Frederique Constant Archives - Revolution Watch

Talking with Niels Eggerding About the Frederique Constant x Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S)

Revolution — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 21:22:58 +0000

Wei visits Frederique Constant’s manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva to speak to Managing Director of the brand, Niels Eggerding, about the limited edition collaboration that is probably the most revolutionary that we have ever done. The Frederique Constant x Revolution Slimline Monolithic Future Past (Salmon) celebrates watchmaking’s past with a form factor reminiscent of 1940s chronometers but also presents its future by incorporating Frederique Constant’s revolutionary regulating organ, a single silicon disc called the Monolithic oscillator.

Wei also meets with Frederique Constant’s high complications watchmaker, Romain Valette as he demonstrates the assembly of the Monolithic into the caliber FC-810 and introduces the laser device developed by the manufacture that measures the accuracy of each movement. The Frederique Constant x Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S) is a limited numbered edition of 100 pieces and an incredible value proposition at EUR 4,450 retail. Email shop@revolutionmagazines.com for enquiries.

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The Frederique Constant x Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S) Showcases Watchmaking’s Past & Future

Revolution — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 10:05:21 +0000

Wei and Jeremiah take a closer look at Revolution’s latest collaboration with Frederique Constant, a brand whose mission is to bring luxury to a wider audience. In 2021, Frederique Constant introduced the Slimline Monolithic, a watch that replaced all 26 components of the oscillator and escapement, instead employing a single silicon disc as the regulating organ which vibrated at 80 beats per second. This invention was nothing short of a quantum leap in the history of watchmaking and has the potential to redefine the architecture of watch movements.

Together with Frederique Constant, we have taken this truly groundbreaking innovation and placed it in a watch with a classic aesthetic language from the 1940s. We are incredibly proud to present the Frederique Constant x Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S) that highlights the through line of watchmaking’s past and future and at a price point that completely aligns with this independent watchmaker’s noble mission.

Priced at EUR 4,450, this is a limited numbered edition of 100 pieces. Email shop@revolutionmagazines.com for enquiries.

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Introducing the Frederique Constant x Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S) at Watches & Wonders 2023

Revolution — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 23:29:38 +0000

At the end of Day 3 at Watches and Wonders 2023, Team Revolution wound up at Frederique Constant’s booth where Wei held a discussion with an esteemed panel of guests about Revolution’s latest limited edition collaboration: The Frederique Constant x Revolution Slimline Monolithic Future Past (Salmon). This watch is an amalgamation of Frederique Constant’s history-making advancement in oscillator technology first seen in the Monolithic from 2021 and the design codes of a bygone era from the 1940s, perfectly distilling the essences of watchmaking’s past and future. Hear from our panel as they talk about the genesis of the collaboration and why the Monolithic oscillator is an industry game-changer.

The Frederique Constant x Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S) is a limited numbered edition of 100 pieces and priced at EUR 4,450 each.

Order now: Frederique Constant x Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S)

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Introducing Frederique Constant × Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S)

Wei Koh — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 22:06:41 +0000

Sure, there have been several attempts in recent history of watch brands trying to replace the escapement, hairspring and balance wheel with a single-piece monolithic oscillator. There was the Zenith Defy LAB, made in a small series with a massive silicon framework occupying the entirety of the dial and vibrating at 15 hertz — all for the price of CHF 30,000. It’s a watch cool enough that I was compelled to buy one. There was the TAG Heuer Mikrogirder, winner of the 2012 Geneva Grand Prix’s Aiguille d’Or, which uses an “excitatory beam” blazing away at an insane 1,000 hertz. As far as I know, it was made as a concept watch, or possibly only in a few examples. Then, there is the Résonique High Frequency escapement created by none other than the genius Denis Flageollet, a 926-hertz device that he has placed in the public domain, inviting others to experiment with the technology because he feels it is critical to the advancement of watchmaking.

Zenith Defy LAB

The 1,000Hz Mikrogirder.

But there is no brand in the world save Frederique Constant with the courage, daring and resourcefulness to take a truly revolutionary silicon oscillator vibrating at an amazing 40 hertz or 80 beats per second, and put it into a regular production watch, which is incidentally priced at less than five thousand dollars. And I’m going to go on record here that their Slimline Monolithic Manufacture timepiece, which houses this staggering technical breakthrough, should be recognized as one of the most seminal achievements in modern watchmaking. It is proof positive that such is the testicular fortitude of the leadership at Frederique Constant that members of its management ought to be walking around with wheelbarrows for their enormous balls.

Frederique Constant × Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP

Which is exactly why I wanted to collaborate with them on a series of three models celebrating this titanic accomplishment. Our first watch is named the Frederique Constant × Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP. These last two letters represent the name “Future Past” because the idea was to create a watch that created the ultimate dynamic tension between modernity and classicism. The modernity, of course, comes from this truly revolutionary oscillator featured prominently at six o’clock on the watch.

The dynamic tension between modernity and classicism is palpable when one looks at the seconds hand that sweeps around the dial at a seamless 80 beats per second

The past comes from the inspiration of the dial, which references the classic gentleman’s chronometers of the 1940s. As such, we’ve selected a dial delineated by three different stepped sectors. The inner dial and the outer minute/seconds track are both aggressively frosted or, as the Swiss call this texture, grené. The raised area under the hour markers is circular brushed, and the finish causes this sector to appear lighter in color. For markers, we selected oversized applied Breguet numerals. And we’ve kept the Breguet style hands. As with any chronometer of worth, our watch features a large visible center seconds hand.

The Revolution edition of Frederique Constantʼs amazing technical breakthrough watch will be made in just 100 examples

Finally, as a nod toward dandyism and joie de vivre, we’ve selected a stunning shade of salmon for this first watch, a hue I like to think is somewhere between the cheeks of a beautiful woman blushing involuntarily after you’ve told her a horrifically dirty joke and my favorite summer rosé, Domaines Ott. As such, the full name of this Monolithic watch is the FP(S) or Future Past (Salmon), which gives you a hint about the other models to come. But let’s first look at the underlying innovation represented by the Monolithic that makes it one of the most important watches of our era.

Oversized applied Breguet numerals paired with the Breguet style hands

Mega Monolith

I like to think that the sound accompanying my mind exploding when my friend Pim Koeslag, Frederique Constant’s former technical director (and incidentally new owner of Dutch brand Christiaan van der Klaauw), showed me the Monolithic is akin to the final cannon salvo in ACDC’s “For Those about to Rock.” This, of course, occurred as he explained, “Wei, with this Monolithic oscillator, we’ve replaced 26 separate components including the escapement, the balance wheel, the hairspring and the anti-shock.” He then emphatically spelled out the advantages of the Monolithic oscillator to me.

The Frederique Constant × Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S) features the 40 Hz silicon monolithic oscillator with adjustable weights

Firstly, as it is crafted from a single piece of silicon integrating the four springs that drive its vibrations, it is totally unaffected by magnetism. Secondly, because it features a layer of silicon dioxide, it is not affected by thermal variation. Thirdly, it requires zero lubrication, so the traditional issue of the degradation of oil is moot. Fourthly, the angle of its amplitude, which is six degrees as opposed to a traditional balance wheel’s 300 degrees, consumes so little energy that even though it beats 10 times faster than a normal watch at 288,000 vibrations per hour or 80 beats per second, it consumes far less energy. How little you say? Well, in the same movement with a traditional oscillator, the watch would have 38 hours of power reserve. In the caliber FC-810 with the Monolithic oscillator, you have 80 hours of power reserve. As I mentioned earlier, what I love most is that Frederique Constant offers all these incendiary technical pyrotechnics at a price below USD 5,000. If this oscillator had appeared in any of the haut de gamme usual suspects’ lineup, it would be in a watch that costs a quarter million dollars.

Beneath its elegant rose-hued facade, the Slimline Monolithic FP(S) houses a movement that offers incendiary pyrotechnics with 80 hours of power reserve — all at an extremely reasonable price that's below USD 5,000

Says Niels Eggerding, Frederique Constant’s managing director, “The objective from the very beginning when Peter Stas created our brand was to offer customers the greatest value possible, and that has to apply to everything we do, from the most accessible perpetual calendars to the Slimline Monolithic Manufacture. Of course, it would be impossible for us to recoup the huge investment we made in the watch, including creating a high-speed laser camera that can record 250,000 images per second in order to regulate the watches because using a traditional acoustic machine was impossible with an oscillator at this speed.”

Niels Eggerding, managing director of Frederique Constant

Peter Stas, founder of Frederique Constant

Pim Koeslag, the former long-time technical director of the brand

The genesis of the Slimline Monolithic Manufacture timepiece occured during an encounter between Peter Stas and Dr Nima Tolou, founder and CEO of Flexous, an independent innovative horology-oriented technology branch of YES!Delft, specializing in compliant or flexible mechanisms. Says Eggerding, “One day, Nima Tolou approached Peter with the idea to create the Monolithic oscillator. What appealed to him was that it could be placed into a regular movement without tremendous modification and function perfectly.”

Says Koeslag, “We discussed it and said, ‘OK if we do this, we want to push the performance to the extreme.’ So we decided on the 40 hertz vibrational speed, which is far faster than any other regular production wristwatch on the planet. And we had to focus on achieving a higher standard of chronometric performance.” The first thing they had to do was find a way to effectively regulate the oscillator. They achieved this by adding two small weights which are used to change the inertia of the balance. Koeslag explains, “Even the most minute position change for these elements results in a huge difference in timing performance. So we really had to develop our own expertise at regulating them.” This, in combination with the high-speed laser camera, allows watchmakers to fine-tune the timepieces.

Caliber FC-810 is a revolutionary movement that runs at 40 hertz

An exploded view of the caliber, which replaces 26 components of a standard assortment with a silicon oscillator

Eggerding adds, “Step one was to make sure the watches were reliable and viable for public release, which they are.”

One of the things I find most fascinating about the Monolithic is that the entire oscillator is not fixed by any axis to the movement. Instead, it is held in place by the stunning bridge which acts as a framework that retains it. The framework also acts to prevent the oscillator from bending to the point of breakage, a bit like an anti-shock device. Only the small silicon escapement wheel is fixed on an axis. When in motion, the oscillator’s movement is just barely perceptible. However, one look at the seconds hand tells you if the watch is in motion. On that note, at 80 beats per second, the hand looks like it is floating mysteriously around the circumference of the dial.

Says Koeslag with a laugh, “Occasionally, we get comparisons to the Grand Seiko Spring Drive seconds hand, but I have to explain that watch has no oscillator, our seconds hand is moving to the beat of ours — it’s just so fast, it’s almost impossible to see.”

Frederique Constant × Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S)

The Frederique Constant × Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S) or Future Past (Salmon) will be made in just 100 examples and will come with two straps, a black calf leather strap with a deployant buckle, and an additional gray calf leather strap. It gives me incredible pleasure to collaborate with a brand that represents unparalleled courage, incredible innovation and unbeatable value on this iteration of what I feel is one of the horological world’s most important technical breakthroughs.

Frederique Constant × Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S) is available for sale on RevolutionWatch.com on 06 April 2023, 10pm SGT / 4pm CET / 10am EST. For more details, email shop@revolutionmagazines.com.

Tech Specs

Frederique Constant × Revolution Slimline Monolithic FP(S)

Movement: Self-winding caliber FC-810; 80-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes and seconds
Case: 40mm; stainless steel; water resistant to 30m
Dial: Salmon colored grené sector-style; oversized applied Breguet numerals
Strap: Black calf leather with nubuck finishing and deployant buckle; additional gray calf leather strap
Price: EUR 4,450 NET
Availability: Limited edition of 100 pieces

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VIDEO: The Highlife Worldtimer and Classics Tourbillon Manufacture by Frederique Constant

Revolution — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 18:51:33 +0000

Niels Eggerding. Managing Director at Frederique Constant, shares with Revolution Founder Wei Koh the novelties that his brand presented at Watches and Wonders 2023. These include the 41mm Highlife Worldtimer in 18k rose gold or steel, powered by the automatic FC-718 Manufacture with 38-hour power reserve and limited to 35 pieces for the gold model;… Continue reading VIDEO: The Highlife Worldtimer and Classics Tourbillon Manufacture by Frederique Constant

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Celebrating 35 Years: Frederique Constant’s Limited Edition Watches with In-house Movements

Sheng Lee — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 17:30:20 +0000

Founded in 1988, Frederique Constant is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year with a series of elegantly designed timepieces that showcase the brand’s strong suit: a range of complications powered by in-house movements. To mark the occasion, the brand has installed its very own movements in a variety of sporty and classical models, each one dressed luxuriously in gold.

Classics Tourbillon Manufacture

Although Frederique Constant is renowned for its affordable mechanical perpetual calendar wristwatches, the brand’s higher end calibers include the FC-980 automatic tourbillon movement, which debuted in 2008. Therefore, it is fitting that the brand’s anniversary celebrations highlight this movement with the Classics Tourbillon Manufacture.

Classics Tourbillon Manufacture

The Classics Tourbillon stands out not only for its movement but also for its classically beautiful case design. The case incorporates curves throughout, from the domed bezel to the rounded flank, exuding a sense of classicism reminiscent of vintage complicated watches from Patek Philippe. The lugs, with a distinct break from the case, are also an old-school detail uncommon in modern watches.

Despite the elaborate case, the dial features a new, relatively restrained design with only thin hour markers and no minute markings. The large tourbillon cage at six o’clock takes center stage, resulting in a pure expression to showcase the dynamic rotating carriage. Notably, the watch manages to look striking despite its minimalist design, thanks to the anthracite dial that contrasts beautifully with the 18k rose gold case.

Classics Tourbillon Manufacture

The Classics Tourbillon is priced at €25,995, which is higher than its steel counterparts, but the price is justifiable due to the 18k rose gold case and the limited edition of 150 pieces. In its price range, there are relatively few competitors for gold tourbillon watches.

Tech Specs

Classics Tourbillon Manufacture

Movement: FC-980, automatic; 38 hours power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and tourbillon
Case: 39 x 10.99 mm; 18k rose gold; water resistant to 30 m
Strap: Leather and rubber straps
Availability: Limited edition of 150 pieces

Highlife Worldtimer

The next watch in Frederique Constant’s anniversary lineup is the popular Highlife Worldtimer, an integrated bracelet sports watch with a useful complication and an in-house movement.

Previously introduced in steel, the Highlife Worldtimer now comes in a luxurious gold version that immediately catches the eye with its glowing sheen, accentuating the finishing of the tonneau-shaped case. The gold case is a perfect match for the elaborate dial, which exhibits a globe pattern in the middle and a radial guilloche on the date counter at six o’clock, along with the city ring and 24-hour ring for the world time complication.

The Highlife Worldtimer in gold

And steel

However, for enthusiasts who prefer a more subtle appearance, the brand has also released a steel version with an attractive palette to compensate for the absence of a gold case. The dial is presented in a two-tone light and dark brown hue for a harmonious contrast, which is not a common combination. Delivered with a steel bracelet, as well as leather and rubber straps — all equipped with a quick-release system for easy changing — the result is a watch that is versatile for many occasions, making it a strong one-watch contender to bring on a trip.

Tech Specs

Highlife Worldtimer

Movement: FC-718 Manufacture, automatic; 38 hours power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and worldtime
Case: 41 x 12.9 mm; 18k rose gold or steel; water resistant to 50 m
Strap: Leather and rubber straps for both versions; additional bracelet for the steel model
Availability: Limited edition of 35 pieces for the gold model

Highlife Ladies Automatic Sparkling

Finally, the brand has also introduced a mid-size version of the Highlife, measuring at 34 mm and designed specifically for women. The new Highlife Ladies Automatic Sparkling distinguishes itself from the men’s version with a dial that’s textured and adorned with shiny dots, creating the impression of a starry night sky, particularly with the blue backdrop. Notably, the latest version features a lighter and more vibrant shade of blue than its earlier counterpart, echoing the Highlife’s casual-formal style.

Highlife Ladies Automatic Sparkling

Since the Highlife Ladies is essentially a time-only watch without any fancy complications, it is powered by a tried-and-tested Sellita movement instead of an in-house caliber. However, the brand has added a touch of luxury by dressing up the movement with a gilt rotor.

Tech Specs

Highlife Ladies Automatic Sparkling

Movement: FC-303 (SW200-1), automatic; 38 hours power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Case: 34 x 9.8 mm; steel; water resistant to 50 m
Strap: Steel bracelet with an additional white rubber strap
Availability: Limited edition of 888 pieces

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