ReviewFrederique Constant Runabout Automatic – Inspired by yachting and the partnership with the Riva Historical Society
The brand known so well for their entry-level luxury watches, gives us yet another classic and uncontroversial watch, that has a great association and even better wrist presence!
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Frederique Constant has juxtaposed ‘affordable’ with the elegance of ‘luxury’, unlike any other Swiss watch company. At a time where every other watch brand is jumping on to the ‘accessible luxury’ bandwagon, Frederique Constant is much ahead of the game, since this has been their strategy from the very beginning. Swiss made watches from the house of Frederique Constant are crafted for the aspirational watch enthusiasts, the new age luxury watch buyers.
From establishing their own in-house movement in 2004 to churning out technically advanced timepieces like the Slimline Perpetual Calendar watch, the brand is a ‘high-flier’ in the entry-level luxury segment of wrist watches. What is marvellous about the brand is that, despite being in the accessible bracket, they do not compromise on quality. Each watch is handcrafted by highly skilled watchmakers, in an ultra-modern, state of the art, manufacturing unit in Geneva.
Rise of the Runabout collection: The inventive collaboration between Frederique Constant and The Riva Historical Society
“We have shared our passion for heritage wooden boats with esteemed collectors and visitors of the Concours alike.” – Peter Stas, CEO of Frederique Constant, on the Runabout watch- a tribute to timeless luxury.
When Frederique Constant joined forces with the Italian non-profit organisation – The Riva Historical Society in 2009, the sole purpose was to safeguard the elegant Runabout boats. The charitable group was founded by architect Piero Maria Gibellini and engineer Carlo Riva along with some friends, with the objective of preserving still-existing Riva boats by helping owners conserve them in the best possible manner. And every year Frederique Constant commemorates their partnership with the Riva Historical Society by introducing a special limited edition watch.
In the latest addition to the Runabout series – the Runabout Automatic limited edition, the brand in its design has portrayed an enviable picture of the Italian social scene in the 1920s when Riva boats ruled the waves. Frederique Constant has imbibed the image and essence of the Runabout yachts to the hilt in their watch collection – agile, fast, powerful, yet exceptionally graceful.
The Runabout case and case back: Polished elegance
The case of the Runabout Automatic portrays the essence and luxurious lifestyle of the early nineties in Italy. It emits a middle-of-the-road vibe and retains a classic, uncontroversial design. Every aspect of the watch speaks elegance. Despite a 43 mm case, the watch sits comfortably on the wrist and does not feel one bit bulky. Given its size and aesthetics, the Runabout has a powerful presence. The rose gold plated case and case back are a metaphoric reminder of rustic Venice, the city of mirages. The polished case is a testimony to the wood and chrome Runabout boats which commonly flock the Venice canals. The three part case has a simple pull/push crown on the right side to adjust the time keeping hands. Even the crown is finished to perfection with a distinctive knurling and the same polish as the case.
The partly-see through Sapphire crystal case back of the Runabout Automatic gives a view of the impeccable Swiss automatic movement. The case back eloquently reflects the detailing gone into the making of the watch. In fact, it is truly the flag bearer of the Riva Historical Society, since the flag of the Italian NGO is etched on it. The Runabout is water resistant up to 100 m, which makes sense as it is a marine inspired timepiece.
The dial and strap: Refined poise
“The Runabout offers its wearers perfect readability”, and the dial affirms this claim. The chocolate toned dial has a charming guilloché decoration in the centre. Arabic numerals alternate with applied rose gold indexes to mark the hours. The hour and minute hands are hand polished and rose gold plated. The hour and minute hands and the indexes have a good amount of lume, bringing us back to the ‘perfect readability’ claim. Reading the time on the Runabout is therefore effortless “whether it be in light of day or under the dark night’s sky.” The combination of chocolate brown and rose gold lends a perfectly elegant persona to the Runabout.
The watch has been given a narrow bezel in order to highlight the aesthetics of the dial. The date window is placed at 6 o’clock, and the dial is protected by a diamond-hard convex sapphire crystal, tough enough to endure accidental nicks. The designers left no stone unturned in giving the Runabout a classic appeal. The rose gold plated case is complemented by a nice dark brown leather strap that is extremely comfortable when fastened around the wrist. With leather as the choice of material for the strap, Frederique Constant heightens the overall luxurious-ness of the watch.
The Movement: Avant-garde novelty
Mused after the “gentlemen’s sport boats of the roaring twenties”, the Runabout is equipped with a mighty roaring movement. The FC-303 caliber, automatic movement is a class apart. That’s because the Swiss manufactures have their very own, movement component production and calibre assembly unit, something very few Swiss brands can boast of. The in-house development has a healthy power reserve of 38 hours, runs at 28’800 alt/h, and features 26 jewels resulting in smooth functionality of the movement.
Availability and price: Modest luxury
“Handcrafted by its passionate watchmakers”, the Frederique Constant Runabout is a classic timepiece. Limited to 2,888 pieces for the world, the Runabout is available here and is priced at a modest ₹126,000. Modest because it offers ‘luxury watchmaking’ at a fairly accessible value. The packaging is in sync with the nautical theme of the watch, i.e., it is accompanied by a special miniature wooden replica of a Riva boat. We can’t deny that the class, the brand offers is worth every dime.
‘Live your passion’: USP of the Runabout
Over the years, Frederique Constant has created a buzz with their innovative technology, elegant designs and accessible price tags. The Runabout is no different, except that this nautical timepiece stirs ‘bigger waves’ in the water! Tailored after the sport of yachting, the Runabout collection is infused with Italian style and cutting edge technology. The potent blend of classic styling and distinctive design “serves as a reminder to enthusiasts of both boats and fine Swiss timepieces to ‘Live Your Passion’.”
Explore the entire Frederique Constant collection at Ethos Watch Boutiques.
Is the Frederique Constant Runabout Automatic, the best nautical inspired watch? Give us your opinion in the comments section below.
