This Affordable, Elegant Dress Watch Gets a Stunning Enhancement

Make no mistake: Frederique Constant is a luxury watch brand.

Although priced below its competition, FC produces solid gold watches and makes its own tourbillon, flyback chronograph, and even perpetual calendar movements. If that’s not luxury, then I don’t know what is.

The latest addition to the brand’s entry-level luxury lineup belongs to its Carree collection. Already one of the best-looking rectangular dress watches out there, at any price, it now features a classic moonphase complication.

Frederique Constant

The Swiss watchmaker is owned by Citizen and adheres to the same value-driven ethos, offering a ton of watch for your money. But most of the brand’s catalog is priced between $2,000 and $5,000, with many options reaching into the decidedly luxurious five-figure range.

At the same time, some of the brand’s most appealing designs are priced under $3,000, while offering looks and performance on par with watches triple the price. The Carree is a prime example, taking clear inspiration from the JLC Reverso and selling for a fraction of the cost.

While it isn’t nearly as refined and complex as the Art Deco icon — the case doesn’t even turn over — the Carree Moonphase Automatic is no dupe. Details like a stamped herringbone dial texture, faceted applied hour markers and beveled dauphine hands look the part.

Frederique Constant

The tiered case, which curves off at the lugs and is finished with a mirrored polish, is punctuated with a large onion crown.

Formerly offered with a time-and-date arrangement, Frederique Constant’s approachable rectangular dress watch now includes the luxury watch industry’s new favorite complication.

You want the moon?!

The new moonphase complication is so well placed on the Carree Moonphase Automatic dial that it looks like it was always meant to be there. Framed in a traditional crescent moon-shaped window, it fits snuggly into the lower portion of the dial’s central region.

Frederique Constant

The date window at six o’clock is gone, replaced with another pointed hour marker. This one-out, one-in method serves to prevent cluttering of the ultra-refined dial.

Available in the same silver and blue dial colors as the existing model, both options use the same blue moonphase wheel decorated with a circular moon and stylized stars.

Frederique Constant

The moonphase discretely blends in on the blue dial, while it provides a nice pop of color on the silver dial. In both cases, the radial brushing within the hour track creates a star shine effect.

The big deal

On paper, or a computer screen, the new Carree Moonphase Automatic is even more beautiful than the existing design, but there is one big issue. While the case width remains the same at 30mm, the lug-to-lug has increased from 33mm to 42mm and the height has increased from 9.7mm to 10.5mm.

Frederique Constant

Increasing the case size was necessary to accommodate the newly placed Caliber FC-333 automatic movement, which beats at 4Hz and has a 36-hour power reserve.

Herein lies the divide between more expensive luxury watch brands and an approachable brand like Frederique Constant. When those top-tier brands add a complication, they often don’t let it disrupt an established case design to such an extent.

Of course, the cost of fitting everything in is reflected in the sticker price. The Carree Moonphase Automatic is CHF 600 more than its time-and-date precursor, but it still only costs CHF 1,695.

Frederique Constant

Frederique Constant offers plenty of watches with luxury looks and performance at approachable prices, but the Carree stands out for its Art Deco influence that is as popular as ever. If you’ve got the wrist to carry the increased size, it is one of the best bargains in the luxury watch market.

Availability and price

The Frederique Constant Carree Moonphase Automatic is available now from the brand’s European website, but has yet to hit the American market. It retails for CHF 1,695, which currently exchanges for $2,140.

However, many Frederique Constant watches hit the American market at the same price shifted to dollars, meaning the Carree Moonphase will likely cost $1,695 when it is available in America later this year.

Frederique Constant

Frederique Constant Carree Moonphase Automatic

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Frederique Constant caliber FC- 333 automatic
Water Resistance	30m

• $1,695 at Frederique Constant

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