Frederique Constant’s Classic Tourbillon Manufacture dresses up in mother-of-pearl

Those who follow our pages and have a deep understanding of fine watchmaking know that Frederique Constant has been a brand that has performed extremely well since its inception in 1998. However, in recent years, it has made a clear leap in quality across its collections, both from a mechanical standpoint and in terms of design and choice of materials. The new Classic Tourbillon Manufacture with a mother-of-pearl dial is a synthesis of all the good work the brand is doing across all these areas.

THE BALANCED PROPORTIONS OF THE CLASSIC TOURBILLON MANUFACTURE

The Classic Tourbillon Manufacture is currently one of the least expensive tourbillon watches on the market. Frederique Constant‘s great merit lies in having positioned it at an attractive price point without sacrificing quality—meaning both construction and finishing. The brand has made it available in three versions, one with a blue dial, one with a silver dial, and a limited edition of 150 pieces with a beautiful green hue. All have a steel case.

The fourth version, the subject of this article, is a valuable development of this reference, enriching the range by introducing not only a new material for the dial—the blue mother-of-pearl—but also for the case. Indeed, the transition has been made from steel to white gold. A precious material which, together with the blue of the dial, makes the watch shine in a special way on the wrist. Although the steel of the three previous references was already polished so brilliantly that it almost looked like white gold. Speaking of quality…

The case retains the same dimensions as the other references, measuring 39 mm in diameter and 10.99 mm in thickness. As mentioned above, the mirror polishing highlights the domed bezel and the smoothness of the caseband. The elongated lugs, typical of the collection, also stand out; their slight curve balances their length, and works in harmony with the case diameter to enhance comfort on the wrist. The large onion-shaped crown, also a hallmark of the Classic Tourbillon Manufacture, features pronounced grooves: these facilitate handling and increase the surfaces of the watch that can catch pleasing plays of light.

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT AND THE WORKING OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL

The main evolution of this reference therefore concerns the dial, beyond the case material. The new Classic Tourbillon Manufacture features the same design as the other editions mentioned above, characterised by elegant applied hour markers with a diamond-cut finish and hand-polished alpha-shaped hands, without luminescent material. This is because we are looking at a watch that decisively plays the elegance card.

What sets it apart from the pieces seen so far is the base of the dial, made of light grey-blue mother-of-pearl, which gives the watch a lively appearance, considering the sparkling effect of mother-of-pearl. The dial is dominated by the large circular opening of the tourbillon, positioned at 6 o’clock, which—thanks to its considerable diameter—reaches tangentially to the pinion of the hands.

As with the other references in the Classic Tourbillon Manufacture collection, Frederique Constant has also paired the complication with a small seconds hand. The one-minute tourbillon bridge is very elegant, holding it steady as it oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour. It is equipped with a silicon escape wheel and anchors, to counteract magnetic fields and reduce the need for lubrication. The movement is powered by a central rotor, and the FC-980 automatic calibre offers a rather modest power reserve of around 38 hours. This is somewhat the watch’s Achilles’ heel, which is more about aesthetic magic than performance.

A LEAP IN QUALITY AND PRICE

Certainly, the aesthetic magic is enhanced not only by the blue mother-of-pearl but also by the evocative dance of the tourbillon, which has long been one of the many complications developed in-house by Frederique Constant, used both as a stand-alone function and combined with a perpetual calendar. And, in line with the brand’s classic style, often at a price well below the industry average, as mentioned above.

Just a couple of years ago, in line with its strategy to rationalise the collection and its models, the brand introduced the Classic Tourbillon Manufacture to its range. Refined, compact, elegant and mechanically interesting, it has, as we have seen, immediately chosen to emphasise the dials’ elegance. In the case of mother-of-pearl, Frederique Constant has added a further touch of refinement with a blue alligator strap whose colour is the perfect extension of the dial.

Given the exclusivity of the piece and the difficulty of working with a material such as mother-of-pearl, this Classic Tourbillon Manufacture has been produced in a limited edition. There are 36 numbered pieces, with the progressive numbering shown on both the case back (the centre of which is made of sapphire crystal) and the tourbillon. It is therefore also visible on the dial of the watch, which has a significantly higher price than the other references in the collection, rising from £14,995 to £34,995. An additional twenty thousand pounds is a substantial amount, which is partly due to the case material and partly to the mother-of-pearl. After all, if exclusivity comes at a price, you can also choose to pay more than double. This is luxury as well…

By Davide Passoni