Hands On With The Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Handwinding

The Moneta line of watches from Frederique Constant, which first started rolling out with the Moneta Classics Moonphase two years ago, started out with quartz movements, gorgeous dials, classic sizes, and an old-school dress watch feel which was pretty compelling. In May of this year, a solar powered version rolled out, using a light powered movement from La Joux Perret (which, like Frederique Constant, is part of the Citizen Group). My personal reaction to all the non-mechanical Monetas, was that they would make incredible watches if fitted with a reputable mechanical movement, and lo and behold, if you wish very hard, and with just a touch of magic, dreams really can come true; Frederique Constant launched the Classics Moneta Handwinding last month, at Geneva Watch Days. I’ve spent a few days giving one a test drive and it pleases me to no end to say that it Exceeds Expectations In Every Way.

As the proud owner of a baker’s dozen (at least) of light powered watches from Citizen and Casio, I would be the last one to say that a mechanical movement is an absolute prerequisite for a satisfying watch owner experience, but when it comes to the dress watch idiom, by God, it doesn’t hurt. The Classics Handwinding at 38.5mm x 10.13mm is an exceptionally easy to wear watch, and the same design features that made it so appealing at first glance (I had a chance to handle one when Frederique Constant debuted it last month) simply become more and more compelling with longer exposure.

The salmon gradient dial is richly luxurious but without veering into seeming to strive too hard for effect, with a lovely warm glow at the center, fading to coal black right at the edge; a fine touch is that the subdial for the running seconds has its own gradient as well. The bright contrast of the small seconds track is visually echoed by the coin-edge inner bezel (“Moneta” was originally an epithet of the Roman goddess Juno, the sister-wife of Jupiter – which is not great duty, if my memory of Classical mythology is correct – and the English word “money” comes from her name). There is a stepped bezel, and that, plus the domed crystal, gives the watch an ornamental air – if I’d designed it I might have been tempted to go with a box sapphire crystal but on the whole, I think the domed crystal has a slightly more formal air that’s a better fit for the overall design of the watch.

The applied, dagger shaped hour markeers and Dauphine hands complete the composition and while the absence of minute markers makes it a little challenging to set the time to the second if you’re not at a five minute point in the hour, I don’t really miss them, and anyway, I don’t think that obsessing about seconds per day performance is really the raison d’être of this little beauty. Other than the gradient dial and subdial, the other distinguishing feature is the fluted inner bezel, which does a lot of the heavy lifting in giving the watch its own character, but really, it’s the way all the separate elements work together that lifts the watch into the greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts domain.

Having said that this isn’t really a watch for SPD counters, it is nonetheless true that you want a solid machine backing things up, lest you find yourself in the unenviable position of falling in love with a beautiful face which doth hide a perfidious heart.

For the first hand-wound Moneta, Frederique Constant is using the caliber FC-435, which is a hand wound version of the automatic LJP-G100. You get a 63 hour power reserve, and the movement runs in 29 jewels at 28,800 vph. Its automatic antecedents are clearly visible but the modifications (which include the removal of the automatic winding rotor and winding train) are neatly done, and of course, the gear train has been modified to support a small seconds hand.

I can’t think of too much more to say about the watch, other than that, as you’ve probably guessed by now, I like it – a lot. I would still suggest, if you’re considering one, that you try and see the quartz and light powered models, both of which have their own charms and value propositions, but if you think part of the joy of owning a daily driver dress watch is winding it every day, it’s not hard to guess where your tastes will drive you. Hand wound dress watches nowadays often come with extravagant claims about hand finishing and they are a rarity in general, especially at this price point, and having one that looks this good and has a trustworthy engine under the hood, is an even greater rarity – and therefore, even more welcome.

The Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Handwinding: case, 38.5mm x 10.13mm, with sapphire crystals front and back; coin edge inner bezel; water resistance, 50 meters. Dial, salmon gradient with applied diamond cut indexes, and dauphine hands; small seconds display at 6:00. Movement, caliber FC-435, hand wound, with 63 hour power reserve, running at 28,800 vph in 29 jewels. Black alligator strap with tone on tone stitching. 999 piece limited edition, with number on the caseback; price, $2,595. The 1916 Company is proud to be an authorized retailer for Frederique Constant; please contact us for pricing and availability.