Elegance personified, the new Frederique Constant Classics Art Déco is ornate with geometric simplicity
2020 has been unique so far, especially for the watch community. Instead of attending watch fairs, we have been self-isolating ourselves, admiring watches from a distance. And once in while a watch release notification hits our desk that we wish we were able to admire in person.
Elegance personified, the new Frederique Constant Classics Art Déco is one such watch.
The Stand Out Quality
The early bird catches the worm they say. Ever woken up really early and gone for a stroll in the gardens? The leaves of flowers and petals usually have dew drops on them, these beautiful pearls of nature, that slowly disperse.
Or ever dropped a small stone in a silent lake and observed the ripples?
Before you being to question my sanity, no, I am not losing it being isolated. At-least not just yet. But you would have to agree that these innocent gestures of nature are breathtaking in their own rights.
Executed to perfection, the guilloché dials of the Frederique Constant Classics Art Déco models evoke the charm of such natural beauties.
The Art Déco Influence
The collection is sort of a homage to the century old Art Déco artistic movement that peaked from 1910s to 1930s.
13 years in the making, this new release introduces the round form for the first time in the “Classics Art Déco” collection and comprises of five new models.
The watch architecture, dials and textures, all draw heavily from the surface embellishment and styles of the Art Déco era.
The delicate and not oversized 30mm casing, for instance, has been grooved on its middle.
On the dial, the hours and minutes are shown by needles, hand refined and polished in the “cored apple” style imposed by Breguet over 200 years ago.
They glide over a dial guilloché from its centre outwards which diffuses the light towards the hours expressed in Roman numerals.
It is this radiating central guilloché that is the star of the show. It finishes as it touches the outer ring that carry the Roman numerals, and the contrast between the sun-ray brushed outer dial ring against the guilloché is spot on mesmerising.
As an additional observation, the cabochon-crown is very well integrated with the groves of the case and the absence of traditional lugs further elevates the feminine charm of the design.
The Frederique Constant Classics Art Déco is a sleek and elegant watch symbolising the wealth and sophistication of the era.
Before the specs, a word if we may
The watch world has an interesting relationship with quartz watches. The mechanical arm of it simply shuns this simple battery operated genius developed by the Japanese.
I am not here to start another debate about the pros and cons, but at Watch Ya Gonna Do About It, we like to give credit where its due; if a watch brand releases a collection or model that’s inspiring enough to be appreciated by watch consumers, then we should be covering it.
Doesn’t matter if its a mechanical watch, quartz watch, or even god forbid these days a smartwatch.
Watches are essentially jewellery that were initially designed for the sole purpose of telling time. They then became a way of showing of your status symbol. And as long as there is an interesting, unique take on this concept, we are glued in.
Features of the Blue dial beauties
The heart used — FC-200 — is a quartz movement comprising of 4 jewels and offering a 72-month battery life.
The movement is encased inside a 30mm diameter polished stainless steel 3-parts case that is water resistant up-to 30m (3 ATM).
The watch face shows the traditional functions of hours and minutes and is protected by a convex sapphire crystal.
The navy mother-of-pearl dial with guilloché decoration is visually striking and has a glamorous appeal. The printed white roman numerals and the hand-polished white coloured hands offer exceptional legibility.
The blue dial comes in two separate references
Reference FC-200MPN2AR6B features a stainless steel bracelet and retails for 850€, the starting price point of the new models.
Reference FC-200MPN2AR2D6 features a navy satin strap and retails for 1’150€. This version with 18 diamonds on horns adds an additional layer of feminine charm to the beautiful blue dial.
Features of the White dial beauties
The specifications of this are the same as that of the blue dial versions. The colouring of the dial and case material is differ though.
The white mother-of-pearl dial with guilloché decoration is restrained charm at its best. The printed black roman numerals and the hand-polished black coloured hands offers very good legibility as well.
The white dial comes in three separate references
Reference FC-200MPW2AR6B features a stainless steel bracelet and retails for 850€, the starting price point of the new models.
Reference FC-200MPW2AR2B features a stainless steel and rose gold plated bracelet and retails for 950€. This version also differs in the case being rose gold plated.
Reference FC-200MPWN2AR2D6 features a navy satin strap and retails for 1’150€. This version adds 18 diamonds on horns and the hands and hour markers are blue instead of black.
Watch Ya Gonna Do About It?
Out of the five versions, our favourite is the white dial rose gold version. The standout feature is the bracelet, that’s got an excellent interplay of steel and rose-gold look that integrates well with the case and overall provides for a very different and sophisticated look.
The watches can be worn daily given the timeless look, and like the other new release from the brand the Flyback Chronograph, these models also come at a very price friendly point and would be at home whether with a business suit, or at a rendezvous at a cafe, or even at a night out at a social event.
Characteristic in the Art Déco style, this new collection offers a clean dial watch with a streamlined look that is very ornamental in its geometric simplicity.
For more information on this watch and other Frederique Constant watches, head to their website here.
