ReviewThe Frederique Constant Hybrid Manufacture: The World’s First Mechanical Smartwatch

The Frederique Constant Hybrid smartwatch is touted as ‘the world’s first 3.0 watch’, but one should not confuse the ‘3.0’ as a regular update or a newer version to a predecessor. The Geneva-based watchmaker Frederique Constant in fact has a whole new take for calling their cutting-edge smartwatch the world’s first 3.0 watch. It refers to the three technologies offered in a single watch—mechanical timekeeping, smart features, and calibre analytics. The watch comes as a treat for the Swiss watch lover, who often laments over smartwatches taking over the world of horology. By fusing a mechanical movement with seamless electronic technology, the Frederique Constant Hybrid bridges the gap between the smartwatch and the mechanical watch.

A True Watchmaking Novelty For The 21st Century

When this novelty was first launched in 2018, Aletta Stas-Bax, founder and co-president of Frederique Constant was there for the grand unveiling, and explained what sets the watch apart. “The Hybrid Manufacture really is a world premiere because here, we mix the manufacture movement with smart functions,” she says. “When you see the watch, it looks like our Manufacture watch, with the hours, minutes, long seconds, and the date by hand at six o’clock. But it also measures analytics of the mechanical movement, which will let you know if and when your watch needs to be serviced.”

The 2019 edition of the Hybrid Manufacture replaces the Roman numerals for applied hour markers to complement the case metal. The faceted appliques and the general finishing on the dial give these latest Hybrid watches added finesse, with a definite luxe appeal

A Standout Smartwatch

Frederique Constant has not broken out onto the smartwatch platform for the first time. In fact, the brand had taken the plunge with its first Horological Smartwatch when Apple entered the scene and changed the way we perceived smartwatches. The smartwatch category has been tapped by notable luxury watchmakers such as TAG Heuer, Montblanc, and now even Hublot, but Frederique Constant takes charge in terms of delivering a pioneering connected watch that also offers mechanical timekeeping.

The guilloche dial has a bicompax layout with an analogue date display at six o’clock, and a sub-dial for the indication of certain smart features at 12 o’clock

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This rose gold-plated steel watch is from the 2019 edition, featuring applied hour markers

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The finishing on the case and the crown spell refinement and attention to detail

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The watch is a mix of standout technologies that have been developed in-house, such as the patented Hybrid Manufacture FC-750 calibre

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What makes the 3.0 an avant-garde timepiece is the mix of standout technologies that have been developed, produced and assembled in-house in the patented Hybrid Manufacture FC-750 calibre—a synthesis of the automatic calibre with date, along with the electronic parts. Secondly, the smartwatch functions supported by the Hybrid app are par excellence and offer superior functionality with features such as sleep monitoring, activity tracking, and a world timer that displays both the local 24-hour time and a second time zone. Furthermore, the essence of the watch that contributes to the magnificent 3.0 are its proprietary calibre analytics. A futuristic in-built function that monitors and displays the movement’s rate, amplitude, beat error, if any, and showcases periodical results in informative graphs via Bluetooth on the Hybrid App.

The smartwatch is truly pathbreaking with the genius designers of the brand developing and patenting an antimagnetic shield case to avert any negative magnetic effects of the electronic parts on the components of the mechanical calibre. This 2018 timepiece takes the inventive baton of the Swiss brand forward with a new kind of technical advancement that is tough to match.

The cohesive Hybrid boasts of calibre that runs on a frequency of 28,800vph, offeringa 42-hour power reserve for the mechanical movement, with a seven-day battery life for the smart functions

The 3.0 watch can be connected to the Hybrid app on your smartphone, where you can monitor various smart functions as well as analytics on the calibre’s performance

A Futuristic Presentation

The Hybrid watch collection was originally released in 42mm stainless steel versions,  including one variation with rose gold plating. Dial colours vary from silver to navy and grey. With choices galore, one can choose between the black, brown, and dark blue alligator leather straps that lend a highly traditional look to this 3.0 watch. The 2019 edition has three pieces—two with silvery dials, each in a steel or rose gold-plated case. The latter is also available with a rich blue dial. The blue dial watch comes with a black alligator leather strap, while the other two have straps in brown.

The first edition of the Frederique Constant Hybrid Manufacture was launched in 2018

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The watches were released in four variants, including three steel and one gold-plated version, seen here

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The cohesive Hybrid boasts of a calibre that runs on a frequency of 28,800vph, offering a 42-hour power reserve for the mechanical movement, with a seven-day battery life for the smart functions. The watch and the Hybrid app can be connected by the pusher button on the left side of the watch case. The guilloche dial has a bicompax layout with an analogue date display at six o’clock, and a sub-dial for the indication of certain smart features at 12 o’clock.

While the hours are denoted in Roman numerals, the hour and minute hands are reminiscent of the Breguet style. The elaborate perlage and Côtes de Genève decoration on the movement is up for display, owing to the see-through sapphire crystal caseback. Even with the packaging, Frederique Constant aces it, as the Hybrid smartwatch comes in a box that also serves as the charger and a winder for the movement.

The smart future of Frederique Constant lies in the Hybrid. The brand has dabbled in the smartwatch sphere before this, but nothing has ever been quite as exceptional. The fusion of the mechanical and the technical is perfectly embodied in this timepiece that is sure to stand up to the offerings of smartwatch giants such as Apple and Samsung.

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