Introducing: Frederique Constant's Thirty-First Caliber: The Classic Power Reserve Big Date Manufacture

August 31, 2023

Frederique Constant seems to turn out new calibers like it's going out of style C but with the demand for in-house and manufacture calibers still high, I doubt that will ever be the case. As such, the brand has just announced its 31st caliber, the FC-735, inside a new watch, the Classic Power Reserve Big Date Manufacture. The watch, measuring 40mm by 12.19mm thick in a stainless steel or 18k rose gold case, is powered by a fully crown-set caliber with hours, minutes, seconds, a big date display, moon phase, and a power reserve indicator. The movement also has 50 hours of power reserve, with basic perlage and circular C?tes de Genve decorations. On the dial side, the stainless steel options come with white or blue dials, while the 18k gold has a grey dial, all of which are finished in a sunray pattern and applied diamond cut indexes.? The new releases won't officially be available until November and will run you $4,995 in steel and $19,995 in 18k rose gold, the latter of which is limited to just 350 pieces. What We Think Frederique Constant has consistently offered good value to entry-level collectors. There's a lot to like when it comes to the level of watchmaking you get, especially when you consider the value placed on in-house calibers these days. The brand has figured out how to take things like the FC-700 base caliber and twist it to fit a lot of different applications. This means that if you dig through FC's extensive lineup, you'll likely find an affordable and enjoyable option to suit your needs.? The new Classic Power Reserve Big Date Manufacture wouldn't be my first choice from the brand (that would still be the Highlife World Timer), but the specs seem to check the correct boxes across the board. It might seem a bit thick at 12.19mm (kudos to the brand for being THAT specific), but to have a crown-adjusted watch with date, moon phase, and 50 hours of power reserve all at a sub-$5,000 price seems, well, like a steal. The watch in gold seems a bit of a stretch, but then again, the material costs a lot more. One thing to note is that the limited pictures of the movement show the movement with the text reading "FC-700" and "26 Jewels" in one photo and "32 Jewels" in another. That text is updated to the appropriate caliber on the other FC watches I've seen, which makes me think that someone dropped in a photo of a placeholder for a mockup. Frederique Constant's finishing is pretty consistent across the board, though, so I think the photo is representative of what we should expect at the end of the day C okay finishing but affordable and offering a lot of watchmaking for the money.? The Basics Brand: Frederique ConstantModel: Classic Power Reserve Big Date ManufactureReference Number: FC-735G3H9 (rose gold with grey dial), FC-735N3H6 (steel with blue dial), FC-735S3H6 (steel with white dial)Diameter: 40 mmThickness: 12.19mmCase Material: 18k rose gold or steelDial Color: Grey dial, blue dial, or white dial, all with sunray finishingIndexes: Applied diamond cut indexesLume: None The Movement Caliber: FC-735Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Big date, Power Reserve Indication, MoonphasePower Reserve: 50 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 28,800 bphJewels: 32 jewelsAdditional Details: All functions adjustable by the crown, Perlage & circular C?tes de Genve decorations Pricing & Availability Price: $4,995 in steel, $19,995 in 18k rose goldAvailability: NovemberLimited Edition: Yes, the rose gold is limited to limited to 350 piecesFor more, click here. Shop this story For more information, visit Frederique Constant.