Frederique Constant first launched a hybrid connected smartwatch in 2015, creating a category of timepieces with Swiss quality look and feel that can communicate with a smartphone app.
The only frustration for purists of Swiss mechanical watchmaking was that the analogue part of the hybrid’s movement was based on quartz technology.
That limitation was removed this week, as Frederique Constant unveiled its patented Hybrid Manufacture FC-750 automatic calibre. The movement, which has a 42 hour power reserve, drives hours, minutes and seconds on a classical family of watches that will be known as Hybrid Manufacture.
Incorporated into the movement is the digital communications and motion sensor widget, which handles activity tracking and sleep monitoring. That information is beamed to the Frederique Constant smartphone app and displayed on a 0-100% counter on the watch face.
For more nerdy mechanical watch lovers, the gadget also monitors the performance of the movement.
The Caliber Analytics checks the movement once per day to measure rate, amplitude and beat error, with results communicated to the app via Bluetooth where they feed into graphs that show the performance over time.
“We think there is demand for this,” said Frederique Constant CEO Peter Stas. “We’ll see how much they like it.”
Frederique Constant has clearly put a Swiss watch manufacturer’s thought into every aspect of the watch. It even comes in a wooden watch winder that has a charger for the electronics of the watch.
The core line of the watch will have two 42mm models this year, one with a polished steel cased version with a navy blue guilloché dial, the other with a rose gold plated case and a grey dial. Other limited editions are expected.
The watches will go on sale in the UK in May this year price from £2995 to £3295.
