he ‘Heart Beat’ is one of the most iconic signatures of Frederique Constant. Launched in 1994, the concept was born from a simple yet innovative idea for its time: to make the watch’s mechanical heart visible by opening the dial around the balance wheel, allowing its oscillations to be seen. This immediately recognisable aperture gives the model its name – Heart Beat – and enables the wearer to observe the regulating organ in motion. The idea was also to create an emotional connection with the mechanics of watchmaking.

In 1994, still a young company, Frederique Constant did not think to patent the innovation. Within less than a year, numerous watchmaking houses had already adopted the concept. But nothing beats the original. Over the years, the Heart Beat has become a true signature of Frederique Constant. More than thirty years after its launch, it remains deeply associated with the Maison’s DNA – a meeting point between watchmaking innovation and a passion for mechanics.

The Classics Heart Beat Moonphase Date was launched in 2014. It combines the Heart Beat aperture with two particularly cherished complications in fine watchmaking: the poetic display of the moon phases and the date indicated by a central hand. A Moonphase Date module assembled in the workshops of the Geneva Manufacture.

Today, two new additions bring fresh energy to this Frederique Constant bestseller.

Complementary in character, each offers an alternative take on the same vision of fine watchmaking, like two sides of the same coin. The classic 40 mm case features a double-godron bezel, while the dial combines a central “Clou de Paris” guilloché pattern with openworked pomme hands. The Heart Beat aperture is framed in a tone matching the case, either yellow gold or stainless steel. Through the sapphire crystal case back, the self-winding FC-335 movement can be admired, with its sunray and circular-grained bridges and gold-plated oscillating weight, engraved with vertical Geneva stripes and sunray finishing.

The first composition showcases a harmonious interplay of contrasts designed to enhance each element of the dial. Its centre features fine guilloché, encircled by a sunray-brushed finish, against which 12 Roman numeral hour markers stand out. A subtle fluted motif defines a third satin-finished zone, flush with the rehaut, indicating the 31 days of the month, with a date hand tipped with an arrow pointing to the date. The other two hands, for the hours and minutes, are openworked pomme hands, a classic design dating back to the late 18th century.

The final central hand is the simplest, yet one of the most important. When Frederique Constant created the Classics Heart Beat Moonphase Date, the Maison sought to distinguish its creation from the quartz movements flooding the market at the time. The Heart Beat aperture was designed with this in mind. But another defining feature of a mechanical watch is its seconds hand, which moves in a continuous sweep, rather than in the 60 distinct, stepped movements produced by a quartz movement. Frederique Constant has therefore given prominence to this long, elegant and slender hand, which has become a signature in its own right of the Manufacture movement powering the Classics Heart Beat Moonphase Date.

The composition is completed by the moon phase display at 6 o’clock. Gold-coloured moons and stars unfold against a midnight-blue background, echoing the gold finish of the case.

The second iteration of the Classics Heart Beat Moonphase Date offers a distinctly vintage aesthetic, but one inspired by a more recent era. A stainless-steel case paired with a salmon-coloured dial – characteristic of the first half of the 20th century – is once again attracting the attention of collectors.

The dial’s aesthetic vocabulary has been adapted accordingly to create a distinctly retro proposition. The hour markers and hands are black, providing optimal contrast for legibility. The moon and stars are silver-coloured, complementing the stainless-steel case.

Each model now joining the permanent collection is presented on a brown alligator-pattern leather strap with contrasting stitching and a pin buckle.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Reference: FC-335MCSALB4P26
• Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, moonphase, date pointer
• Movement: FC-335 caliber, automatic, Heart Beat
• 38-hour power reserve, 28’800 alt/h, 26 jewels
• Case: Polished stainless steel 2-part case
• Diameter of 40 mm
• Height of 10.79 mm
• Anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal
• Water-resistant up to 6 ATM/60m/197ft
• Engraved and see-through threaded case back
• Dial: Salmon dial with sunray finishing and clous de Paris guilloché-style in the center
• Printed black Roman numerals
• Date graduation on outer ring
• Black hour, minute, second and date hands
• Heart Beat opening at 12 o’clock
• Moonphase at 6 o’clock
• Strap: Dark brown genuine leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching
• Pin buckle