The Frederique Constant Classics Carrée Moonphase Automatic marks a new chapter in the brand’s exploration of shaped timepieces, rediscovering a fundamental elegance that traces back to early 20th-century watchmaking. With this release, Frederique Constant reintroduces the Carrée case design, for the first for this line, with a pure Moonphase complication balancing refinement with a modern, wearable presence.
Offered in two versions, silvered or navy blue, the dial presents Frederique Constant’s characteristic attention to textural interplay. The chevron guilloché centre radiates subtle depth under light, framed by a sunray finish that softens the dial’s visual geometry. The moonphase indication positioned at six o’clock adds a poetic element, its crescent-shaped aperture displaying the lunar cycle in a palette that mirrors the dial’s main tone. Twelve applied hour markers and hand-polished dauphine hands guide the gaze with restraint, supported by a discreet railway minute track that pays tribute to 1930s design language. The result is a dial that feels balanced, clear and elegantly reserved, with the brand’s Genève signature positioned in harmony at twelve o’clock.
Visible through the sapphire caseback, the automatic calibre FC-333 operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides a 38-hour power reserve. It is a movement long used by the manufacture for its reliability and ease of regulation, decorated with perlage and Côtes de Genève on the rotor. Its automatic winding system ensures quiet functionality in keeping with Frederique Constant’s pragmatic approach to mechanical tradition. The indication of hours, minutes, seconds and the Moonphase is executed through a classical transmission layout, reflecting the brand’s consistency in maintaining mechanical simplicity with aesthetic sophistication.
The stainless-steel case, measuring 42.3 by 30 millimetres and 10.51 millimetres thick, presents an intriguing blend of proportion and curvature. Its two-part polished construction reveals a deliberate attention to geometry: the flanks curve subtly toward the lugs, while the bezel retains a crisp profile. The rectangular form evokes early Art Deco lines without resorting to retro sentimentality. An anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal shelters the dial, while a screwed see-through back showcases the automatic calibre. Water resistance is rated to 3 ATM, ensuring everyday practicality. Each version is paired with a calf leather strap embossed with a crocodile pattern and furnished with a pin buckle matching the case finish.
This new Classics Carrée Moonphase Automatic succeeds in rekindling the charm of square watchmaking with contemporary refinement. Where other shaped watches risk excess or novelty, Frederique Constant achieves equilibrium between authenticity of form, legibility, and mechanical poise. The restrained complication, married to a case that flatters the wrist and a dial rich in texture, creates a composition that speaks to collectors who value quiet elegance over spectacle. It is a watch of balanced character: modern in execution, classically inspired in spirit, and unmistakably true to Frederique Constant’s ethos of accessible Swiss horology.
