Frédérique Constant

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Frederique Constant SA
Type Société Anonyme
Industry Watch manufacturing
Founded 1988 by Aletta and Peter Stas
Headquarters Geneva, Switzerland
Key people Peter Stas, Managing Director
Products Wrist watches
Website www.frederique-constant.com

Frederique Constant SA is a manufacture of luxury wrist watches based in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva. The company was established in its current form in 1988 by Aletta Bax and Peter Stas and is involved in all the stages of watch production, from initial design to final assembly.[1]

Frederique Constant Art Deco series

History

Founded in 1988 by Aletta Francoise Frédérique Stas-Bax and Peter Constant Stas,[2] Frederique Constant has grown into one of the larger Swiss watch manufacturers. In 2011, production reached over 120,000 watches, sold in over 2,700 points of sale in 100+ countries around the globe. Frederique Constant positions itself in the accessible luxury segment, with most of its watches selling at CHF 1,000-5,000 retail. In 2011, the company said that it expected to continue growing at an annual rate of 25%, doubling in size every three years.[3]

Frederique Constant is a global partner in the European Entrepreneurs of the Year awards.[4]

Manufacture facilities

Frederique Constant operates a manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates measuring 3200 square metres, divided over four floors, in the sectors of movement component production, calibre assembly, watch assembly, and extensive quality control. Numerically controlled machines of the latest generation are located in a large atelier in the basement, where all component manufacturing is concentrated. Calibre and watch assembly, as well as state-of-the-art quality control is primarily organized on the first floor.[5]

Products and product features

Heart Beat movement

In 2001, Frederique Constant began the development of its first manufacture caliber in co-operation with the École d'Horlogerie de Genève, École d'Ingenieurs de Genève and the Horloge Vakschool Zadkine. The Heart Beat Manufacture has a characteristic bridge for the balance wheel on the front side of the caliber. Having the bridge for the balance wheel on the front side of the caliber made it possible to have the spiral and fine regulation on the front side as well, creating the Heart Beat design. This construction was new - allowing Frederique Constant to obtain a patent.[6]

The company's "Heart Beat Manufacture" won the "Watch of the Year" Award of Horloges Magazine in the category up to € 3000 in 2005.[7]

Silicon escapement wheel

In February 2007, Frederique Constant began production of the Silicon escapement wheel (first introduced to the industry by Patek Philippe in 2005).[8] Frederique Constant introduced the Heart Beat Calibre FC 935 Silicium in October 2007. It implements new high tech materials to create better, more precise and more reliable mechanical watches.[9]

Tourbillon

In April 2008, Frederique Constant created a tourbillon with a silicon escape-wheel and, for the first time, an amplitude of over 300 degrees between its vertical and horizontal positions. Coupled with rapid oscillation, this gives the watch an unusually high level of precision.[10]

Manufacture

Frederique Constant offers three manufacture (in-house) movements in addition to their mainstream line of ETA-powered watches. The high-end FC-9xx caliber, introduced in 2001, was joined by Tourbillon in 2008 and a mainstream FC-7xx caliber range in 2009. The addition of the second-generation manufacture calibers makes Frederique Constant unusual in offering a complete in-house watch for under €2,000 MSRP. Watches with in-house movements are identified with the word, "Manufacture" in their model name, or can be identified by looking for the tourbillon, FC-9xx, or FC-7xx movement in their specifications.

Worldtimer

Frederique Constant introduced a Worldtimer watch in 2012 with a unique mechanism, adjusted solely via the crown. The Worldtimer function is used by selecting the desired city and placing it at the 12 o'clock position on the dial. Internal discs automatically synchronise, and after that, it is possible to see what time it is in any of the 24 cities on the dial. In addition, thin discs also indicate at a glance whether it is day (white disc) or night (black disc).[11]

Frederique Constant Runabout

Runabout product line

The Runabout range is a main collection of Frederique Constant and is designed to pay tribute to the legendary Runabout gentlemen's sports boats of the roaring 20s. The company sponsored the Hélice Classique Genève and Lake Tahoe Concours d'Elegance. More than 200 classic and antique boats and over 5,000 visitors gathered fro these events. The events showcased the best vintage wood boats, which competed for top honors in 13 classes.[12][13][14]

Vintage rally line and sponsorships

Since 2004, Frederique Constant sponsors various classical rallies worldwide. It develops limited edition watches for each sponsorship. The company has been sponsor of Healey Challenges,[15][16] Peking to Paris,[17] and La Carrera Panamericana.[18]

Brand ambassadors

Shu Qi

Frederique Constant is represented in Asia by brand ambassador Shu Qi.[19]

Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria and Frederique Constant teamed up for Par Coeur in 2010 in Paris.[20]

Nicole Faria

Miss Earth 2010 Nicole Faria is the global brand ambassador for Frédérique Constant.[21] Her role as global brand ambassador for the Swiss watch brought her to various countries:[22]

Inés Sastre

Supermodel Inés Sastre became global Frederique Constant Ambassador in 2013.[23]

Sean Lau

Award winning actor Sean Lau, movie star from Hong Kong, has been appointed as the Global Brand Ambassador for Frederique Constant in 2014-2015. [24]

Charities

Frederique Constant donates US$50 from each watch sold in its Double Heart Beat Collection to various charities, including those related to the heart and children.[25]

The company donated a US$50,000 cheque to the American Heart Association during its 2010 Passion Awards for Charity in New York.[26]

Frederique Constant has donated two cheques in the value of US$50,000 (in 2008) and US$75,000 (in 2011) to the International Children's Heart Foundation, an organisation that helps to diagnose and care for children with congenital heart disease in developing countries.[25]

The company partners with the World Heart Federation on the "Hearts of Children" campaign and in a multi-national survey conducted in Brazil, India, UK and the USA by the World Heart Federation regarding perceptions and awareness of heart disease.[27]

Frederique Constant is partner of the Only Watch activity to create exceptional and one-off pieces to raise funds for scientific and medical research on neuromuscular diseases in general and Duchenne muscular dystrophy in particular.[28]

Sources

  1. ↑ "Swiss Watch News 2006". Retrieved March 19, 2007. 
  2. ↑ "Factsheet". Retrieved September 9, 2013. 
  3. ↑ "History of Frederique Constant". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  4. ↑ "Frederique Constant partners to honor European Entrepreneurs of the Year". Retrieved February 7, 2013. 
  5. ↑ "Industrial News". Retrieved March 19, 2007. 
  6. ↑ "Frederique Constant Manufacture Calibers". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  7. ↑ "Horloges Awards 2005" (in Dutch). Retrieved March 19, 2007. 
  8. ↑ "Reinventing the Wheel". Retrieved February 22, 2007. 
  9. ↑ "Swiss Watch News 2007". Retrieved September 16, 2008. 
  10. ↑ "Swisstime". Retrieved September 16, 2008. 
  11. ↑ "Frederique Constant Worldtimer Collection". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  12. ↑ "Frédérique Constant Stars at Lake Tahoe Concours d'Elegance". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  13. ↑ "Frederique Constant Venice Runabout". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  14. ↑ "Frederique Constant Runabout". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  15. ↑ "Frédérique Constant Healey Challenge". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  16. ↑ "Frédérique Constant Healey". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  17. ↑ "Frédérique Constant Official Timekeeper for Peking to Paris Motor Challenge". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  18. ↑ "Frederique Constant Vintage Rally Collection: The Carrera Panamericana". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  19. ↑ "Watchmaker Frederique Constant teams up with movie star Shu Qi in a children's charity initiative". Retrieved December 13, 2009. 
  20. ↑ "Frederique Constant + Eva Longoria at Par Coeur en Paris!". Retrieved September 22, 2010. 
  21. ↑ News, Bengaluru (2 March 2012). "Big boys don't want to spend". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 2 March 2012. 
  22. ↑ Wilkinson, Jessica (1 March 2012). "Hot young model living the dream". The West Australian. Retrieved 2 March 2012. 
  23. ↑ "World supermodel Inés Sastre became the latest global charitable Frederique Constant Ambassador". Retrieved July 29, 2013. 
  24. ↑ "Frédérique Constant : Sean Lau, nouvel ambassadeur de la marque". Retrieved December 18, 2013. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Frederique Constant makes heartfelt donation to children's charity". Retrieved February 7, 2013. 
  26. ↑ "Live your Passion with Frederique Constant". Retrieved December 23, 2011. 
  27. ↑ "Partnership with Frédérique Constant". Retrieved July 22, 2013. 
  28. ↑ "ONLY WATCH". Retrieved July 22, 2013. 

See also

  • List of watch manufactures

External links

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