In 2024, for the second consecutive year, both watchmaking Maisons were present at this essential event in the international watchmaking landscape. Their participation was marked by Manufacture movements and the return of the iconic Extreme case, much to the delight of retailers and the public.
For a week, from April 9 to April 15, 2024, Frederique Constant and Alpina Watches - part of the Frederique Constant Group belonging to the Japanese Citizen Group - participated in the largest international watchmaking fair, Watches and Wonders Geneva. The event gathered over 49,000 unique visitors throughout the week, including 5,700 retailers, 1,500 journalists, and the general public on the last three days of the fair.
A second participation with a number of appointments increasing
Located, as last year, on La Place, opposite the Carré des Horlogers, Frederique Constant and its sister brand Alpina Watches shared a common booth. A warm and welcoming space for meetings and business discussions, the Frederique Constant and Alpina Watches booth extended over 200m2, allowing guests to discover the latest products from both houses in a friendly atmosphere.
For this second participation in Watches and Wonders Geneva, Frederique Constant and Alpina Watches are pleased to announce that the number of appointments with retailers and the press has increased compared to last year. Furthermore, a product animation at the booth generated significant interest from professionals and the public. The positive feedback and general enthusiasm regarding the new releases from both brands contributed to the success of this week.
Frederique Constant: Two new Manufacture calibers with 72 hours power reserve and a new Classics line
The Classic Date Manufacture now sports the new FC-706 Manufacture calibre with a 72-hour power reserve and a five-year warranty. The steel case has been resized to a slightly smaller 40 millimetres. Slim hour markers and a ‘railtrack’ minute circle encompass a sunburst dial finished in silver, black or salmon.
Frederique Constant’s flagship Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture is restrained, elegant and contemporary, staying true to its traditional DNA even as the collection expands to include three new 40-millimetre variations endowed with the new Classic steel case, accompanied by a silver, blue or green dial. The timepiece features a new, uncluttered sunburst dial, sporting delicate hands powered by a new FC-716 movement. Developed in-house, the latter boasts a 72-hour power reserve.
The Classics Elegance Luna is the latest timepiece to be released in Frederique Constant’s Classics collection. In a major first for the Maison, the timepiece’s moonphase has been designed by the daughter of the Manufacture’s head of R&D. The moon in question is evocative of romance and intimacy: two half-moons embrace amid a mother-of-pearl dial housed in a 36-millimetre steel case. Four variations are offered, all powered by an automatic movement. All four models feature a jewel-set minute track; two also have a bezel set with jewels, making a total of 96 diamonds.
Alpina Watches: The Extreme case takes center stage and a quartz movement in the Alpiner collection
It’s distinctive and assertive, featuring a new, slimmed-down unisex format, four lively colours and a high-precision quartz movement. Housed in a cushion case resized to a compact 34 x 35.2mm, the Alpiner Extreme Quartz dial comes in rock beige, lustrous pink, glacier blue or verdant green. All four are clearly ready for adventure and the conquest of the great outdoors.
There are gradual changes, and there are breakthroughs. The new Seastrong Diver Extreme Automatic belongs firmly in the second category, with Alpina harnessing the power of its Extreme case to grace its Seastrong collection for the first time. Alpine and maritime adventures are now blended together in an innovative, powerful and distinctive piece housed in a 39 x 40.50mm steel case.
Fitted with the ultra-robust case from Alpina’s outdoor Extreme line for the first time, the timepiece features a GMT function, making it ready to travel anywhere. Two automatic models join the Seastrong collection, both housed in a steel case with a ceramic bezel on a black rubber strap. The 39x40.50mm cushion format is both strong and compact, making it perfect for water sports and urban settings alike.
Panel discussion
Yasmina Pedrini, Marketing & Communications Director of Frederique Constant, was invited by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie to participate in a panel discussion on the theme: "The future of watchmaking: is its evolution towards ultra-luxury inevitable?" The panel took place in the Auditorium of the Watches and Wonders fair on Monday, April 15, the third and final day of public opening. Watch the replay (in French).
