frederique constant flyback chronograph manufacture closeup

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT – FLYBACK CHRONOGRAPH MANUFACTURE

UNINHIBITED COMPLICATION

A first for Frédérique Constant: the watchmaker from Plan-les-Ouates has unveiled its first automatic calibre, including a chronograph with flyback function.

In Plan-les-Ouates, in the canton of Geneva, the Frédérique Constant workshops have surpassed themselves in designing a movement equipped with one of the finest complications: a chronograph with flyback function. This specific and demanding mechanism took six years to develop, before finally seeing the light of day in 2017. First introduced at BaselWorld, four of the five model in the new Flyback Chronograph Manufacture collection are available for under 4 000 Swiss francs.

This newly launched line does indeed feature five pieces, two made of polished steel, two made of pink-gold-plated steel and one made of pink gold. The dials have also been designed to attract a wide-ranging clientele with a fairly traditional aesthetic appearance or a totally contemporary look.

frederique constant flyback chronograph manufacture closeup

At the heart of the 42mm case of the Flyback Chronograph Manufacture model is the latest movement made by Frédérique Constant. This is the calibre FC-760, an automatic mechanism that is partially visible through a sapphire glass window adorning the back of the watch. The calibre drives the hour, calendar and chronograph with flyback functions, while providing a power reserve of 38 hours.

In the most traditional version, available in a steel or pink-gold-plated case and a silver opaline dial, the central disc is decorated with a Clous de Paris pattern and encircled by an hour rim with black Roman numerals. Two central pomme-style open hands display the hours and minutes, while the seconds are shown in an offset counter at 9 o’clock. The date is indicated by a hand and is also in a counter at 6 o’clock. At the centre, the chronograph hand takes care of the seconds, which are then counted up in the minute counter at 3 o’clock.

While the visual organisation is the same in the more contemporary version, the silvered or anthracite grey dial, with a chapter ring circled by a tachymetric scale, includes a sunburst finish adorned by three azure counters. Metallic or gold applied hour indices replace the Roman numerals and two lancine-style hands coated with a luminous material show the hours and minutes in the centre.

The third version of the Flyback Chronograph Manufacture features a pink gold case and a chocolate-coloured dial with a warm tone heightened by touches of gold (on the indices and hands).

Price: 3 695 CHF (steel) – 3 995 CHF (pink gold-plated steel) – 13’995 CHF (pink gold) frederiqueconstant.com

By Sharmila Bertin