Frédérique Constant derives its name from its two original founders Frederique Schreiner and Constant Stas. Since 1904 the company has established itself as a quality Swiss watchmaker. Each watch is meticulously designed and hand assembled at the company’s own state of the art workshops located at Plan-les-Ouates in the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. This vast 3200 square meter facility accommodates all production, quality control and component manufacturing.
In 1988 the current owners (husband and wife) Peter Stas and Aletta Bax took control of the business. Their combined drive and determination has ensured a positive, sustainable future for the brand. Within twenty-five years Frédérique Constant has grown at a progressive rate of between 25-30% per year. Incredibly the company projects sale forecasts of 125,000 timepieces for the year of 2013. Their key objective is to make their beautiful watches accessible to everyone.
Frédérique Constant has a long association with rally cars and Healy cars in general. The new Vintage Rally “Healey” collection pays homage to the iconic Healy NOJ that has been recently restored to its former glory. Within this exciting new range there are three models including the superb automatic chronograph. This superb timepiece is the largest in the range measuring 43mm x 14.5mm excluding pushers and crown. These classical dimensions should appeal to the majority of buyers and won’t offend the self-conscious. Generally I felt the watch was comfortable to wear and there was no friction from the lugs. This is ultimately down to the carefully sculpted stainless steel case. In my opinion this timepiece could definitely be sported for either casual or formal occasions.
Visually the Vintage Rally “Healey” has a highly distinctive and original silhouette. The silver dial with guilloché pattern looks refined and gives the watch a quality appearance. I also think the three counters are stylish and add to the overall sporty theme. Other successful elements include the delicate raised indexes, contrasting black hour/minute hands and the stunning Healy motif. Compared with many watches the detailing is understated and I feel that is integral to the success of the design.
In my opinion the Vintage Rally “Healey” not only looks great but is also equipped with a decent Swiss made automatic movement. The Calibre FC-392 (ETA 7750) comprises 25 jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. Functionally the watch features hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph and date (located at the 6 o’clock position). The watch also delivers a decent enough power reserve of 46 hours. It is also notable to mention the timepiece is water resistant to a depth of 10 ATM (100m).
The fantastic Vintage Rally “Healey” is presented with a racing car inspired leather strap with stylised “O-Rings” and is limited to 1888 pieces. The suggested retail price is: $3,695.
http://www.frederique-constant.com
