Frederique Constant enriches the Highlife™ line by introducing new variations to the Heart Beat Day-Date and presenting new models in the Lady's collections. The Heart Beat Day-Date is now available with fine, hand-sewn leather straps. Superb Lady's Carree and Round mother of pearl dials bring freshness to the ladies' choice.

Frederique Constant launched the Heart Beat collection in 1994. The current collection comprises seven models: the Heart Beat Perpetual, the Heart Beat Heavy Roman, the tonneau-shaped Heart Beat Art Deco, the Black Heart Beat, the Royal Heart Beat and the Heart Beat Day-Date. In 2000, Frederique Constant completed the Heart Beat collection by introducing its first Tourbillon.

The Heart Beat Day-Date was developed by Frederique Constant in collaboration with Dubois Depraz in La VallÉe de Joux in 1999. This complicated clockwork shows the day and the date with hands in a sub-dial located at the 6 o'clock position. It was developed as a complete modular unit. This module is attached to an automatic movement by two feet, 180° apart, around the circumference.

All models of the collection are individually numbered and presented with the Highlife™ line's characteristic scale carrying the Frederique Constant registered Arabic numeral hour markers. Like all the company's timepieces, the Heart Beat Day-Date carries the Frederique Constant Crest on the dial. The enamelled Crest appears in the central background and is applied in 18K solid gold on the dial.

Since its launch the Heart Beat Day-Date was presented with the sporty elegant stainless steel Frederique Constant Highlife™ design bracelet. This autumn, Frederique Constant revisits this collection and puts the emphasis on simple elegance by introducing the Heart Beat Day-Date models with fine hand-sewn croco-calf and ostrich straps. The straps are fine-tuned to the colour of the dial and will be available in brown, dark brown, dark blue and black.

New models in the Highlife™ Lady's collection

Frederique Constant presented its new collection of specially designed watches for women at BASEL 2001. The new declinations of the models Highlife™ Carree and Round bring fresh elegance to the lady's choice.

 The Carree with ultra-slim cases and blue, pink, white or black mother-of-pearl dials, showing four Highlife™ Arabic numbers at each cardinal point including eight diamonds. The Carree is presented in special boxes with matching exchangeable fine leather straps.


 The new “manchette” with white mother of pearl, worn for the first time by Emanuelle BÉart. Other versions include blue, pink or black dials with diamonds as well as a fully paved dial

 The Round watch in stainless steel with or without integrated bracelet, black with white Arabic luminescent numbers, white with navy blue Arabic numbers, silver with black Arabic numbers, blue with white Arabic numbers.

Technical information Heart Beat Day-Date

Movement
Mechanical with automatic winding, Calibre FC-610. Skeleton at 12 o'clock. Diameter 25.60 (11 _), 28.800 Bph, 27 rubies, Incabloc anti-shock system, glucydur balance, Nivarox balance-spring, power reserve 42 hours, rotor mounted on a ball bearing, bridges decorated with Côte de Genève, finished anglage.

Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date all adjustable on crown.

Case
Stainless steel, round shape, in three parts, 39x10.90mm, back-shut case with 6 screws, glare-proof convex sapphire front glass, glare-proof flat sapphire glass on rear. Water-resistant up to 5 atm. Each case individually numbered.

Dial
Available in blue, silver and black. Enamelled Frederique Constant Crest translucent in the central background. 18K solid gold Frederique Constant Crest applied on the dial. Day-date dial with engraved concentric circles. Diamond-cut around the Heart Beat opening. Arabic Frederique Constant Highlife™ numeral hour markers. Luminous skeleton hands

Indications
Day and date indicator at 6. Heart Beat at 12

Bracelet
Stainless steel Frederique Constant Highlife™ registered design. New: genuine fine leather, waterproof bracelet.

Retail price
With stainless steel bracelet: CHF 3695.—
With leather bracelet: CHF 3560.—

Frederique Constant Press contact
Rouden, Messmer & Partners Ltd.
Lange Gasse 6
CH -4052 Basel
Tel. +41 61 2799810, fax: +41 61 2799909
e-mail: [email protected]
Frederique Constant Collections: www.frederique-constant.com

Source: Frederique Constant Press Release
September 2001