter Stas, is challenging the Swiss watch industry, showing customers that a brand does not need to charge an incredible amount of money for an exquisite watch. Peter Stas is a successful businessman, but he knows how to make his mission a noble one.
Frederique Constant Classics Manufacture
A dress watch like this is one of the most valuable timepieces of the brand which deserves to be included in this Frederique Constant review.
The Classics Manufacture watch is also suitable to wear with an occasional or formal suit. The 42 mm-width case is very comfortable to wear with its rounded curves. The watch is neither too small, nor too big. Its size and traditional design combine harmoniously. You can even wear it with casual attire. However, it all depends on the situation, being very adaptable.
The unique onion-style crown is not a common feature for dress watches. Nevertheless, it makes it easier to use the crown. This amazing timepiece features the dial Breguet-style, with its machine guilloche engraved-style, pomme-style hands, and classic Roman numerals. The black hands add a little more luxury to it.
Most watches have silver or blued hands. However, by choosing black for the watch’s hands, Frederique Constant assures a high level of legibility due to the high contrast between the silver of the dial and the color of the hands. Even if, at first, one may think that the overall design appears to be familiar, there are plenty of unique elements that make the Classics Manufacture to stand out of the crowd.
As a mere downside, this spectacular watch has 50-meters water resistance. Even if this is not very high, it is still pretty standard if we were to remember that this is a dress watch. This timepiece is clearly the definition of value, design, legibility, and comfort. This watch represents a lot more value than its actual price would indicate. Therefore, if you were wondering about its price, the Frederique Constant Classics Manufacture re. FC-710MC4HC watch costs $2,895.
Frederique Constant Manufacture Classics Moonphase
This exquisite and elegant watch in the Frederique Constant review will please any watch lover.
The Frederique Constant Manufacture Classics Moonphase is a 40.5mm dress watch. It features a moon-phase indication, a refined dial, and beautifully designed hands. The case has an officer case back that hides the in-house movement. Even if this description may feel like the watch is extremely expensive, the watch is only a little over 3,500 Euros.
Now, any customer would think that if this timepiece is too good to be true, there must be something wrong with it to be this affordable for a luxury watch. However, you are wrong. It seems that the Frederique Constant Manufacture classics Moonphase is not far from perfection. Some may consider it to be a little too bulky, being a little bit too large and too thick.
It has a 40.5mm diameter, having 12.4mm in height. The fully polished finish and the rounded design offers a classy and exquisite look. This is a discreet watch, with some nice details that will make any knowledgeable watch lover to nod their head. When we are thinking of ‘officer case back,’ we actually define those watches which have a plain case back that opens to show the movement. Here, this one is protected by a transparent sapphire case.
Another amazing detail is the notched onion crown. It does not only look, but it also feels like high quality. Therefore, the case appears to be very well manufactured, with an exquisite polish and interesting adjustments that leave no room for defaults. The dial has a top design, similar to several high-end watches. It has faceted applied hands and indexes.
Furthermore, it features a moon-phase/ date sub-dial placed and a silvery-white plate. The good thing is that this timepiece is not embellished with too many inscriptions, being very balanced. When it comes to the mechanics of this beauty, you should know that it features an in-house movement, entirely manufactured by Frederique Constant.
A true watch lover would purchase this timepiece
Unlike other watches powered by ETA calibers, you should not question this watch’s precision or reliability. This luxurious timepiece is different from the rest, revealing that the brand offers more than just a nice design. Since 2004, the brand manufactured more calibers than one would expect. The Frederique Constant Manufacture Classics Moonphase encompasses the 19th in-house movement of this brand.
The FC-715 caliber features circular Geneva Stripes, blue screws and widely opened and gilded rotor. You may consider a downside the fact that the shape of the main bridge covers all the technical elements except the balance wheel. The watch has a 42h power reserve, a modern 4hz frequency, and a 30.5mm diameter.
You can purchase this masterpiece if you want to enjoy the exclusivity of an in-house movement, and a well-executed dial and hands. This discreet and elegant watch has a vintage-inspired design that could catch any watch lover’s eye.
Frederique Constant Slimline Perpetual Calendar
This Frederique Constant review tells the story of the luxurious brand of wristwatches.
Another very exquisite watch is the new and impressive in-house perpetual calendar. Only a few brands of watches develop models with such an exotic complication. This timepiece is powered by the automatic FC-775. It is part of the slimline collection. Therefore, it is only 42 mm, being extremely thin for such a complex movement. This wristwatch is available in a rose gold case and a blue dial.
Frederique Constant Manufacture Zodiac 24h Limited Edition
The Frederique Constant review presents some of the most exquisite watches.
One of the most interesting offerings in a Frederique Constant collection is the Zodiac. This watch honors the Chinese Zodiac. However, you should keep in mind the fact that this does not only feature an Eastern-themed dial on an ordinary watch. The timepiece is much more than that. It is a 24-hour watch that represents the traditional Chinese calendar. Another interesting particularity is that the minute hand takes about 120 minutes to make a full rotation.
Summing up
Frederique Constant watches are luxury watches which value much more than the price tag would show. Almost all the watches designed by this brand feature in-house movement. They all have elegant dials and classy appearances. If you are a watch lover, you should definitely enrich your timepiece collection.
Image Source: Professional Watches
