The Unique Frederique Constant Classic Tourbillon “Julie” and New Personalisation Horizons for the Brand

Customisation or unique pieces are nothing new in the Swiss watch industry, but are usually reserved for high horology or smaller ateliers, necessitating a level of flexibility that more established and mainstream brands can hardly achieve. That said, we had the opportunity to go hands-on with a unique piece recently that, besides its intrinsic singularity and individual features, also signals an interesting move from Frederique Constant, a brand that would not have necessarily come to mind when talking about highly customised watches. The Classic Tourbillon Manufacture “Julie” (a watch named after the collector’s daughter) shows what FC can do when boundaries are removed, and creativity is left in the hands of the final owner. 

Technically speaking, the “Julie” is identical to what you’ll find in a standard Classic Tourbillon Manufacture. A sleek, elegant proposition on the tourbillon, this watch is available from Frederique Constant in several iterations, such as rose gold, stainless steel with a blue or green dial, but also more distinctive versions with a mother-of-pearl or a meteorite dial. The Tourbillon “Julie” doesn’t change what’s fundamental in the watch, including the design of the case and its clean lines, as well as its relatively compact case measuring 39mm in diameter and under 11mm in thickness.

In the same vein, the movement is technically unchanged, being the manufacture calibre FC-980-4, an engine that combines automatic winding, a 38-hour power reserve and a one-minute tourbillon running at 4Hz and equipped with a silicon escapement wheel and anchor. And in its normal disguise, it remains one of the most accessible tourbillon watches on the market, at about 16K euros. But, of course, this won’t be the same for this unique piece.

Talking about singular features, the “Julie” changes practically everything on the cosmetic side, starting with a case made of 950 platinum, the noblest of white metals. The dial is another important element in the customisation process wanted by the final client, as he not only went for a special gradient burgundy-to-black colour scheme, but also two distinctive elements that are not to be found anywhere else in FC’s catalogue. First is a Guilloché-style pattern radiating from the centre of the tourbillon. Second are the applied numerals, which use an Arabic typography. Finally, you’ll notice that the upper tourbillon cage has been coated in black.

Turning the watch over reveals the known architecture of the calibre FC-980-4 but an execution that is, once again, unique to the client’s commission. The main bridge as well as the golden rotor have been decorated with the same pattern as the dial, while the lower level of the main-plate, usually featuring circular graining, here comes decorated with hand-applied charbonné finish. The tourbillon’s lower bridge is also coated in black, and the sapphire caseback features a silhouette of Julie (again, the collector’s daughter) achieved via metallization.

Again, as said, besides looking at a watch with a singular appeal, what’s interesting here is to see how a brand such as Frederique Constant has evolved from its previous status of entry-level luxury watchmaking to now a capacity to produce unique, highly-customised watches. For more details, please visit frederiqueconstant.com.