Gleaming Precision: Frédérique Constant Launches Manufacture Tourbillon in Mother-of-Pearl

Last year, when the venerable house of Frédérique Constant unveiled its Classic Tourbillon Manufacture, adorned with a resplendent blue aventurine dial, it did more than merely present a timekeeping instrument; it issued a clarion call to the haute horlogerie world, reaffirming the ascendancy of artisanal materials in the rarefied realm of watchmaking. Indeed, the industry has been showing a growing predilection for exotic substances, such as enamel, mother-of-pearl, and meteorites, each imbued with its own ineffable charm and narrative gravitas. 

In consonance with this aesthetic and material renaissance, Frédérique Constant has now unveiled yet another poetic expression of the Manufacture Classic Tourbillon: a 36-piece limited-edition novelty  (Ref. FC-980MPBL3H8). Crowned by the presence of a tourbillon that promises an enchanting ballet of escapement and equilibrium, the watch showcases a dial of delicate light blue mother-of-pearl.

Mother-of-pearl, commonly known as nacre, is the iridescent inner layer of mollusc shells, particularly oysters, abalones, and some freshwater mussels. This natural mineral, which may be found in oceans and freshwater bodies globally, is valued for its smooth and brilliant surface. Mother-of-pearl dials have grown in popularity in watchmaking due to their unusual visual appeal, wherein each timepiece is unique, ensuring that no two dials are identical. Frequently used in limited editions to convey sophistication, the material provides a touch of elegance, refinement, and organic charm. 

The newly unveiled Frédérique Constant reference has a mirror-polished 39 mm 18 ct white gold case, lugs, and an onion crown at 3 o’clock, similar to its blue aventurine variant. The single-piece mother-of-pearl dial has diamond-cut hand applied hour markers and two polished hour, minute hands. There is a one-minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock. The central hand attached to the tourbillon indicates the seconds as it sweeps across a complex architecture of blued screws of the silicon escapement tourbillon, polished bevels, and bridges finished with satin or mirror polishing. The material offers unique variations of grey and blue under the light, enhancing the tourbillon’s blued hour markers and screws.

Powering the watch is Calibre FC-980-4, a self-winding movement, wherein the escapement and the anchor are made of silicon. This material shields the escapement from any running deviations caused by temperature changes or magnetisation from speakers, laptops, fasteners or phones, which can impair movements sensitive to even the slightest magnetic field. Delivering a 38-hour power reserve, the movement gets chamfering, circular graining, stretched flanks, and mirror polishing while the tourbillon is visible even from the caseback. The watch is finished on a light blue alligator leather strap with a folding clasp.