![]() The cam-lever system of the Valjoux has been replaced by a higher-end column wheel, and the power reserve extended to 60 hours. The chronograph movement is an evolution of the Valjoux 7750 modified by La Joux-Perret. The Highlife Chronograph is fitted with the FC-391 calibre, an automatic movement wound by a rose-gold plated rotor visible through the see-through caseback. Among the three Highlife Chronograph Automatic, the limited blue and white panda edition comes with three strap options – stainless steel bracelet, a navy blue calfskin strap with a nubuck finishing and a navy blue rubber strap. One of the outstanding features of the Highlife collection is its interchangeable bracelet system letting you switch between the metal bracelet and the additional rubber strap provided in seconds. ![]() ![]() The central seconds hand and the hands on the sub-dial are silver on the black and panda-style dial and gold-plated on the two-tone model. The applied indices and baton-style hour and minute hands, all filled with white luminous material, differ in the two-tone model and are rose gold-plated to match the case material. There is no tachymeter scale on this chronograph, emphasizing the more casual nature of this model. A date window has been tucked in between the markers at 4 and 5 o’clock and is picked out in the same colour as the dial. Still bearing the engraved longitude and latitude lines forming a globe on the dial, the snailed and slightly recessed sub-dials are arranged in the following order: small seconds at 9 elapsed times of 30-min at 3 and 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock. A nice detail is how the pushers, set into the 14.22mm case, are slightly inclined, and their bases tapered to follow the contours of the barrel-shaped case. For example, the rounded rectangular pushers flanking the crown, the round bezel, and the sides of the case and bracelet are polished, while the surface of the case and the outer lugs are brushed. All cases conform to the 41mm diameter of the collection and display alternating brushed and polished finishings. The new Highlife Chronograph Automatic is available in three variants: a two-tone white and blue panda-style dial in a steel case a silver dial with rose gold-plated elements in a bicolour steel and rose gold case and a black dial in a steel case. The identity traits of the Highlife, which do not try and emulate any of the big sharks, are a 41mm barrel-shaped case with half-moon facets at either end, an engraved pattern on the dial suggesting longitude and latitude lines, elongated hour markers and baton hands with luminescent material, and an integrated bracelet that is interchangeable. In 2021, the Highlife reached out to women with a 34mm version followed by a Worldtimer Manufacture and Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture, both with in-house movements and even a skeletonised model. Frederique Constant’s Highlife collection kicked off with a Perpetual Calendar (for under 10k), an Automatic with COSC chronometer certification, and a Heart Beat with an aperture on the dial to reveal the balance. Although it is hard to see how the first Highlife model of 1999 inspired the 2020 collection – save the interchangeable strap and bracelets – the name of the original nautical-inspired watch was chosen to represent the brand’s new luxury sports watch collection.
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