| WATCH YOUR TIME
FOCUS
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F O C U S
Frederique Constant, for whom affordable
luxury is a core value, revive two of the
brand’s most successful creations, a men’s
perpetual calendar and the cuff watch for
women.
Perpetual calendar, revisited
It has now been nearly twenty years since Frederique
Constant established its own manufacture in Plan-les-
Ouates, on the outskirts of Geneva. Inaugurated in
2006 and expanded in 2019, this is where the exclu-
sive mechanical movements in the brand’s aptly named
Manufacture collection are it designed, produced and
assembled. The FC-776 perpetual calendar is the 34th
in-house calibre and is an evolution of the FC-775, which
created such a sensation on its 2016 release.
The perpetual calendar, which accounts for differing
month lengths and leap years, is traditionally considered
a major complication as it’s both technically challeng-
ing and time-consuming to produce. So, while even ten
years ago, offering a perpetual calendar watch for under
€10,000 still seemed impossible, Frederique Constant
achieved it by starting from scratch. The brand used
recent technological advances to simplify the con-
struction and allowed for components that were eas-
ier to produce and assemble. After two years of R&D,
it launched an automatic perpetual calendar in steel,
running at 28,800 alternations per hour with a 38-hour
power reserve, for just €8,400.
In a reversal of usual practice, the designers began
by drawing the dial, then built the movement to fit. This
allowed them to refine the layout and create a balanced
design, including a larger-than-usual moonphase dis-
play. Adjustments are made via flat pushers on the case
band: date at 10 o’clock, day of the week at 8, month and
leap year at 11, and moonphase at 5.
The new Manufacture Perpetual Calendar now
comes in a reduced 40 mm case, down from 42, a vin-
tage-friendly format that is much in demand. With sof-
tened lines and more tapered lugs, it features a reworked
salmon-coloured dial. Slim indexes, a railway-style
minute track, structured subdials and a sunburst finish
give it added refinement. The new FC-776 movement
replaces the FC-775 and benefits from an extended power
reserve of three days, thanks to a barrel first developed
in 2024 for the FC-706 Classic Date and FC-716 Classic
Moonphase Date movements. Despite its more advanced
design, both technically and aesthetically, the 2025
Manufacture Perpetual Calendar still comes in under
the €10,000 threshold in line with Frederique Constant’s
philosophy of accessibility.
A new Manchette
More bracelet-watch than watch-bracelet, the cuff, or
manchette, is back on the horological scene. Much like
in the 1980s, when it was highly fashionable, the cuff is
a quintessentially feminine piece – a jewellery watch
where telling the time is secondary to its function as a
versatile accessory that works with different styles, not
least today’s trend for stacking.
At Frederique Constant, where it first appeared in
the early 2000s, the cuff returns with a glam rock twist.
The Classics Manchette stands out for its steel bracelet,
inspired by the Clous de Paris guilloché motif, a tradi-
tional decorative technique in watchmaking. Square
links, each ending in a flattened pyramid, are arranged
in rows of seven to form an exceptionally supple cuff.
The brushed surfaces of the pyramids temper the shine
of the polished steel, framing a small dial offered in four
versions.
The most horological version, in black and white, is
the only one to display hours and minutes with numer-
als, in this case, Roman. The most jewellery-focused
model is set with 158 diamonds, while the vintage-in-
spired pieces nod to the 1960s and feature hardstone
dials. One can choose between the deep black of onyx
or the marbled green of malachite, valued not only for
their retro charm but also their symbolic qualities.
All Classics Manchette models are powered by a
quartz movement, the FC-200, which offers 60 months
of autonomy, a full five years. They expand an already
wide-ranging offering for women at Frederique Constant.
■ Marie Le Berre
1. FREDERIQUE CONSTANT Classic Perpetual Calendar
Manufacture. The perpetual calendar returns in a smaller 40 mm
steel case. Silver hands and applied indices contrast against a
salmon sunburst dial. Inside is the new FC-776 manufacture calibre,
featuring traditional decoration (including perlage and Geneva
stripes) and a 3-day power reserve, all visible through a trans-
parent caseback.
2. FREDERIQUE CONSTANT Classics Manchette. Revived in
four versions, the Classics Manchette differs by dial material.
The black-dialled version features a sleek onyx face – a nod to
the 1960s – with two hands only. The pyramid-shaped “clous de
Paris” are brushed on top and polished around the edges. Quartz
movement.
Revivals