By Jonathan Kopp
When we think about luxury watches at an affordable price we directly have in the head some of the newcomers like SevenFriday. But when it comes to luxury Swiss watches it becomes more complicated.
Swiss excellence with a perfect price/quality ratio isn’t easy to find, but we can count on Frederique Constant to have this luxury accessible to more people. Frederique Constant watches are defined by their high standards of build quality, differentiation in designs and precision in manufacturing.
Since 2004, Frederique Constant has created its own precious mechanical timepieces, produced with the highest precision by professional watchmakers in their Manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates. Each Frederique Constant watch is hand-assembled, checked and controlled for a long period of time by workers using highly complex machines to ensure optimal quality.
In 2015, the Swiss watch manufacturer Frederique Constant proudly introduces its 19th calibre, which is developed and assembled in-house. With the new FC-715 calibre, their designer created a movement with a moonphase complication, which shows us on the outside a beautiful, classical and elegant timepiece and offers on the inside to every watch lover the delight of a highly technical refined precision-made mechanism.
This new automatic movement with date and moonphase, beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offering 42 hours of power reserve, is yet more proof of the high level of know-how of Frederique Constant’s watchmakers. Note that all the functions – moonphase, date, hours, minutes and seconds -are adjustable by a single onion style crown making the timepiece really easy to use.
Elegance at its paroxysm is showed by the very well-balanced 40.5mm case that you can find in either stainless steel or rose gold-plated finishing. Defined by its fine and sleek lines, the silver dial with the polished double or single baton-type hour-markers and its Dauphine hands is a pure beauty. Moreover, the disk of the moonphase features a night sky with the moon and stars that add to the watch a pretty cool and sophisticated touch.
When you turn the timepiece over in you’re presented with something really beautiful. First you think it’s a solid caseback, but it’s not. You’ll find an officer-style hinged back to protect the sapphire crystal which lets you see the performance and the decorations of the movement. It’s like a hidden gift, and what a gift it is! A perfect view of the beautifully decorated movement with circular Côtes de Genève blued screws and a gold–tone rotor. For sure it must be a real pleasure to open this officer-style hinged back.
The watch is adorned with either a black or brown alligator-skin strap with a pin buckle and the Frederique Constant crest is engraved onto it as well.
I started this write-up by saying that it’s not easy to find a real luxury timepiece at an affordable price. But again thanks to Frederique Constant we have it. Indeed, the Frederique Constant Classic Manufacture Moonphase is priced at of 3,400CHF in stainless steel (ref. FC-715S4H6) and 3,800CHF for the rose gold-plated model (ref. FC-715V4H4). For more info, please visit frederiqueconstant.com
JONATHAN KOPP – CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Jonathan Kopp has an avid enthusiasm for timepieces of all genre, from vintage timepieces to modern Luxury Haute Horology. His preference goes to small and independent high-end watchmakers. He loves the difference rather than classicism, although if he admits to being in love with several ultra-classics pieces. Jonathan was caught by the passion for watchmaking there are almost 6 years. For about 5 years, he wanders in this industry and was Communication-Marketing-PR Consultant for several brands. He has worked for over 2 years as a freelance for the development of the Swiss brand Arthur Oskar Stampfli (AOSWatches). Read his articles here.
