Frederique Constant Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Manufacture Limited Edition
Swiss luxury watch manufacture Frederique Constant celebrates its 30 years anniversary, by launching a limited edition Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Manufacture timepiece with the new automatic FC-975 in-house movement.
In 2004, Frederique Constant introduced – after three years of research and development- the first in-house patented manufacture movement: the award-winning Heart Beat Manufacture Caliber. Four years later, the brand unveiled its first in-house manufacture Tourbillon based on the Heart Beat Manufacture. In 2016, Frederique Constant created another grand complication: the manufacture Perpetual Calendar. In honor of the brand’s 30 years anniversary, the Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Manufacture represents the outcome of all the knowhow the Brand gathered during the development of its in-house manufacture movements resulting in this grand complication.
This grand complication bears simultaneously: a silicium escapement wheel and anchor, a smart weight balance wheel, and a Tourbillon cage. These timepieces are impressive in horological terms as the Tourbillon has been developed in an industrialized process to the last detail. It’s the accumulation of watchmaking knowledge over the years which allowed this timepiece to emerge. The Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Tourbillon guarantees an exceptional level of performance and the highest standards of craftsmanship distinguished by the features mentioned above.
Innovative techniques overcame the obstacles of using traditional escapement wheels and anchor with the use of materials such as silicium. It benefits the mechanism of the Tourbillon, enabling good friction properties and a gain in efficiency for the energy required in the caliber. This type of material is light, durable, antimagnetic and extremely resistant to temperature changes and achieves a remarkable progress in precision. The friction property is so high that the oil becomes irrelevant. As the escapement wheel activates the “ticking of the watch” and controls the release of energy stored in the mainspring. A lighter escapement wheel enables a reduced inertia and guarantees a greater reliability and accuracy. This ensures an increase of chronometric results over time.
Frederique Constant patented the perfectly balanced cage composed of 80 components all produced with a precision of 1-2 micron (0.001-0.002 mm) by the CNC machine in the Manufacture’s ateliers. In order to achieve the highest degree of precision, small weights are added in the Tourbillon’s cage to obtain a perfect balance. When the Tourbillon is constructed, the balance in the cage is slightly unequal, as the escapement wheel and anchor are decentered. Frederique Constant added a “smart screw” system on the outer edge of the Tourbillon to equalize the weight and deliver a perfect balance in the cage. This results in a more stable amplitude and rate.
Frederique Constant’s Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon mechanism holds a 38 hours power reserve, while running at 4 Hertz with its balance wheel beating 28’800 times per hour. The Tourbillon consists of a mobile cage, driven by a gear train carrying the balance wheel and its escapement. At each impulse received by the balance wheel, the cage rotates slightly with all the components. The gear train moves forward 691,200 times in four years which represents over one billion impulses. This is in high contrast with the Perpetual Calendar system of our movement, which has a wheel turning only once in the same period of four years.
The tourbillon’s cage sits resplendently in an aperture on the dial visible at 6 o’clock, with its incorporated seconds hand that rotates once per minute. Each cage is sequentially numbered on the top plate in the center of the cage, matching the limited edition number on the case. This combination showcases the limited edition of 88 pieces for the stainless steel version and 30 pieces for the 18k rose gold case and displays a unique timepiece number for each collector. The limited 30 pieces edition reflects on the 30 years of the manufacture’s history.
The timepieces range are presented in a substantial 42mm diameter 3 part case, available either in polished stainless steel, in 18k rose gold plated stainless steel or in 18k rose gold with a see through case back. The Swiss-made calibers include 33 jewels and the movements are protected by a 5 ATM case for the stainless steel versions and a 3 ATM case for the 18k gold cases. Two of the timepieces display a breathtaking skeleton silver color dial which boast the aesthetic of a bold design with printed roman numerals.
The watch owner can glance at the elegant perlage hand decorated components of the Perpetual Calendar through the skeleton dial. To complete the look of these timepieces, they bear a brown alligator strap with the rose gold plated stainless steel 3 part case or in a polished stainless steel case with a black alligator strap. The sapphire see-through case back allows the watch owner to admire the delicate Côtes de Genève decoration.
The other two versions display a very clean and refined silver colored dial, with Clous de Paris guilloché decorations and printed Roman numerals. These magnificent timepieces are available in 18k rose gold plated and stainless steel case with a brown alligator strap or in a polished stainless steel case with a black alligator strap.
Technical details
QP Tourbillon Manufacture
Movement
FC-975 Manufacture caliber, automatic tourbillon &perpetual calendar
Perlage &Côtes de Genève decoration on movement
33 jewels, 38 hours power reserve, 28’800 alt/h
Silicium escapement wheel and anchor
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, month, leap year
Versions
QP Tourbillon Manufacture, Reference: FC-975MC4H6
Polished stainless steel 3-parts case
Diameter of 42mm
Convex sapphire crystal
See through case back
Water-resistant to 5ATM
Silvered color dial, Clous de Paris guilloché decoration, with printed roman numeral indexes
Hand polished black hands
Black alligator strap
Limited edition: 88pcs
Price: 19’495 CHF/ 19’495 EUR/19’995 USD
QP Tourbillon Manufacture, Reference: FC-975MC4H4
Rose gold plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case
Diameter of 42 mm
Convex sapphire crystal
See through case back
Water-resistant to 5ATM
Silvered color dial, Clous de Paris guilloché decoration, with printed roman numeral indexes
Hand polished black hands
Brown alligator strap
Limited edition: 88pcs
Price: 19’995 CHF/ 19’995 EUR/22’995 USD
QP Tourbillon Manufacture, Reference: FC-975S4H6
Polished stainless steel 3-parts case
Diameter of 42mm
Convex sapphire crystal
See through case back
Water-resistant to 5ATM
Skeleton silvered color dial
Hand polished black hands
Black alligator strap
Limited edition: 88pcs
Price: 20’995 CHF/ 20’995 EUR/19’995 USD
QP Tourbillon Manufacture, Reference: FC-975S4H9
18K Rose gold polished 3-parts case
Diameter of 42mm
Convex sapphire crystal
See through case back
Water-resistant to 3ATM
Skeleton silvered color dial
Hand polished black hands
Brown alligator strap
Limited edition: 30pcs
Price: 29’995 CHF/ 29’995 EUR/32’995 USD
