Frederique Constant x Seconde/Seconde Watch Review
The Frederique Constant x Seconde/Seconde is an interesting collaboration between the Geneva-based Maison and ‘horological hacker’ Romaric André, aka Seconde/Seconde. Based on the Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture, this new limited edition has a rebellious streak!
Seconde/Seconde – rejecting convention
As a young boy, sat in a restaurant, somewhat confused by the array of cutlery in front of me, my mother would quietly whisper, “Work from the outside-in.” It served as a foretaste of life’s many protocols; the rules we must always follow.
Should you climb in a car equipped with a manual gearbox, convention dictates that the pedals are arranged in sequence, from left to right: clutch, brake and accelerator. It is these accepted practices that lead us to predict the arrangement of objects.
In the world of watchmaking, we are accustomed to seeing hour and minute hands positioned centre stage, collaborating with hour markers to articulate the prevailing time. However, Romaric André, aka Seconde/Seconde, has gained a reputation for rejecting convention and delivering the unexpected.
Frederique Constant – another collaboration
Frederique Constant, a brand that recently collaborated with esteemed watchmaker, Peter Speake, has once again looked beyond the confines of its Manufacture, this time joining forces with Monsieur André. It’s a bold and somewhat unexpected move for the Geneva-based brand known for crafting classically-styled, elegant timepieces. So what has led to the creation of this new model?
The answer lies at the heart of the new Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture Seconde/Seconde ie its movement. The Swiss marque, a prolific creator of Manufacture calibres, wanted to highlight that each movement is hand-assembled.
Frederique Constant x Manufacture Seconde/Seconde
Working with Seconde/Seconde, Frederique Constant has revisited its hugely popular model, the Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture. Ordinarily, this watch is the epitome of order, imbued with a serene beauty that exudes calm and refinement. However, on this occasion, Monsieur André quietly entered from the left side of the stage and engaged in a spot of disruptive behaviour.
The neatly arranged baton-style indexes have been displaced as if exposed to a strong gust of wind. The watch brand’s moniker resembles a childish scrawl. This playful representation of handwritten text extends to the date track encircling the moonphase display. And while your eyes are in the vicinity, look at the moon phase disc, populated with a stylised depiction of the moon and stars.
Suddenly, everything seems a tad rebellious. Indeed, the exhibition caseback is endowed with text that resembles the political manifesto of an outlawed group, printed in courier font. And the inscription reads “How do we tell the world that manual-assembly is at the core of our Manufacture? We asked artist seconde/seconde. He took it too far”.
Frederique Constant Manufacture – 31 calibres and counting
Over the years, I’ve worn several Frederique Constant timepieces. and the words ‘tasteful’, ‘traditional’, ‘accessible’ and ‘understated’ apply to each and everyone of them. The Maison has also demonstrated its technical prowess again and again. Indeed, the last time I spoke to the firm it had designed, developed and assembled 31 different calibres; a figure that may have since changed when you read this review.
On one hand, the Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture Seconde/Seconde upholds the brand’s reputation for making classically styled watches fitted with Manufacture movements; however, on the other hand, it catches you on your blind side and reveals a refreshing dose of eccentric charm. I love it!
The model is available in two variants; stainless steel (limited to 100 pieces) and stainless steel with gold-toned crown and dial elements (limited to 10 pieces).
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture Seconde/Seconde
- Reference: FC-705SOC4S6 (stainless steel with gold-toned crown and dial elements (limited to 100 pieces)).
- Reference: FC-705SOC4S2 (stainless steel with gold-toned crown and dial elements (limited to 10 pieces)).
- Case: diameter 42 mm, height 11.30 mm, water resistance 3 ATM (30 metres), sapphire crystals to front and caseback.
- Functions: hours, minutes, moonphase, date
- Movement: FC-705 in-house calibre, automatic movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 26 jewels, 38-hour power reserve
- Strap: colour-coordinating alligator leather strap with steel folding buckle
- Price: €3,295 (RRP as of 19.2.2024)