INDUSTRY NEWS: Frederique Constant’s ‘accessible luxury’ pays off

Felix Scholz

While we are occasionally guilty of gushing over the odd quadrillion dollar superwatch we at Time+Tide do have very effective reality and hip-pocket firewalls in place. Which is why we really appreciate the excellent work of Frederique Constant. Frederique Constant have quietly been making excellent watches under the mantra of ‘accessible luxury’ since their creation in 1988, but for the last 10 years they’ve developed capabilities to produce movements completely in-house, and then casing them in gorgeous models like this Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Manufacture. If God really is in the details, then there’s more God for your dollar in FC timepieces than in many other competitors at their price point.

And in 2014, this democratic approach to high quality timepieces paid off, with FC reporting 26% growth compared to 2013. FC are gaining in the uber-competitive $1000-5000 AUD segment of the market, with especially strong growth in Australia and Asia. This growth is testament to their experience in this space and the quality of their products. In our opinion, it’s refreshing to see brands like Frederique Constant offering high quality, and highly rewarding on the wrist, watches at accessible prices, and while their current success is only reflective of one section of the market, their attitudes and pricing can be a refreshing tonic in an industry known for big marketing budgets and even bigger talk. FC is quietly succeeding and quietly delivering via pieces that whisper, not shout.