Frederique Constant has added a notably wearable moonphase to its Highlife line, and the result feels like one of the brand’s more balanced recent Manufacture pieces.
The new Highlife Moonphase Date Manufacture keeps the collection’s sporty integrated-bracelet character, then softens it with a classic lunar display and two polished dial options.
At CHF 4,495, it also sits in a space where true in-house watchmaking still carries real weight.
At a glance
- Frederique Constant has introduced the Highlife Moonphase Date Manufacture in two standard-production dial colours.
- The 39mm stainless steel watch combines a moon phase and pointer date in one sub-dial, powered by the in-house automatic FC-716 calibre.
- Each watch is delivered with an integrated five-link steel bracelet and a blue Saffiano calfskin strap, priced at CHF 4,495.
A smaller Highlife case with real everyday range
The Highlife line has been Frederique Constant’s take on the contemporary luxury sports watch since its 2020 relaunch, built around a tonneau-shaped case, integrated bracelet system and a dress-to-sport personality.
This Moonphase Date Manufacture uses a 39mm stainless steel case rather than the 41mm size seen on many Highlife models, giving the watch a more compact stance without losing the collection’s distinctive architecture.
The case measures 12.82mm thick and mixes satin brushing with polished accents across the bezel, crown and case flanks.
Half-moon facets at either end of the case reinforce the Highlife silhouette, while 100 metres of water resistance keeps the watch practical beyond the office or dinner table.
A convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment covers the dial, and a transparent caseback opens the view to the automatic movement.
Two sunray dials without the usual globe pattern
One of the more interesting choices here is what Frederique Constant has left out.
Instead of the laser-engraved globe motif often associated with Highlife dials, these new models use cleaner sunray finishes in either blue or rosé champagne.
The rosé champagne version brings warmth and contrast, especially against the dark blue moonphase aperture at 6 o’clock.
The blue dial is more restrained, leaning into a tonal blue-on-blue effect that gives the watch a cooler, more traditional sports-watch look.
Both dials use applied baton markers with Super-LumiNova, matched by luminous hour and minute hands.
The moon phase and date share a single register at 6 o’clock, with a realistic moon set against a midnight blue star field and a pointer date tracking a snailed outer scale from 1 to 31.
The red 31 is a small flourish, but it adds just enough visual tension to keep the layout from feeling too polite.
The FC-716 calibre gives the complication its substance
Frederique Constant’s Manufacture reputation matters here because the brand has spent years building a broad family of in-house calibres, now numbering 35.
The Highlife Moonphase Date Manufacture is powered by calibre FC-716, an automatic movement running at 28,800 vibrations per hour with 26 jewels.
Its larger barrel delivers a 72-hour power reserve, which makes the watch easier to rotate through a collection without immediately needing to reset it after a weekend off the wrist.
The movement’s bridges are finished with fan-shaped Côtes de Genève, visible through the caseback along with the openworked rotor.
Functionally, it covers central hours, minutes and seconds, plus the date by hand and phases of the moon.
Bracelet or leather without tools
The interchangeable strap system is a key part of the Highlife proposition, and Frederique Constant includes two options with these models.
The five-link stainless steel bracelet gives the watch its sportier integrated look, with brushed and polished surfaces tying back to the case finishing.
The blue Saffiano calfskin strap, finished with tone-on-tone stitching, shifts the watch into a dressier register without making it feel formal in the old-fashioned sense.
The quick-release system is positioned on the reverse side of the lugs, so the change can be made without tools.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Frederique Constant |
|---|---|
| Model | Highlife Moonphase Date Manufacture |
| References | FC-716BL3NH6 blue dial, FC-716RG3NH6 rosé champagne dial |
| Case size | 39mm diameter, 12.82mm thickness |
| Case material | Stainless steel, brushed and polished |
| Crystal | Convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating |
| Caseback | See-through caseback |
| Water resistance | 100 metres |
| Dial | Blue or rosé champagne sunray dial |
| Indices | Applied silver-coloured indices with white Super-LumiNova |
| Hands | Luminous hour and minute hands, silver-coloured central seconds hand |
| Complications | Moon phase and pointer date at 6 o’clock |
| Movement | FC-716 in-house automatic calibre |
| Frequency | 28,800vph, 4Hz |
| Jewels | 26 |
| Power reserve | 72 hours |
| Strap and bracelet | Five-link stainless steel bracelet and blue Saffiano calfskin strap |
| Interchangeability | Tool-free quick-release system |
| Price | CHF 4,495 |
The Highlife Moonphase Date Manufacture is aimed at buyers who want an integrated-bracelet watch with more character than another time-and-date model, but who still value useful proportions and a serious movement.
With the 39mm case, two-strap package and 72-hour in-house calibre, Frederique Constant has made this complication feel both accessible and genuinely wearable.
