Although it is certainly a mouthful, Frederique Constant has once again proven that they are true to their slogan of ‘accessible luxury’ with the release of the Classic Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar watch in celebration of their 30th anniversary. They’ve stuck to the quality manufacturing that they have come to be known for, and have shown the world that you don’t need to sell all of your possessions to own a quality watch with complications.
This limited series of 30 pieces is the embodiment of Frederique Constant’s determination, visionary spirit, and passion for watchmaking. It is the brand’s contribution to the quest for ultimate precision, with its primary function being to counterbalance the errors caused by the Earth’s gravity and the effect it has on movement in a vertical position.
What sets the Classic Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar apart from all other watches is its impressive mechanism. It bears a silicium escapement wheel and anchor, a Tourbillon cage, and a smart weight balance wheel simultaneously. It does this while still being ridiculously affordable. Let’s look at this watch in more detail.
Dial
The dials on the Classic Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar collection of watches are skeleton silvered, shining with a brilliance that can’t be found elsewhere. The black hands are polished by hand, adding to a remarkably clean and visually pleasing finish. The unbelievably delicate and intricate inner mechanisms are visible beneath the convex sapphire crystal that encases the dial.
This provides an insight into the incredible detail that goes into the production of all of Frederique Constant’s products. There are three smaller faces within the surrounding time-telling disk. The face closest to the crown knob tells the current date, the face next to it displays the current month, and the face furthest from the crown knob displays the current day. If you prefer Roman numerals, there are variants with a closed dial surface, though less of the inner mechanism is visible in comparison to the open dial surface.
In total, there are six hands, meaning that there are six motors within the watch that power each hand. One would think that the watch would need to be quite thick to accommodate these motors, but Frederique Constant has found a way to keep the design ultra sleek. We hope you can pay close attention to detail, because all of the hands-on these watches are black, and reading the time can become difficult when they are close together. But, this is more of a nitpick than anything else.
Case
There are two variations on the case design for the Classic Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar range. One features a case made from hand-polished stainless steel that consists of three parts. It is 42mm in diameter, which is slightly larger than the average watch case, but then again, you’re viewing a lot more than just the time on this wrist piece. The other is made from hand-polished stainless steel that is plated with rose gold, and also consists of three parts.
It also measures in at 42mm in diameter and is a much more eye-catching design compared to the previous case. Regardless of which variant you choose, these watches will certainly make you the envy of your peers. All of the Classic Tourbillon Perpetual Calendars featured a prominent onion crown and stepped bezel, which is common for luxury watches. The case is very much part of the personality that these watches possess.
There are no protrusions on the underside of these watches, meaning they feel quite smooth when on the wrist, and won’t cause any pain or irritation. The front of the watch is mostly flat as well, save for the stepped bezel. It won’t catch on any of your clothing, so you can cross that off of your list of concerns.
Wearability
Frederique Constant is known for producing some of the most comfortable jewelry out there, and their collection of Classic Tourbillon Perpetual Calendars is no exception. Each of the straps on these watches is made from alligator leather, which is known to be an extremely soft, supple, and comfortable material. This makes the strap a joy to wrap around your wrist, and when worn, is totally unobtrusive and undetectable.
The Classic Tourbillon Perpetual Calendars feature 33 stunning jewels and can last 38 hours on reserve power before needing to be re-energized. This is a little short for a watch that you don’t really want to see when it’s not working properly, which is why Frederique Constant includes a watch winder in with each of their Perpetual Calendars. They feature FC-975 Manufacture calibers, and, of course, automatic tourbillons and perpetual calendars. Each watch also houses a silicium escapement wheel and anchor.
As we mentioned earlier, the watch face of Frederique Constant’s Perpetual Calendars is pretty much completely flat, so they feel ultra-comfortable at nearly any position on the wrist. They won’t dig into the soft space between your joints, which is an issue that comes with many watches of this size. The strap is also very smooth, so you can move the watch around with ease even after you have secured the strap.
You would think that such a complicated watch could never be waterproof, but the Classic Tourbillon Perpetual Calendars are actually water-resistant up to 5 ATM, which is more than more expensive watches with far less complicated designs.
Price
Now for the part, you’ve all been waiting for. If you know Frederique Constant, then you know that they do not produce cheap jewelry. However, their range of Perpetual Calendars is extremely affordable, especially considering the precision, detail, and quality that each is imbued with.
The least expensive of these watches, the FC-975MC44, will set you back roughly £17,500 (or $21,500) since all of these products are limited edition, this can be considered quite a fair price. Their most expensive Perpetual Calendar, the FC-97554H9, will cost you around £27,000 (or $33,500).
