At the Geneva Watch Days, Frederique Constant unveiled two luxury models with striking special dials. Just a few weeks later, the brand unveiled a series of three quartz moonphase models in the more affordable segment. This move highlights the diversity of the watches the brand offers. Usually, the mechanical aspect is more important to watch enthusiasts. But after wearing the new Frederique Constant Classic Moneta Moonphase models for a week, I noticed a surprisingly appealing side to them. The designs of the three watches are clever and chic, perfect for those who like classic dress watches but don’t want to spend too much.
When the new Frederique Constant Classic Moneta Moonphase models arrived on my desk, it raised a few eyebrows. A quartz watch with a complication is an interesting choice. While not a typical choice for mechanical watch enthusiasts, this Moneta Moonphase model certainly has a lot to offer. While it may not be the first choice for most Fratello watch lovers, it will likely please anyone looking for an affordable dress watch with a moonphase complication. Let’s take a closer look at these three new watches.
Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase
Let’s zoom in on the three watches to take a closer look: They all feature a 37mm stainless steel case, measuring 42mm lug-to-lug and 7.65mm thick, making all three watches modest in size and slim in profile.
The classically shaped round case is combined with a small onion-shaped crown and a grooved inner bezel on a flange below the sapphire crystal – an original design solution from Fratello that everyone loves.
The inner bezel is inspired by the grooved edges of a coin, which is also where the watch gets its name: “Moneta” means coin in several languages, including Russian and Italian. It’s a defining element of the design, and one that most of my Fratello colleagues immediately loved. We all agreed that it gives the watch a lot of character.
Frederique Constant offers three different dial variations. The first is a blue sunburst dial with steel indexes and steel dauphine hands. To add a touch of color, the designers also added three golden elements: the Frederique Constant logo, the circle around the moon phase display, and the “Swiss Made” lettering.
The second version has a black sunray dial with stainless steel indexes and hands, and gold lettering and markings. The first two versions are fitted with a dark blue or black calfskin strap with a crocodile pattern that matches the dial.
Finally, there is a version with a silver sunray dial and stainless steel indexes and hands. Unlike the other two versions, this one has a black logo, a black circle around the moonphase indicator, and “Swiss Made” written in black. Although it has a more monochromatic look, the blue moonphase disc and the dark brown crocodile print calfskin strap create a beautiful contrast. All three versions of the Classic Moneta Moonphase are unique yet look equally classy.
Quartz Ronda Movement
Powering all three watches is Frederique Constant’s FC206 caliber. Based on the Swiss Ronda 706 movement, this quartz movement has five jewels and a 60-month battery life. The Ronda’s 706 comes in a variety of variations, including date and day/date displays. I like that Frederique Constant decided to keep everything simple. All three watches have dauphine-shaped hour and minute hands, as well as a moon phase display. I find that these elements contribute to the serene image of the watches on the wrist.
One thing to note is that this watch does not have a seconds hand to indicate it is moving, so once you have adjusted the time and moon phase to the correct position, this watch is pretty much stationary compared to most other watches.
But the design means there’s plenty to admire when wearing the watch: the attention to detail makes the dial a pleasure to look at, and the sharp finishing on the hands and indexes, fluted inner bezel, and nicely finished moonphase indicator are all superbly executed.
Wearing the Classic Moneta Moonphase
On the wrist, these watches look great. They are small for my 18.5mm wrist, but I’d call them modest rather than too small. In these photos, I have the silver and black dial version on my wrist, and Nacho has the blue dial version. As you can probably tell, the watch sits better on his 17.5mm wrist. But overall, if you like the size, the Classic Moneta Moonphase is definitely appealing.
All three watches look great thanks to their wonderfully simple designs. The idea of the grooved inner bezel is clever in that it becomes part of the dial design. It’s a nice decorative element that keeps the dial itself small, but perfectly balanced. The different elements are well balanced and stylistically they fit together perfectly. Add to that the slim profile and you’ll see how much fun it is to wear these watches. I’d love to try out different straps to play around with the look and see which one works best with casual and formal outfits.
Final Thoughts on the Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase
This brings me back to the first question I had when these watches arrived on my desk: Who is this watch for? As most of you know, we at Fratello love quartz watches and have nothing against them in principle. However, the context of a moonphase dress watch is so closely tied to mechanical horology that it took some time for the Classics Moneta Moonphase to sink in.
The answer to my question is probably “watch enthusiasts who want a stylish dress watch but don’t want to spend a fortune.” For those who normally wear tool watches and are looking for a dress watch to wear when necessary, this watch at 1,095 euros is a very affordable option.
Why would you choose this watch over a more affordable mechanical watch? First, you’d probably be hard-pressed to find a mechanical dress watch with a moonphase function at this price. Second, the design of this new watch is stunning. When we discussed the customer demographic of these watches at Fratello, we also agreed that these watches are phenomenal. Given the design, balance, and slim profile, it’s hard to fault the look of the Classics Moneta Moonphase.
Beyond the most enthusiastic watch enthusiasts, there are plenty of “regular” watch buyers who want a beautiful watch every few years, and they could be a target audience. The Classic Moneta Moonphase is relatively affordable, Swiss made, and, once again, a beautiful watch. So there are certainly fans of these models, and I’ve surprisingly come to like them over the last week.
You can find out more about the new Classic Moneta Moonphase on the Frederique Constant website, and let us know in the comments section which of these new models is your favorite.
