Frederique Constant Celebrates The 70-year Anniversary Of The Austin-Healey Firm

In 2022, Frederique Constant is celebrating the 70^th anniversary of its long-standing automotive partner, Austin-Healey, and is renewing its intangible loyalty with two exclusive limited editions. For the occasion, its new mechanical chronograph, the Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic, has adopted the “British racing green” colour of the legendary vintage car with the NOJ393 number plate. With a bicompax dial and two racing red hands, this timepiece is produced in two versions: the first, limited to 10 watches with the 70 figure visible at midday, and the second, with a run of just 700 watches, with the “12” in its normal place.

Three letters, three figures: NOJ393. This is the number plate of the famous Austin-Healey 100S, bought in 1969 by a fan of the legendary car. It was the outcome of the collaboration between the Austin Motor Company and that of the driver, Donald Healey, also a creator and designer. A responsive and distinguished racing car, the only one of its kind, of which one of the last original cars was this famous NOJ393 purchased at that time for £155. It fetched 1 million euros when it was sold in December 2011.

This out-of-the-ordinary enthusiasm demonstrates the power of attraction the vintage Austin-Healey has on collectors of beautiful machines. Its perfectly controlled lines, simultaneously rounded and tight, have made it a model of styling. Its legendary “British racing green” livery has become a classic.

2022 marks the 70^th anniversary of the creation of this legend, of which the Frederique Constant house in Geneva has been the key partner since 2007. The occasion to offer vintage car fans a collector’s piece to wear on the skin: the Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic.

Two limited series, one shared DNA

The new Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic is offered in two versions sharing a 42 mm steel case as well as a common look. Except for one small detail, which makes all the difference: only 10 timepieces will be produced of the first, and instead of the the “12” index at midday, Frederique Constant has placed the “70” which celebrates the creation of the Austin-Healey firm. The second, limited to 700 timepieces, prefers the watchmaking tradition in which the figure 12 is in its normal place and the “70th Anniversary” wording is at 6 o’clock.
In racing mode

The engine: the mechanical FC-397 calibre automatic winding. On the rev counter: 28,800 beats per hour. Its tank: 48-hour power reserve. Bodywork: British racing green. Dashboard: bicompax, in the purest watchmaking tradition.

On the left, the seconds counter for the timing part; on the right, the chronograph’s minutes counter. The index and timer are in pure white for perfect legibility on the matt-finish dial, indispensable for a watch dedicated to motor racing. The racing spirit of the piece is emphasised by the two hands of the chronograph which stand out in their bright red hue: the central hand for the seconds and that at three o’clock for the 30 minutes countdown.

The two central hands of the hours and minutes, as well as the indexes are a silver-tone and impressed with a luminescent material. Along the 12 o’clock – 6 o’clock axis the two logos of the house reply to each other, a symbol of their long and faithful union: “Frederique Constant – Geneva” at midday, “Healey” at six o’clock, in its legendary original font.

As for the chassis, the timepiece is closed by a back open onto the movement and etched with a “Limited Edition XX/10” or “Limited Edition XX/700” number. The watch is worn on an asphalt black strap finished with two lines of topstitching, like two white lines marking the edges of the track.

To perfect this parallel with motor racing, the new Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic is supplied in its dedicated case alongside a miniature replica of the famous NOJ393.

Lasting loyalty

The union of Frederique Constant and the Austin-Healey firm is no real coincidence. Both companies are driven by the same passions and values which brought them together in 2004 and which continues today: the love of beautiful machines, precision, the celebration of timeless design, the combination of leather and metal, comfort and above all, a certain art of living. Frederique Constant’s Vintage Rally collection, dedicated to this partnership is all of that ...and lots more besides.

Technical Specifications

• Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic
  

RRP 2’595€

Reference:

- FC-397HADGR5B6

Functions:

- Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Mechanical Chronograph

Movement:

- FC-397 caliber, automatic
- 48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28'800 alt/h

Case:

- Polished stainless steel 3-part case
- Diameter of 42 mm
- Height of 14,45 mm
- Scratch-resistant convex sapphire crystal
- Closed case back
- Water-resistant up to 5 ATM/50m/164ft

Dial:

- Dark green dial with mat finishing
- White graduation printed on inner ring and outer ring
    -- Applied silver color indexes filled with white luminous treatment Arabic number 70 at 12 o’clock (on the occasion of Austin Healey 100 70th anniversary)
    -- Silver color hour and minute hands filled with white luminous treatment
- Red chronograph’s seconds hand
    -- Chronograph’s minutes counter at 3 o’clock with red hand
    -- 60 seconds counter at 9 o’clock with silver color hand

Strap:

- Black calf leather strap with off-white stitching

Limited edition:

- Limited to 10 pieces

• Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic
  

RRP 2’595€

Reference:

- FC-397HDGR5B6

Functions:

- Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Mechanical Chronograph

Movement: 

- FC-397 caliber, automatic
- 48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28'800 alt/h

Case:

- Polished stainless steel 3-part case
- Diameter of 42 mm
- Height of 14,45 mm
- Scratch-resistant convex sapphire crystal
- Closed case back
- Water-resistant up to 5 ATM/50m/164ft

Dial:

- Dark green dial with mat finishing
- White graduation printed on inner ring and outer ring
    -- Applied silver color indexes filled with white luminous treatment
- Arabic number 12 at 12 o’clock
- Healey 70th anniversary logo at 6 o’clock
    -- Silver color hour and minute hands filled with white luminous treatment
- Red chronograph’s seconds hand
    -- Chronograph’s minutes counter at 3 o’clock with red hand
    -- 60 seconds counter at 9 o’clock with silver color hand

Strap:

- Black calf leather strap with off-white stitching

Limited edition:

- Limited to 700 pieces

About Frederique Constant

Frederique Constant is a Swiss watchmaking manufacture located in Geneva, Switzerland. The Maison was founded in 1988 by a couple of independent entrepreneurs, Aletta and Peter Stas, to offer quality Swiss watches at an affordable price, with the aim of democratising luxury Swiss Made watches.

Frederique Constant creates, develops, assembles and controls a wide variety of mechanical, quartz and connected timepieces at the same time within its 6,200 m2 Manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates (GE). To this day, Frederique Constant has designed 30 Manufacture calibres, including high complications, such as the Tourbillon, the Perpetual Calendar, the Flyback Chronograph, as well as a new and unprecedented type of escapement in watchmaking – the Monolithic. Made from a single piece of silicone, replacing the 26 components of a standard assortment, it oscillates at a frequency of 40 Hz, which is 10 times that of most mechanical movements.

In 2015, Frederique Constant launched the Horological Smartwatch, the first Swiss Made connected timepiece featuring a traditional appearance. In 2018, the Classic Hybrid Manufacture succeeded it, combining a mechanical Manufacture movement with connected features. It was followed by the Smartwatch Vitality line in 2020, equipped with a new generation built-in heart rate sensor.
The same year, Frederique Constant reinvigorated the Highlife collection (1999) with a redesigned case and an interchangeable integrated strap. This was followed in 2021 by the Slimline Monolithic Manufacture with its very high-frequency one-piece escapement, then by the Highlife collection for women.

Frederique Constant is currently present in nearly 3,000 points of sale in 120 countries across the world. In 2016, the Frederique Constant group (Frederique Constant, Alpina Watches, Ateliers deMonaco) joined the Japanese group Citizen, so as to pursue its international development and nurture new synergies.