Since launching in the late 1980s, Frederique Constant has quickly become a major player in offering accessible luxury watches. With high-end Swiss watchmaking and quartz and mechanical timepieces to entice collectors for nearly the past four decades, the Citizen Watch Group-owned brand creates refined pieces and continues to democratize the fine watchmaking industry.
Frederique Constant has continued to make its mark in the industry, now harkening back to its heritage by reissuing the Manchette watch originally launched in 2002 — and now revived with a fresh makeover that reflects the latest watch-making and fashion trends.
Related Articles
Jeffrey Cohen, president of Citizen Watch America, sat down with Fairchild Studio to discuss the Classics Manchette reissue, the latest watch trends reflected in its collections, luxury offerings at accessible price points and more.
Fairchild Studio: What is the inspiration behind the collections being shown at this year’s Couture Show?
Jeffrey Cohen: The Manchette reprises one of the defining accessories of the ’80s, the cuff watch, which epitomized an era of carefree, untrammeled watchmaking style. The trend is a light-hearted, playful style that can be worn as an accessory. This isn’t about tradition; it’s about attitude with a touch of rebellion. It’s a distinctive zeitgeist, lifestyle and fashion sense that Frederique Constant revived with brio in the early 2000s.
The Manchette returns to the collection under the name Classics Manchette, with an elegant, glam-rock take on a definitive cuff watch. The bracelet with seven flexible, flowing links is embossed with a square Clou de Paris pattern that’s echoed on the dial. It features an integrated — and therefore invisible — deployment clasp. It’s a real showstopper.
The Classics Carrée Small Seconds was introduced last year and is inspired by the Art Deco-style. This timepiece was very well received by our market and is now enriched with additional styles. We are pleased to offer this popular piece in gold tone.
Fairchild Studio: How are some of the latest watch trends reflected in the reissue of the new Manchette collection?
J.C.: As with all our ladies’ collections, we cover various price points thanks to different executions with or without diamonds that are always in style. The “Clou de Paris” pattern clads the entire piece in myriad sparkling, polished squares and a brushed finish at the top of each link that encases a discreet dial.
In line with current trends, we have two versions with mineral dials: a marbled green of malachite and an absolute black of onyx.
The two other versions opt for a radically different monochrome display. One opts for the brilliant sheen of 158 pavé-set diamonds, while the other adopts a sophisticated, matte silver dial sporting Roman numerals.
Fairchild Studio: What makes Frederique Constant continue to stand apart in the watch market today?
J.C.: Frederique Constant stands apart thanks to its DNA of classic timepieces for men and ladies and its Manufacture capabilities. To date, we have created 34 Manufacture calibers — in-house designed, produced and assembled — while keeping the positioning of accessible luxury. The brand was founded in 1988 with the promise to “Let more people enjoy luxury,” and this is something we strongly believe in, especially in this economic environment.
Fairchild Studio: How does the reissued Classics Manchette collection from 20 years ago appeal to both prospective customers and loyal fans?
J.C.: While Frederique Constant is a relatively young brand at 37 years old, we still look at our archives for inspiration. One such example was with the Highlife collection, originally launched in 1999 and relaunched in 2020. It now comprises timepieces for men and ladies in quartz, automatic and Manufacture calibers and with various complications. Similar to the fashion world, we look to archive pieces that tell a story and this appeals to our current and prospective customers.