Frederique Constant Manufacture Classic Perpetual Calendar automatic silver dial leather strap 40 mm

An exceptional complication made accessible

The perpetual calendar is among the most prestigious complications in haute horlogerie. A true technical challenge, it must be able to correctly indicate the day, date, and month, taking into account months of 30 and 31 days, as well as leap years, all the way until 2100 without requiring any manual adjustment. Long reserved for a select circle of manufactures and offered at prices inaccessible to most, this complication has become, thanks to Frédérique Constant, a symbol of thoughtful accessibility.

In 2016, the Geneva-based maison unveiled its first Manufacture perpetual calendar, immediately hailed as the most affordable on the watchmaking market. A major milestone for this independent brand founded in 1988, which has always stood by its mission: “Let more people enjoy luxury timepieces.” This model met with great success among seasoned collectors as well as curious enthusiasts, drawn by the blend of mechanical prestige and controlled pricing.

A timeless design, refreshed for today

Nearly ten years later, Frédérique Constant evolves its icon. Reference FC-776S3H6 adopts the new-generation “Classic” case: 40 mm in diameter, a slim profile at 12.1 mm thick, and a sleeker silhouette thanks to refined lugs. The polished stainless steel finish, onion-shaped crown, and slightly domed sapphire crystals on both the front and back enhance the elegance of this dress watch, perfectly proportioned for all wrist sizes.

The dial, in a silver sunray finish, follows the collection’s emblematic layout:

• Day at 9 o’clock,
• Date at 3 o’clock,
• Month and leap year at 12 o’clock,
• Moon phase at 6 o’clock.

A balance that combines horological rigor with visual poetry, offering intuitive legibility. The applied silver indices and hand-polished dauphine hands enhance the sophistication of the design, while the navy blue alligator leather strap with folding clasp underscores its timelessly elegant character.

The Manufacture calibre FC-776: technique and modernity

Beneath this harmonious dial beats the FC-776 calibre, the result of significant technical evolution. Based on the brand’s first perpetual calendar movement (FC-775), it benefits from advancements developed for calibres FC-706 to 716. These improvements have doubled the power reserve, now extended to 72 hours – three full days of autonomy, compared to 38 hours previously.

Beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) and adjusted in six positions, the FC-776 ensures optimal precision, even in daily wear. The calendar indications are adjusted via small correctors discreetly integrated into the caseband, making use simple and intuitive, far removed from the complexity often associated with this type of complication.

As for the finishing, the movement reveals meticulous attention to detail: perlage, fan-shaped Côtes de Genève, and a partially openworked rotor – decorative touches visible through the convex sapphire caseback, adding aesthetic refinement to mechanical performance.

A timepiece that embodies the brand’s mission

The Classic Perpetual Calendar Manufacture is not only a technical and aesthetic achievement: it also reflects the DNA of Frédérique Constant. True to its ambition of democratizing fine watchmaking, the maison has proven that it is possible to offer such a high-level complication without crossing the symbolic five-figure price threshold long reserved for the grandes manufactures.

Available at a price of €9,995, this stainless steel, silver-dial reference stands as a unique model in its category: a Swiss Made perpetual calendar, equipped with a modern Manufacture calibre, dressed in timeless classic design, at a price that remains virtually unmatched on the market.