Frederique Constant Classic Worldtimer Manufacture

Until now, the Classic Worldtimer Manufacture had been decked out in the three dominant colours on Earth: daytime white, nighttime black, and ocean blue. Now, two new limited editions have been added to the series in a fourth colour: forest green. Each timepiece is housed in a 42-millimetre case made of steel (718 watches) or 18-carat rose gold (36 watches), features a world map on the dial, a date window, and a dark green leather strap, and is decorated with a range of finishes. The Manufacture calibre allows the wearer to read off the time zones for the 24 cities inscribed on its 24-hour disc, and also provides a date hand display. With a constant eye to simplicity, all the functions are adjusted using the crown.

The only thing missing from this collection was a fourth colour dimension, eagerly awaited by most collectors after last being used by Frederique Constant in 2018: the green of the forests, mountains and hills to be found on each of the Earth’s continents. This universal hue, one of the most sought-after in watchmaking at the present time, is a perfect fit for a piece featuring a view of our planet. The dial portrays a world map amid a sunburst finish radiating a gentle, harmonious green, illuminating the continents with a glow that subtly changes depending on its angle to the light. The expanse of green serves as the backdrop to the continents, with a faithful reproduction of the major landmasses depicted in higher-level relief; a polished finish sets them clearly and distinctly apart from the seas and oceans. The date window at 6 o’clock showcases all the talents of Manufacture Frederique Constant’s craftsmen: a delicately grooved surround, a matte date ring (making it easy to read without any annoying glare) and a sunburst guilloché centre ensuring the date hand stands out clearly.

Similar attention to clarity is to be found all over the dial. For optimum readability even at night, each hour marker is coated with Super-LumiNova – those with an eye for detail will note that the marker surrounds also match the colour of the case and hands (rose gold or steel). The two hands are luminous too, gliding over a dial that couldn’t be easier to read, bearing the full names of all 24 reference cities (rather than abbreviations as is sometimes the case) paired with a 24- hour disc split into a lighter section denoting daytime and a dark green half for the night hours, thus dispensing with the need for a day-night indicator and resulting in a less cluttered, more readable dial.

As always with Frederique Constant, the principle of accessible watches extends to their technical considerations: its timepieces are user-friendly and easy for anyone to use, and the Classic Worldtimer Manufacture is no exception. Everything is controlled by the crown; in its default position, it winds the automatic movement boasting a 38-hour power reserve. On the first notch, it adjusts the worldtimer function: the date can be set by rotating it upwards, while rotating it downwards allows the city disc to be adjusted by aligning local time with the midday position. On the second notch, the crown adjusts the hours and minutes; the 24-hour disc adjusts itself automatically. The whole precision mechanism can be admired through the sapphire caseback, fittingly decorated with Côtes de Genève patterns and beading in the finest traditions of Swiss Made watchmaking.

This new Classic Worldtimer Manufacture timepiece is being released only in a limited edition: 36 pieces with an 18-carat rose gold case, matching hands, hour markers and deployment clasp, and 718 timepieces with a steel case and matching externals.