Frédérique Constant - Conversation with the CEO about recruitment and training.
On 21 August, we presented the collaboration between Frédérique Constant and Christiaan Van der Klaauw. This partnership resulted in a unique astronomical watch that combines the world's smallest planetarium with a high-quality in-house tourbillon. A month later, on 21 September, the CEO, Niels Eggerding, came to Lisbon to share the brand's news on the occasion of its 35th anniversary celebrations. We took the opportunity to talk a little about how to enter a watchmaking career at Frédérique Constant.
Training and recruitment of watchmakers at Frédérique Constant
The IPR had the opportunity to talk briefly with Niels about the watchmaking training the brand provides to its watchmakers. As with other brands, watchmakers are admitted after a test in which they must carry out a complete service of a specific movement. This procedure is closely observed by the brand's Master Watchmakers, who assess whether the candidate has the aptitude to join a paid 3-month internship in the brand's workshops in Geneva. During this internship, the candidates' performance is assessed in greater detail and, if they are selected, they move on to a one-year training period. This is followed by another 3-year period, during which they devote themselves to more complex tasks. The most talented watchmakers are then admitted to the complications department.
We agreed with Niels Eggerding that anyone interested in starting this path at the brand can contact the IPR by e-mail: info@institutoportuguesderelojoaria.pt for more information.
About Frédérique Constant
Founded in 1988 by the Dutch couple Aletta Francoise Frédérique Stas-Bax and Peter Constant Stas, Frédérique Constant has emerged as a bastion of watchmaking tradition and innovation. The brand's name pays tribute to the founders' great-grandparents, Frédérique Schreiner (1881-1969) and Constant Stas (1880-1967), the latter the founder of a company producing watch dials in 1904.
Expansion and Acquisitions
Seeking to diversify, Frédérique Constant acquired Alpina Watches in 2002, a renowned Swiss maker of sports watches founded in 1883. This acquisition gave the company a boost, consolidating its position as one of the leading Swiss watch manufacturers, producing more than 120,000 watches in 2011 and establishing its presence in more than 100 countries.
In 2016, Citizen Holdings expressed its intention to acquire Frédérique Constant Holding SA, which included other renowned brands such as Alpina Watches International SA and Ateliers deMonaco SA.
Facilities and Manufacture
Operating a 3,200-square-metre manufacture in Geneva, Frédérique Constant is divided into different sectors specialising in component production, assembly and quality control. The expansion of the facilities brought the headquarters of the Frédérique Constant Group to 6,200 m², reaffirming its commitment to innovation and excellence in watch production.
Products and Innovations
Heart Beat Movement
In 2001, Frédérique Constant developed its first watch movement, the "Heart Beat", in cooperation with renowned watchmaking and engineering schools in Geneva. This innovative movement earned the company the "Watch of the Year" award from Horloges Magazine in 2005.
Silicon Escape Wheel
In 2007, the company introduced the silicon escape wheel, using new high-tech materials to improve the precision and reliability of mechanical watches. The use of silicon, lighter and stronger than metal, marked a revolution in watch design technology.
Tourbillon
In April 2008, the brand created a tourbillon with a silicon escape wheel, achieving an amplitude of more than 300 degrees between its vertical and horizontal positions. This innovation reinforced the exceptionally high level of precision of Frédérique Constant watches.
Product Lines and Sponsorships
The company launched several product lines, such as the Runabout, a tribute to the sports boats of the 1920s, and sponsored classic car meetings, developing limited-edition watches for each sponsorship.
Smartwatch
Together with Alpina, Frédérique Constant introduced the "Horological Smartwatch" in 2015, a product with activity and sleep tracking functions that preserves a classic look with a secondary analogue dial.
In 2018, the brand unveiled the world's first mechanical smartwatch, the Hybrid Manufacture, a fusion of smartwatch technology with a mechanical movement, exemplifying the company's continuous innovation and adaptation to the modern market.
The affordable luxury segment
Since its foundation, Frédérique Constant has stood out for its union of tradition and innovation, positioning itself as a benchmark in the affordable luxury segment of Swiss watchmaking. The company remains in constant evolution, balancing its watchmaking heritage with emerging technologies and reaffirming its commitment to excellence and its passion for watch design and manufacture.
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