Frederique Constant Unveils Its New Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture "Year Of The Fiftieth"

In 2021, the United Arab Emirates are celebrating their 50th Anniversary. From April 6th, 2021, until March 31st, 2022, official national celebrations will take place and governed by the UAE Golden Jubilee Committee. As part of the celebrations, Frederique Constant and the famous watch retailer Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons are unveiling a remarkable Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture “Year of the Fiftieth” limited-edition of 50 timepieces, made of titanium - a first for the Brand.

Along the Eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula are the United Arab Emirates, seven emirates united under one federation since December 2^nd, 1971. Fifty years later, the UAE are celebrating their Golden Jubilee, starting from April 6^th, 2021, until March 31^st, 2022.

An historic Milestone

Declared “The Year 50” by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the celebration includes a series of initiatives to behold the UAE’s revered history, noble values and unique achievements. These initiatives help delineate the future as the nation is heading toward its Centennial.

Until March 31^st, activities marking “the Year 50” intend to engage all those who consider the UAE their homeland and aim at calling upon all UAE nationals to contemplate the values and achievements of the past in acknowledgement of the UAE Founding Fathers. Last but not least, they are meant to inspire young people to build their ambitions for the next 50 years, while supporting them to make quality national achievements.

Year of the Fiftieth

To commemorate this milestone, Frederique Constant developed the exclusive Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture “Year of the Fiftieth” limited edition, released in 50 timepieces and designed by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons. A unique model within the Highlife collection and a first for Frederique Constant, this timepiece is fully made of titanium, from the case down to the integrated bracelet.

For this model, Frederique Constant and Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons opted for an eye-catching turquoise blue dial, an unprecedented color in the Maison’s history. Contrasting with dark grey subdials, the famous ‘Yas’ blue color adorning the Circuit’s run off areas was chosen as the shade most closely resembling the seas of the Gulf. Called pantone 321, the color is unique to Yas Marina Circuit.

In the middle of the dial proudly stands the globe decoration, emblem of the Highlife timepieces, whose legibility is ensured by the sapphire crystal’s anti-reflective treatment on both sides. Every finishing touch is enhanced by amazing reflections - like the 41 mm case, with its alternating polished and satin finished surfaces. . Keeping with the sleekness of design, all of the perpetual calendar’s correctors have been integrated, lending emphasis to the lone crown at 3 o’clock.

As sought-after as it is technical

As a perpetual calendar timepiece, the Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture “Year of the Fiftieth” is a testament to the savoir-faire that Frederique Constant has patiently amassed over the past 30 years. The Brand is one of very few to be able to design, produce, assemble and test its own watches internally, within its own Geneva-based manufacture. From the design to the final quality control, each and every step involved in making this is carried out in-house.

Powered by the Manufacture FC-775 self-winding mechanical movement, the Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture “Year of the Fiftieth” beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph and has a power reserve of 38 hours. For collectors and connoisseurs of fine watchmaking, the movement, featuring intricate perlage and Côtes de Genève decoration, can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback. To celebrate this historic 50-years milestone, Frederique Constant and Seddiqi & Sons have engraved the oscillating weight with the “Year of the Fiftieth UAE” inscription.

Delivering the watch with an extra dark grey rubber strap, Frederique Constant allows wearers to change the strap as often as an outfit, occasion or mood dictates, helping them overcome the challenges of daily life and be fulfilled.

Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture

Reference:

- FC-775LNG4NH1B

Functions:

- Hours, minutes, moonphase, date, day, month, leap year

- Movement FC-775 Manufacture caliber, automatic, perpetual calendar

- Perlage & circular Côtes de Genève decoration

- 38-hour power reserve, 26 jewels, 28'800 alt/h

- “Year of the Fiftieth UAE” engraving on the rotor

Case:

- Polished titanium 3-part case

- Diameter of 41mm

- Thickness of 12,65 mm

- Convex sapphire crystal with anti-glare coating on both sides

- See-through case back

- Water-resistant up to 5 ATM

Dial:

- Turquoise blue dial with dark grey subdial, globe decoration and silver color applied indexes with white luminous treatment

- Hand-polished silver color hour & minute hands with white luminous treatment

Bracelet:

- Titanium bracelet

- Including an extra dark grey rubber strap

Limited Edition:

- Limited to 50 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 Planles-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 HybridManufacture 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.