
Frederique Constant, a relatively young player in Swiss horology, was founded in 1988 by Dutch couple Peter Stas and Aletta Stas-Bax. Their vision was to offer high-quality, Swiss-made mechanical watches at accessible prices, democratizing luxury watchmaking.
A significant milestone came in 1994 with the introduction of their “Heart Beat” watches, featuring an aperture on the dial revealing the movement’s balance wheel – a signature design. In 2004, they achieved true “manufacture” status by developing their first in-house movement, the FC-910. The brand continued to innovate, introducing complications like tourbillons and perpetual calendars. In 2016, Citizen Holdings acquired the Frederique Constant Group, ensuring its long-term future while maintaining its commitment to accessible elegance and in-house production.
Servicing a Frederique Constant Automatic Watch
Our client’s watch arrived stopped and was not working. Inspection of the movement revealed a number of reasons why this watch was in need of a service. We identified wear to the reversing wheel and found many pivots to be running dry. We also found a loose screw which was stuck underneath the balance, stopping it from working. A loose screw like this can cause significant damage to the movement, though luckily in this case it was avoided. Ideally, an automatic watch like this should be serviced every 3-5 years. This helps to prevent wear by ensuring oils and greases are fresh. It also allows us to check for situations like screws working their way loose.
“We strongly recommend having most automatic watches serviced every 3-5 years.”
The movement powering this watch is a Sellita SW300-1. This is a popular, good quality Swiss automatic movement. It’s the Sellita version of the ETA 2892-A2, with only a few slight differences, including an increased number of jewels (25 vs 21). The ETA 2892-A2 is found in many top brands including Omega, Longines and Tag Heuer. These brands often use higher grade versions of the movement which are decorated and customised, though the base architecture remains the same.
The Service Process: Disassembly, Cleaning, and Reassembly
To service and repair this watch, it is first fully disassembled and each part inspected. Given a loose screw has been rattling around we need to be thorough to make sure no damage has been caused to many sensitive components like the balance. As is often the case in watches which haven’t been serviced for a while (or those which have seen daily wear), there is notable wear to the reverser. This is often a point for significant wear, as it is a key component in the automatic winding mechanism.
The disassembled movement is pre-cleaned and checked by hand before it is run through our Elma Solvex watch movement cleaning machine, while the case is cleaned in a separate ultrasonic cleaner. After cleaning, the movement is carefully reassembled and oiled with replacement parts fitted. We follow the movement manufacturer’s technical specifications for this calibre, ensuring all correct oils and greases are used.
Once the movement is back together we can refit the dial and hands before casing the watch. When it’s cased up we do a final test on the timing machine before moving the watch officially on to test before it is released to our client. We test it’s correct automatic winding, continued functioning within tolerances, manual winding and setting.
Summary
This Frederique Constant watch arrived with us completely stopped. Upon inspection, we found wear to the reversing wheel, dry pivots, and a loose screw which had wedged itself under the balance, stopping the watch. It was certainly due for a service. The watch houses a calibre SW300-1 high-quality Swiss movement.
The service involved fully disassembling the movement, cleaning each component, and replacing worn parts. After careful reassembly and lubrication following manufacturer specifications, it is back to excellent working order.
Regular servicing every 3-5 years is crucial to maintaining an automatic watch’s longevity and precision, ensuring it continues to perform as intended.
It’s a pleasure to repair a Frederique Constant watch – do get in touch if you have a Frederique Constant watch in need of restoration.
Need Your Vintage Watch Serviced or Repaired?
Take advantage of our Royal Mail Special Delivery FREEPOST service for a secure and hassle-
free experience. Your watch is fully insured for up to £20,000 throughout its entire journey, from the moment it leaves your hands until it’s safely returned to you. Trust our expert watchmakers to restore your timepiece with precision and care.