Frederique Constant unveiled at the beginning of this autumn its first Yacht Timer GMT collection. As Official Timekeeper of the Cannes Yachting Festival, the brand announced the comeback of the Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown. Check below the official press release and the images gallery.
Frederique Constant Yacht Timer GMT
One of the most legendary complications in watchmaking is making a comeback in the sporty-chic collection by Frederique Constant. The manufacture is unveiling the Yacht Timer GMT today, a new model with two versions that are unmistakably nautical in nature.
The GMT gets a new lease on life
The GMT function can display a second-time zone. It’s a crucial feature for any world traveller. The GMT had previously only been offered in the Classics collection, designed for professionals on the go who wanted to see the local time and the time at home base when changing planes or continents.
Today, the GMT joins the Yacht Timer collection. By adding two new models to this sleek nautical line, Frederique Constant enters the world of long-distance yachtsmen, lovers of sailing and the beach, or anyone attracted to nautical design.
Simple and intuitive
Both timepieces feature the same tasteful sporty-chic style with a modern 42mm diameter, clean lines and rose gold finish. The GMT on the functional and highly legible Yacht Timer is displayed on a central hand. The time at the home base can be instantly read on the inner ring marked with a 24-hour clock. This intuitive GMT has a red tip so it can easily be distinguished from the other hands. There is no need for a day-night indicator since the dark half of the GMT’s ring marks night from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM and the light side indicates day for the other 12 hours. There is a window at 3 o’clock showing the date paired with the local time on the central hands.
Two variations of one complication
There are already two models to choose from. One features a rose gold-plated case, indexes and hands on a white grained dial. All the hands are coated with Super-LumiNova to ensure they are clearly visible, even at night. The FC-350 movement provides a 38-hour power reserve. The Yacht Timer GMT is no match for saltwater spray and is waterproof to 100 meters. This version comes with a brown alligator strap.
The strap on the other variation is in bicolour steel and rose gold-plated steel. It has the same glowing hands, also finished in rose gold, that hover over a dial with a grained anthracite background. Both models also come with an extra rubber strap to make the Yacht Timer GMT watches equally suitable for the most extreme physical activities.
Heirs to a manufacture legacy
With the Yacht Timer GMT, Frederique Constant has topped up its Classics line with a sleek nautical collection that ensures continuity for the manufacture’s cherished Swiss Made elegance. What is more, the watchmaker had offered up its own version of the GMT, a prestigious complication for which in 2011 it created an in-house version: the seventh manufacture calibre called the FC-938. The Yacht Timer GMT carries on this pursuit and marks another milestone in this modern-day complication’s history — a call to the open sea, and an urge to travel and seek new horizons.
Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown
This 1997 timepiece has a feature that counts down the time before a regatta begins. Frederique Constant is bringing back this rare nautical complication for avid sailing enthusiasts.
The family-owned company was barely in business for a decade when it introduced its first regatta watch, which was part of its Yacht Master collection. The striking signature timepiece was a tribute to the love for sailing felt by Peter Stas, co-founder of Frederique Constant.
An icon returns
Twenty-two years later in 2019, the Regatta makes its celebrated comeback. This one is part of the collection renamed Yacht Timer. The name could not be more fitting since the Regatta has a built-in timer that counts down the critical 10 minutes before the sailing vessels set off for the race.
Regatta racers can use the countdown to find the best position for dashing out front based on the wind and the other vessels — and without ever having to go over the imaginary starting line. This is a tactical and crucial maneuver demanding a precision instrument that can be read at a glance since they have to keep raising and lowering the sails to hold the position as close to this line as possible.
Right in the race
Frederique Constant has not designed a “nautically-inspired” timepiece, but rather a genuine regatta watch that is operational in race conditions. The perfectly readable original display from 1997 was left unchanged. It features five dots at the top of the dial. Each dot represents one minute. The top button activates the first countdown that slowly turns all the points from white to blue, the contrasting color of the dial. Five minutes has passed when all five points are coloured.
Then the second countdown starts to mark the last five minutes before the race begins. This time all five points gradually turn orange. When the final and fifth point is orange and the second hand strikes noon, the regatta is on!
Flawlessly engineered finishes
Everything on the Yacht Timer Regatta is designed for legibility. Since the only complication on the timepiece that should be the center of attention is the countdown timer, the engraved dial captures every reflection of light. The indexes are faceted to constantly display a shiny polished side that can be seen regardless of the sun’s angle. The hands and indexes are filled with luminescent material for overcast days.
Shifting winds
The sails of this latest collection have already been filled with four models. Two are finished in rose gold with a navy blue or silver-plated dial on an alligator strap. The third one features a blend of steel and rose gold on a two-tone strap. The fourth model in the collection has a sleekly modern grey colour scheme with a steel case and silver-plated dial on a black alligator strap. Frederique Constant also includes a more rugged black rubber strap with all the models that can weather the ocean spray.
Frederique Constant Official Timekeeper of the Cannes Yachting Festival
The Swiss watchmaker Frederique Constant announces a strategic partnership with the prestigious Cannes Yachting Festival, located in one of the most renowned and luxurious surroundings in the bay of Cannes.
Founded in 1977, the Yachting Festival takes place every September bringing together all sailing boats, monohulls and multihulls in a single dedicated and fitted port.
In 2019, with more than 100 sailing boats in Port Canto, the Yachting Festival will be the world’s largest in-water exhibition of large sailing boats, offering the best experience for sailing enthusiasts and buyers.
This union between Frederique Constant and the nautical world stands for excellence and performance, sharing an emblematic vision of the yachting lifestyle.
On this occasion, Frederique constant is proud to launch the Yacht Timer collection with two new models: the Regatta Countdown and the Yacht Timer GMT models for competitive sailing and other nautical activities lovers, during the event press and customers were able to test the watches live on an exclusive sailing boat on September 12th .
As the first show in the boating season, the Yachting Festival is Europe’s leading in-water boating event. The major players in pleasure yachting come here to launch the show season by showcasing their new worldwide models.
Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Technical Specifications
Yacht Timer GMT Reference FC-350GT4H2B
Watch price: 1’995 CHF / 1’995 EUR
Case
- Bicolor rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case
- 42mm diameter
- Convex sapphire crystal
- See-through case back
- Water-resistant up to 10 ATM
Movement
- FC-350, Automatic GMT with date (in-house GMT module)
- 38-hour power reserve, 26 jewels, 28’800 alt/h
Dial
- Grey dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes
- Date display at 3 o’clock
- Hand polished rose gold-plated hour, minute, second hands with luminous treatment and black oxy GMT hand with red tip and white luminous treatment
Bracelet
- Bicolor rose gold-plated stainless steel bracelet
Functions
- Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT 24H
Yacht Timer GMT Reference FC-350VT4H4
Watch price: 2’095 CHF / 2’095 EUR
Case
- Rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case
- 42 mm diameter
- Convex sapphire crystal
- See-through case back
- Water-resistant up to 10 ATM
Movement
- FC-350, Automatic GMT with date (in-house GMT module)
- 38-hour power reserve, 26 jewels, 28’800 alt/h
Dial
- Silver colour dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes
- Date display at 3 o’clock
- Hand polished rose gold-plated hour & minute hands with luminous treatment, pearl black second hand and black oxy GMT hand with red tip and white luminous treatment
Bracelet
- Dark brown alligator leather strap
Functions
- Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT 24H
Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380VT4H2B
Watch price: 3’195 CHF / 3’495 EUR
Case
- Bicolor rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case
- 42mm diameter
- Glass box sapphire crystal
- See-through case back
- Water-resistant up to 10 ATM
Movement
- FC-380, Automatic with countdown function
- 48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28’800 alt/h
Dial
- Silver color dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes
- Hand polished rose gold-plated hour, minute, orange second hands
Bracelet
- Bicolor rose gold-plated stainless steel bracelet, including an extra rubber strap
Functions
- Hours, minutes, seconds, countdown
Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380VT4H4
Watch price: 3’195 CHF / 3’595 EUR
Case
- Rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case
- 42mm diameter
- Convex sapphire crystal
- See-through case back
- Water-resistant up to 10 ATM
Movement
- FC-380, Automatic with countdown function
- 48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28’800 alt/h
Dial
- Silver color dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes
- Hand polished rose gold-plated hour, minute, orange second hands
Bracelet
- Dark brown alligator leather bracelet, including an extra rubber strap
Functions
- Hours, minutes, seconds, countdown
Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380NT4H4
Watch price: 3’195 CHF / 3’595 EUR
Case
- Rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case
- 42mm diameter
- Convex sapphire crystal
- See-through case back
- Water-resistant up to 10 ATM
Movement
- FC-380, Automatic with countdown function
- 48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28’800 alt/h
Dial
- Navy blue dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes
- Hand polished rose gold-plated hour, minute, orange second hands
Bracelet
- Navy blue alligator leather bracelet, including an extra rubber strap
Functions
- Hours, minutes, seconds, countdown
Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380ST4H6
Watch price: 2’895 CHF / 3’295 EUR
Case
- Polished stainless steel 3-parts case
- 42mm diameter
- Convex sapphire crystal
- See-through case back
- Water-resistant up to 10 ATM
Movement
- FC-380, Automatic with countdown function
- 48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28’800 alt/h
Dial
- Silver dial with guilloché decoration and applied silver luminous indexes
- Hand polished silver hour, minute, orange second hands
Bracelet
- Black alligator leather bracelet, including an extra rubber strap
Functions
- Hours, minutes, seconds, countdown
Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Gallery
