It's GM-T time: the Frederique Constant Runabout
When I glimpsed this year’s GMT Runabout Automatic I was instantly imbued with a dramatic affinity. The sensation was one akin to rediscovering an old friend. However, this was my first time looking at Frederique Constant as a watchmaker. Naturally, I was curious to investigate how my sense of nostalgia had manifested itself. For me such a beautiful piece immediately brought to mind the magic of the high flying 1920’s. A literary figure that immediately sprang to mind donning the Runabout was Evelyn Waugh’s Sebastian Flyte on his Venetian sojourn. In Brideshead Revisted Flyte glides past Lidos and through canals on one of the boats that inspired this collection; an unexpected link with this collection’s collaborative spirit.
I say, is that fellow selling Cannolis?
Frederique Constant’s Runabout collaboration references 1920’s Riviera Style (and captures my imagination in the process!). In 2009 Frederique Constant launched the first of their collaborations with the Riva Historical Society, an organisation formed to ensure perpetual preservation of the remaining Riva boats worldwide. Frederique Constant pays homage to the Riva name, and with the continuation of this partnership interweaves that illustrious heritage with their own.
Come back, you’ve got my Cannolis!! Riva boat in action
The Runabout GMT features a dial broken into four distinct sections:
a satinised outer ring housing the applied, luminous indexes (arabics at two hour intervals, 12, 2, 4, 8 and 10)
an inner ring containing the 24 hour arabics utilised by the GMT hour hand
a square, convex waffle pattern filling the centre circle
the whole surrounded by a chapter ring counting the seconds at five seond intervals
It’s a beautifully detailed dial that, despite its complexity, nonetheless maintains legibility.
The patterned anthracite dial has been featured on previous Runabout models, supporting a sense of continuity and adherence to tradition. The Frederique Constant name rests underneath the 12 and 24 position, with GMT AUTOMATIC subtly printed just above the date window. Swiss Made cushions the 6 o’clock index. The date window is positioned at the centre bottom of the piece, maintaining a symmetry to the dial structure. The crown is fashioned in a cylindrical “post” shape with pronounced ridges, which make it easy to grip and smooth to turn. The top of the crown is discreetly finished by the FC crest.
The 42m polished 3-part case (stainless steel) has an exhibition sapphire case back engraved with Riva’s Symbolic Flag. The case is polished to match the glossed finishing of the Riva boats’ metallic surfaces. The case back reveals the workmanship of the FC-350 movement, featuring an in-house created GMT module. The addition of the GMT provides the wearer an additional hand to dictate a second time zone, so for a seasoned traveller, it’s a highly useful function.
The calf leather croc-embossed strap emulates in time-honoured fashion the elbow-greased mahogany on the vessels and a high attention to detail. The strap appears supple yet maintains a refined structure against the body. The deploying clasp features a positive lock with two release buttons that keeps the watch comfortably upright atop your wrist. The lugs angle down elegantly creating a smooth silhouette. One “minute” critique (unforgivable pun) would be the similarities in dimension between the hour hand and the GMT hand. Despite being yin-and-yang inverses against the black dial, looking at the watch under certain light can cause momentary confusion because the hour hand can reflect white like the GMT’s.
Artisanal craftsmanship at attainable prices that aren’t eye-watering? The phrase feels near-oxymoronic these days, especially as the world becomes more and more brand-conscious and luxury horology is enjoying unprecedented inflationary increases. Refreshingly, Frederique Constant is a watchmaker that doesn’t compromise their exceptional quality while maintaining an accessible price-point. This places their pieces in reach of collectors seeking Swiss precision and a commitment to elegant, practical design. It’s a refreshingly understated testament to the beauty of quality, made available to a much wider range of aficionados. The Frederique Constant GMT Runabout embodies the intersection of practicality, elegance and tradition.
Specifications
Movement: FC-350, automatic GMT with date (in-house GMT module), 38-hours power reserve
Case: polished stainless steel 3-parts case
Diameter: 42 mm
Case thickness: 12 mm
Lug opening: 21 mm
Viewing Glass: sapphire crystal. Exhibition case back featuring the engraved Riva Historical Society flag
Water resistance: to 40 meters
Dial: applied silver-coloured luminous indexes, hour and minute hands with luminous treatment
Straps: Embossed calf-leather strap. (There’s a multitude of options for straps as well for purchase separately, in smooth/perforated calf and crocodile leather, as well as the classic or Deploying clasps)
Visit: https://frederiqueconstant.com/watch-finder/runabout/gmt-automatic-fc-350rmg5b6/
Thanks for reading,
Matthew Youden
