Worn & Wound
Watches & Wonders: Frederique Constant Offers a Smart Update to their Classic Worldtimer Manufacture
Frederique Constant has built themselves a nice little niche delivering complicated watches at relatively affordable and impressive price points. While their perpetual calendar is probably the most impressive in terms of straight up value (somehow it still comes in under $10,000, even after years of rising prices throughout the sector) it’s the Worldtimer Manufacture that is likely their true signature. It’s a genuinely accessible complication that, at the time it was introduced, was novel in a watch well under the five figure mark. Over the years there have been a number of variants introduced, but little has changed as far as the actual execution of the watch. That changes with the introduction of a trio of new worldtimers, all sporting the new manufacture movement, designated FC-719. The new caliber allows two nagging issues to be addressed: case size and dial clutter. If you’re familiar with Frederique Constant’s Worldtimer Manufacture, you’ve likely already noticed that the large subdial at 6:00 displaying the date has been completely removed. A no-date worldtimer is a big change, but there’s no denying that the dial is significantly cleaner without the date. It allows the dial motif, a representation of a globe, common enough on these watches, to fully stand on its own. Dial options for this refreshed worldtimer include a limited diamond set version, a version on a strap with iridescent blue ocean waters, and a bracelet version with a more matte blue ...
