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Remember, it was one of our favorites from Watches & Wonders. Frederique Constant was then celebrating its 35th anniversary with a first participation in the event and a whirlwind in pink gold that marked the watchmaking sphere. The Geneva brand is spoiling us today with two new versions in steel making this Frédérique Constant Steel Tourbillon an exceptional piece even more accessible.
The Frédérique Constant Classic Tourbillon Manufacture is an exceptional watch in a limited edition of 150 pieces. With its 39mm case in 18K rose gold, it is perfect for most wrists. Inside, it is powered by the FC-980 tourbillon movement, first introduced in 2008. This movement is entirely developed and assembled by hand with 188 components in the brand’s workshops. It is equipped with a silicon escapement wheel, a light and resistant material that reduces friction and improves the precision of the watch.
The tourbillon, a prestigious and complex horological complication, is designed to minimize the effects of gravity on the watch, thus improving its precision. It is a mechanism that constantly turns on itself and contains the escapement, the organ that regulates the speed of the watch.
The sapphire back of the watch allows one to admire all the refined finishes typical of luxury watchmaking: beveling, circular graining, strapping, stretched flanks and mirror polish. The anthracite grey dial, minimalist and elegant, highlights the movement. Its applied indexes and hand-polished gold hands contrast perfectly with the dial. An aperture at 6 o’clock allows a view of the tourbillon in motion.
The Frédérique Constant Classic Tourbillon Manufacture is a fusion of elegance and performance. It reflects the exceptional expertise of the Plan-les-Ouates manufacture and will appeal to the most demanding watch lovers.
Frédérique Constant knows how to make the most popular complications accessible, and the tourbillon is a true signature for the brand. The first version was unveiled in 2008 and it was then the cheapest swiss tourbillon on the market, while offering an irreproachable level of finish. If the pink gold version unveiled earlier in the year received the homage, we were all hoping for a steel version allowing a more contained price.
The manufacture has heard our prayers and is unveiling not one, but two versions with a steel case, limited to 350 copies each.
On the menu: a blue dial and a silver dial both featuring a sunburst finish playing subtly with light and blending perfectly with the new case material. We keep the new diameter of 39mm and theopening at 6 o’clock, displaying the copy number and offering a bird’s eye view of the manufacture tourbillon carriage. Made in Switzerland in the brand’s workshops, the latter has no less than 188 componentsincluding 33 rubies and a silicon escape wheel. With a price below €15,000, it is obvious that these watches will quickly sell out.
Characteristics – Frédérique Constant Steel Tourbillon Manufacture
Case:
- stainless steel
- polished finish
- 39mm wide x 10.99mm thick
- domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal
- transparent caseback, screwed and engraved
- water resistance 3 ATM (30 meters)
Dial:
- silver and blue
- applied diamon
- cut hour markers
- open heart on the tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock
Movement :
- mechanical self-winding
- 60-second tourbillon with opening on the cage at 6 o’clock
- FC-980 Manufacture caliber
- 38-hour power reserve
- 28,800 vibrations per hour
- escape wheel and lever in silicon
- open mass
Bracelet :
- alligator leather
- matte finish
- single stainless steel folding clasp
