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This Gorgeous, Approachable Dress Watch Looks Like It Should Cost Five Figures

This remarkably affordable luxury-tier dress watch now has a sporty edge, making it more wearable than ever.

a frederique constant dress watch with a blue dial.Frederique Constant
black and white headshot of brad lanphear

By Brad Lanphear

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It is well known that Citizen is the entry point for many watch fans into quality horology.

What is less appreciated is that Frederique Constant, a member of the Citizen family of brands, plays the same role for entry into luxury-tier Swiss watchmaking.

Silver wristwatch with a textured blue dial featuring raised silver Arabic numerals and silver hands. The watch face displays "FREDERIQUE CONSTANT GENEVE" and "AUTOMATIC" along with "SWISS MADE" at the bottom. The watch has a polished stainless steel case and a linked metal bracelet. The background is dark gray.
The Classics Premiere’s updated dial, introduced in 2024, is now available in blue.
Frederique Constant

Like its parent company, Frederique Constant offers some of the best value watches in its field. There is no better example than the Classics Premiere, an elegant dress watch that substantially outperforms and outshines its relatively affordable price.

The dial resembles esteemed heritage brands like Breguet and Jaeger-LeCoultre, blending Art Deco and turn-of-the-century pocket watch design elements.

Silver wristwatch with a blue dial featuring stylized Arabic numerals and a textured center, worn on a wrist with a silver metal link bracelet. The watch face displays the brand name "Frederique Constant Genève" and the word "Automatic." The wearer is dressed in a dark blue long-sleeve garment.
The Classics Premiere is now available on a five-link steel bracelet.
Frederique Constant

FC introduces two significant updates to the Classics Premiere, making it more suitable for daily wear than ever. The first is a five-link steel bracelet with arched links and a center folding clasp.

The second is a new royal blue dial color that creates a more grounded look than the salmon color debuted in 2024.

A refined dial

The Classics Premiere debuted in 2023 with a sector dial that was not as well-polished as it appears today. The center circle had a basketweave texture, and the hour markers blended dashes with Roman numerals at three, six, nine and twelve.

Silver Frederique Constant wristwatch with a textured rose gold dial, featuring silver Arabic numerals and minute markers around the outer rim. The watch has three silver hands and a stainless steel link bracelet. The dial includes the text "FREDERIQUE CONSTANT GENEVE," "AUTOMATIC," and "SWISS MADE.
The current dial design debuted in 2024 exclusively in salmon.
Frederique Constant

In 2024, FC made a couple of minor but impactful tweaks to the dial, allowing it to blend in with watches that cost 10 or 20 times as much.

The hour markers were switched to a uniform italicized script reminiscent of Breguet numerals and used by top-tier luxury brands today.

The other major dial update is that the center indented circle now has a grainy texture, similar to fine-grain sandpaper. This creates a sleeker look than the previous basketweave texture.

Silver wristwatch with a textured blue dial featuring raised silver Arabic numerals and three silver hands. The dial displays the text "FREDERIQUE CONSTANT GENEVE," "AUTOMATIC," and "SWISS MADE." The watch has a polished stainless steel case and a matching metal bracelet.
The Classics Premiere retains the Breguet-style hands, dual railroad tracks and 60-seconds track from the original design.
Frederique Constant

Most of the original dial elements remain unchanged, including the Breguet-style hands, dual railroad tracks framing the hour markers and the 60-seconds track lining the outer rim.

More steel

Aside from adding a new dial color, the most significant update for the two new references is the steel five-link bracelet with a center folding clasp.

It resembles the ultra-popular Jubilee bracelet debuted by Rolex in 1945, which looks great on everything from dive watches to dress watches. More specifically, it is just as appealing on Citizen’s Tsuyosa as on FC’s Classics Premiere.

Back view of a Frederique Constant wristwatch showcasing its automatic movement mechanism. The watch features a stainless steel case and bracelet with a transparent case back revealing the rotor engraved with "FREDERIQUE CONSTANT TWENTY-FOUR 24 JEWELS SWISS MADE." The case back also displays the brand name, model number FC-301X3B4/5/6, and water resistance rating of 5 ATM. The movement includes visible screws and jewels, highlighting the craftsmanship of the Swiss-made watch.
The in-house caliber FC-301 automatic movement is visible through the exhibition caseback.
Frederique Constant

The center links are polished to match the case, while the outer links have a contrasting vertical brushed finish.

Unfortunately for fans of leather straps, the brown crocodile leather strap introduced with the salmon dial last year is no longer available.

The new five-link steel bracelet has a slightly sporty look, which smooths off any stuffy edge of the exceptionally classical dress watch dial. Steel bracelets are also less rigid, making them easier on the wrist for daily wear than a leather strap.

Silver wristwatch with a round, light pink dial featuring black Arabic numerals and a stainless steel link bracelet, worn on a wrist with a gray knitted sweater.
The slightly sporty look of the steel bracelet lends itself to daily wear.
Frederique Constant

When revamped in 2024, the Classics Premiere offered an exceptional deal on a dress watch with a respectable in-house automatic movement — which packs a 68-hour power reserve — and a dial suggesting a five-figure price tag.

Now it is even easier on the wrist and better suited for spanning casual and formal attire with a neutral blue dial and sporty steel bracelet.

Availability and price

The 2024 Classics Premiere revamp with the salmon dial and brown leather strap was exclusive to the European market, but the 2025 update will be available globally.

The new Frederique Constant Classics Premiere will be available in October 2025 from Frederique Constant and authorized dealers for $2,459.

Frederique Constant currently offers a pre-launch signup list.

Silver Frederique Constant wristwatch with a textured blue dial, featuring silver Arabic numerals and three hands. The watch has a polished stainless steel case and a matching metal link bracelet. The dial includes the text "FREDERIQUE CONSTANT GENEVE," "AUTOMATIC," and "SWISS MADE.Frederique Constant

Frederique Constant Classics Premiere

Specs

Case Size 38.5mm
Movement Frederique Constant caliber FC-301 automatic
Water Resistance 50m
About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.

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