The New Frederique Constant Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture

The moon phase indicator and date combination is a flagship model at Frederique Constant, appearing with the launch of the brand’s second manufacture movement in 2005. Early models, like the Heart Beat Manufacture, were equipped with the brand’s hand-wound moon phase and date movement (FC-915). Evolving over the years and replacing the manual-winding movement with more practical automatics, the moon phase and date duet have appeared in different formats and different families. During Watches and Wonders 2024, Frederique Constant launches a trilogy of Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture models with a crisp, refreshed dial design and a new in-house automatic movement with an increased power reserve.

Since its debut, the moon phase and date combination has turned up in the brand’s Slimline collection, united in a single sub-dial and even displayed separately in two horizontal counters across the dial. It has also become a perennial popular in the brand’s traditional Classic collection with the double sub-dial layout and a very classic-looking model with a crescent-shaped aperture at 6 o’clock and a pointer date.

The layout of the complications in the new trilogy is similar to the more austere 2015 model, and the signature features of the case from the brand’s Classic collection are immediately recognisable, albeit without the hinged officer-style caseback. Measuring 40mm across, the 50m water-resistant stainless steel case has a smooth, wide bezel and the hallmark onion crown. While slightly larger and thicker (12.4mm thick) than a purist’s ideal dimensions for a dress watch, the polished finishings give it an elegant air. (As we mentioned in our coverage of the new Classic Date Manufacture, the thickness might be derived from the increased barrel size in the new movement.

Where these models differ from their predecessors is in the more refined features of the dial. Available in midnight blue, British racing green or silvery grey, the dials are decorated with a sunray finish and have applied indices to mark the hours instead of classical Roman numerals. The elegant, tapering dagger-shaped indices give the watch a more contemporary touch and match the shape of the Alpha-style hour and minute hands. The facets of the applied markers and hands are diamond-cut and polished by hand, and the markers at 5 and 7 o’clock are truncated to accommodate the sub-dial containing the date, indicated by hand, and the phases of the moon. Like the refreshed Classic Date model, the periphery of the dial has a railway-style minutes track.

The single sub-dial at 6 o’clock unites the two complications, underscoring the correlation between the two functions. The date is indicated by a small hand pointing to a scale of 1- 31 (red), and the phases of the moon appear inside the crescent-shaped counter.

Frederique Constant has developed a new automatic movement – calibre FC-716 – for the latest models. The new and improved movement has a larger barrel that can store a power reserve of three days or 72 hours, translating into an increased autonomy of almost 90% over earlier movements. To accommodate the larger barrel, the redesigned bridges are decorated with fan-shaped Côtes de Genève, visible thanks to the openworked rotor.

The blue and silver dials come with blue alligator straps, while the green dial is paired with a green alligator strap. The Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture retails for CHF 3,895. For more information, please visit frederiqueconstant.com.