The Frederique Constant Highlife Chronograph Automatic Bamford Special Edition

Frederique Constant and Bamford Watch Department approach watch design from opposite corners of the industry, yet both operate within clear, self-defined parameters. Frederique Constant has built its reputation on accessible mechanical watchmaking, manufacturing calibres in-house and maintaining a pragmatic, function-first approach to design. Bamford, by contrast, is known for reinterpreting established forms through high-contrast palettes, material experimentation and an unrestrained visual language anchored in black-centric aesthetics.

The two companies had not collaborated before, but the Highlife Chronograph Automatic must have seemed like a stable base for a facelift. Frederique Constant’s requirement was straightforward: maintain the integrity of the FC-391 chronograph calibre but allow Bamford to rework the external architecture and visual environment without limitation. Bamford accepted the constraint and treated the assignment as a full reprogramming of the Highlife’s exterior and display rather than a cosmetic variant.

The case of the Highlife Chronograph Automatic Bamford Special measures 41mm in diameter and 14.62mm in height. It is a three-part construction in grade 2 titanium that has been subjected to a crystallisation heat treatment at 1,200 °C before receiving a black DLC finish; the process produces a distinctive, non-uniform surface texture while retaining titanium’s low mass and corrosion resistance. The watch is fitted with a convex sapphire crystal treated with anti-reflective coating. Chronograph actuation is via rectangular pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock; the screwed, see-through caseback is engraved and uses a smoked sapphire to present the movement, maintaining the watch’s monochromatic aesthetic. Water-resistance is 100m.

The dial is matte black throughout, with a conventional tri-compax layout (30-minute counter at 3, 12-hour counter at 6, small seconds at 9). Hour indices are applied and finished in a silver tone; the hour and minute hands are silver and filled with white luminous material. Key functional elements are highlighted in a measured turquoise: subdial hands, the small-seconds segments, and the larger part of the central chronograph seconds hand. The minute/seconds track around the flange is printed in white with turquoise elements for the tachymeter scale. The overall graphic treatment prioritises contrast and unambiguous time and chronograph readout in low light. Unlike the regular versions, the Bamford Special omits the date function.

Powering the Highlife Chronograph Automatic Bamford Special is the in-house FC-391 calibre, an automatic chronograph based on the established Valjoux 7750 architecture and refined through collaboration with La Joux-Perret. The movement runs at 28,800 vibrations/hour, uses 26 jewels and stores approximately 60 hours of energy on a fully wound barrel. Finishings include Côtes de Genève on the bridges and a gold-tone rotor visible through the smoked caseback.

Each watch is delivered with three interchangeable straps: black rubber, turquoise rubber and black nubuck calf. The limited edition is numbered (100 pieces), and the price is CHF 4,495. For more information, please visit frederiqueconstant.com.