In 1988, two young Dutch entrepreneurs, Aletta and Peter Stas, embarked on a mission to offer watch enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire luxury Swiss Made timepieces at a fair price. That year marked the establishment of Frederique Constant.
As the brand celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2023, it has solidified its position as a respected watch manufacturer, consistently producing high-quality timepieces at competitive prices. Over the past three decades, Frederique Constant has not only embraced innovation but has also expanded its offerings beyond mechanical watches to include acclaimed smartwatches.
To commemorate this milestone anniversary and create a special timepiece for the occasion, the brand returned to its expertise—mechanical timepieces. In 2023, Frederique Constant unveiled two variations of its beloved Highlife Worldtimer Manufacture. In a mere three years, the Highlife collection has swiftly established itself as the epitome of Frederique Constant’s flagship offerings, symbolising the rise of the manufacture that originally conceived it.
Frederique Constant first ventured into the realm of affordable worldtimer complications in 2012, with the introduction of the Classic Worldtimer Manufacture timepiece and the FC-718 Manufacture calibre. Unlike traditional worldtimer watches that can be challenging to adjust due to their complexity, the FC-718 movement stands out for its simplicity—allowing all adjustments to be made using the crown alone.
The 41mm Highlife Worldtimer Manufacture, created specifically for the anniversary, comes in a brushed and polished rose gold case, limited to just 35 pieces. The watch features a petroleum blue dial with sunray finishing and a globe pattern embossed in the centre. Notably, the central hands of the watch are meticulously proportioned to accentuate the prominence of the Worldtimer’s dual disc feature. The outer disc is inscribed with 24 cities, representing different time zones, while the inner disc showcases the time in each respective reference city. The use of blue and white backgrounds facilitates seamless differentiation between night and day for the wearer. The timepiece includes an interchangeable, integrated strap in blue alligator leather with a nubuck finish, as well as an alternate blue rubber strap.
The second variation of the Highlife Worldtimer Manufacture boasts a brushed and polished stainless steel case and a matte chocolate brown dial, coupled with a slightly lighter shade for the dial centre. This watch is delivered with a brown alligator leather strap featuring nubuck finishing, along with two additional straps: a brushed and polished stainless steel 3-link bracelet and a brown rubber strap.
While the limited run of the rose gold edition may have already been claimed, the second non-limited anniversary piece remains available for those eager to join in celebrating Frederique Constant’s 35th birthday celebrations.
The Highlife Worldtimer Manufacture in stainless steel is available for purchase at all Watches of Switzerland Singapore boutiques.
