Flyback Chronograph Frederique Constant New Releases New Watches

The new Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph Manufacture collection takes the dressy-chronograph appeal to new heights

The new Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph Manufacture collection has been entirely developed, manufactured and assembled in-house and is being offered in two variations.

The new Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph Manufacture collection takes the dressy-chronograph appeal to new heights

Frederique Constant has a way of winning followers and tugging at the heart strings of collectors. For a brand that is relatively new on the scene — 1988 — it has managed to spend the last 32 years shaking up the Swiss watchmaking industry. 

And for 2020, they are releasing a fan favourite, the new Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph Manufacture collection that has been entirely developed, manufactured and assembled in-house and is being offered in two variations: rose-gold plated and stainless steel case materials. 

The new watches are visually striking and feature a very distinctive and charming elegant appeal.  

SFrederique Constant FC 760CHC4H4 PR PhotocEric Rossier HD

The Context 

It’s a hat-trick! For the third time now — 2017, 2018, 2020 — the elite watchmaker from Plan-les-Ouates in Geneva is releasing new models in its famed flyback chronograph series.

What’s a flyback? 

The flyback was one of the first features to be added to the chronograph and allows the chronograph to be stopped, reset and restarted with a single press of the push-piece.

What’s special about the Frederique Constant version?

The flyback chronograph movement used by the brand in this new watch replaces the standard column wheel — usually several column wheels are used that act as a system of clutches — with a star-shaped wheel. 

This results in a thinner movement with fewer parts and operations that ensures that the new watches have a movement that is simpler, smoother and more reliable. 

It took Frederique Constant six years of development to achieve this feat.

The Variations

As mentioned earlier, the new Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph Manufacture collection comes in two variations that use differing case materials and dial colours.  

Features of the Reference FC-760CHC4H4 

The heart used — FC-760 Manufacture caliber — is an automatic winding mechanical flyback chronograph — with date adjustable by the crown — movement beating at the frequency of 4Hz (28’800 A/h). 

The movement comprises of 32 jewels, 233 components and boasts of a 38-hour power reserve. You can admire the perlage & circular Côtes de Genève decoration on the movement through the display case-back.

Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph Manufacture
© 2020 FREDERIQUE CONSTANT, GENÈVE | Photo©Eric Rossier

The movement is encased inside a 42mm diameter rose gold plated polished and satined stainless steel 3-parts case that is water resistant up-to 50m (5 ATM).

The watch face shows the traditional functions of hours, minutes and seconds along with date by hand at 6’o clock, a peripheral tachymeter and the flyback chronograph. 

The brown dial with applied rose gold plated indexes and hand-polished rose gold plated hands is visually striking and set against the rose gold case look, offers a very distinctive and classy appeal. The contrasting rose gold indexes and hands offer for exceptional legibility as well. 

To complete this elegant look, the watch comes on a dark brown alligator leather strap with a deployant clasp stamped with the Frederique Constant logo that compliments the dial colour. 

Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph Manufacture
© 2020 FREDERIQUE CONSTANT, GENÈVE | Photo©Eric Rossier

Features of the Reference FC-760NS4H6 

In terms of the movement specifications and the case sizing, this version reads the same.

The dial colour is where the magic happens and if we had to choose a favourite between the two, we would go with this version.

The dial is encased inside a polished and satined stainless steel 3-parts case.  The navy dial with applied silver indexes and hand-polished silver hands is a visual treat.

Watch Ya Gonna Do About It?

Elegant like the rose-gold plated version, the blue-dialled version has a certain added sporty character to it, that takes its daily wearable quotient to new heights. 

We at Watch Ya Gonna Do About It review watches a bit differently. No matter what the brand is, and what their offering is, one of the key aspects we look for is the daily wearable capability of a watch. 

Now while the rose gold plated version can be worn daily, it’s more suited for work or formal affairs. The blue dialled version however, can do that and also call a weekend sojourn into the wild its home. 

Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph Manufacture
© 2020 FREDERIQUE CONSTANT, GENÈVE | Photo©Eric Rossier

And this is where Frederique Constant’s new Flyback collection scores, the versatility it offers via the blue version. 

Considering the price point of this — 3’895€ — you have a winner on your hands. 

The legibility is further enhanced on this version, and so is the inter-play of textures and colours. In-fact, in a first for this model, the counters and the face are different colours on both the versions.

The three sub-dials at 3,6, and 9’o clock have concentric circles pattern which is visible more prominently on the blue dialled version. 

This pattern contrasts exceedingly well with the otherwise plain dial. The silver of the branding at 12’o clock, and the hour markers and hands again contrasts brilliantly well. 

SFrederique Constant FC 760CHC4H4 Detail 2 PhotocEric Rossier HD
© 2020 FREDERIQUE CONSTANT, GENÈVE | Photo©Eric Rossier

Furthermore, the blackened chronograph sub-dial hands compliment the numerals on the sub-dials. 

Overall, this version has more visual bang and for my money, I would go with this one. 

And yes, the blue alligator leather strap blends effortlessly with the blue dial unifying the watch as a whole. If Frederique Constant could increase the power reserve to at-least 48 hours, this would be one of my favourite watch releases of 2020 so far, especially at its price point.

The new 2020 watch release Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph Manufacture is an affordable and elegant dress-chronograph watch collection.

Given that the watches are not limited edition, they are something that Frederique Constant fans can check out at their own pace and see if this is the right option for them.

For more information on this watch and other Frederique Constant watches, head to their website here.

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