On the hunt for a high-quality timepiece that isn’t too heavy on your pocket? Then it’s time to bookmark Frederique Constant, an affordable luxury swiss watch brand. Best known for its cutting-edge technology that aids in the watch design and development processes, the Swiss watches hit the brief if you’re not only tech-savvy but believe in timeless style. Ahead, the Managing Director Niels Eggerding lets us in on the brand’s design concept, his favourite pieces, innovative upcoming collection, and more.
ELLE: Several brands are introducing timepieces with no symmetry or design. What is Frederique Constant’s design concept while developing a timepiece for its women watch enthusiasts?
Niels Eggerding (NE): The Brand’s mission has always been to offer high-quality classical watches. Therefore, our design concept is based on classical and understated aesthetics, pure lines, delicate diameter case, applied indexes, which can also be diamond-set. We want women to feel distinguished in every situation, whether during a celebration or official happening, as well as during their leisure time. In parallel, we also develop modern designs with the Highlife Ladies Automatic timepieces, which feature an engraved globe in the middle of the dial, coupled with an integrated bracelet. Still distinguished of course, but a bit more contemporary.
ELLE: What are the core values of Frederique Constant that have stayed consistent over the years?
NE: Frederique Constant’s mission is to offer high-quality Swiss Made timepieces to watch aficionados who would like to enjoy classical luxury products, at reasonable prices. For over 30 years, the Maison has held this accessible luxury positioning and has never deviated from it. Our purpose is to offer young upcoming business women and men, who can’t afford expensive watches from high-end brands, the opportunity to buy luxury watches featuring a comparable look and feel when wearing them, at a much more accessible price.
ELLE: How do you strike a balance between designing horological, quartz, mechanical, and smartwatches?
NE: We try to decline our classical designs within these three different segments to keep consistent with the Brand’s aesthetic established codes. As we are a small team, or should I say family, we are lucky to have our Research and Development Director, along with our Technical Director and Master Watchmaker working on these three different types of watches at the same time. Regarding our Smartwatches for instance, we were able to integrate intelligent features while keeping up with the traditional analog dial. This was our objective: to offer a connected watch that could go unnoticed, bearing the traditional aesthetic watchmaking hallmarks.
ELLE: Does Frederique Constant have a collection for Indian women based on ethnic apparel in store?
NE: We thought about it for quite a long time already, but we were never able to finalize it. We are very much open to any suggestions and would be happy to be contacted if someone has a great idea on how to move forward.
ELLE: What are your favourite timepieces from the women’s collection and why?
NE: My favourite ladies’ timepieces belong to the Highlife Ladies Automatic collection that we launched this year, in the continuity of the Highlife men’s collection we introduced in 2020. The collection features three models, the Highlife Ladies Automatic Sparkling, the Highlife Ladies Automatic Heart Beat and the Highlife Ladies Automatic, which combines Frederique Constant’s watchmaking expertise with an authentic design for 21st century women. All models bear the Highlife timepieces’ hallmark, the integrated and interchangeable strap, which confers the watch a particularly modern look, while remaining particularly elegant with its delicate 34 mm case.
However, I must say that the Highlife Ladies Automatic Heart Beat is special to me, as it features the Brand’s famous aperture on the balance-wheel at 12 o’clock. This aperture, which reveals the mechanical heart of the watch, has been established as the emblem of the Maison since 1994, thus illustrating our watchmaking expertise.
ELLE: Frederique Constant has released a new edition of the Classics Chronograph Quartz Collection. What distinguishes it from the other ladies’ collections?
NE: The Classics Chronograph Quartz timepieces constitute a new range of products featuring a delightful blend of clean, classic lines that call to mind the wonderful watches of the 1940s and 50s, coupled with a fresh and stylish new face that instantly attracts the eye and enchants the senses. Plus, they are equipped with a quartz movement, which guarantees the highest possible precision, as it vibrates at the high frequency of 32’768 Hz to regulate the movement of the hands.
ELLE: What new innovation might Frederique Constant pursue in the upcoming collections?
NE: Earlier this year, in March, we launched the Slimline Monolithic Manufacture timepiece, featuring the revolutionary silicon Monolithic oscillator. This was a major innovation within the watchmaking industry, as it redefined the way mechanical watches have been regulated over the past 300 years. This is a specific innovation that we will be focusing on in the upcoming years, to also be able to combine it with other watchmaking complications.
