Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase

Zach Blass

With the watch enthusiast and collector base rapidly expanding, it means there is a whole new segment of buyers with varying budgets or degrees of experience and familiarity with mechanical complications. Mechanical timepieces can be intimidating: they’re typically very expensive, yet they’re also often quite fragile. Therefore, it is nice for such individuals to have an option that speaks to both a lower budget and a lower level of experience in dealing with a mechanical complication. The latest option entering the mix today is the Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase, a “set it and forget it” quartz moonphase watch with visual details worth remembering.

The cases

The Classics Moneta Moonphase case boasts excellent dress watch proportions that will suit men’s, women’s, or anyone’s wrists. Measuring a nice mid-size 37mm in diameter and 7.65mm thick, it has a vintage-like presence on the wrist and is more than slender enough for a shirt cuff thanks to its quartz movement.

Frederique Constant aptly opted for a full mirror-polished case; although it can be an ‘office daily’ with its 50-metre depth rating, it is unabashedly a dress watch in aesthetic. With the two new models, both cases are stainless steel, but you can choose a yellow gold-coloured variant or a left-as-is stainless steel variant.

The dials

The unmistakably stainless steel case is paired with a fan-favourite blue dial, executed with a sunray finish. The dial detailing for a watch of this price is top-notch, with sharp faceted applied hour indices and a classic dauphine handset for the hours and minutes hands, which are both hand-polished. Surrounding the dial, and where the Moneta name stems from, you have a coined flange that rests beneath the sapphire crystal (“moneta” being both an Italian and Latin word for “coin”). This gives a coined bezel effect, but with a twist, and with the coining beneath the crystal, it is not prone to blemishes. For a slight visual pop, the dial branding/text and the ring framing the dial-matching moonphase complication are rendered in a gold-like yellow for a bit of contrast.

For the gold-tone variant, Frederique Constant has gone with a silver dial, also sunray finished, but with case-matching hands and indices. While the steel variant feels like a modern watch leaning into vintage, this gold-tone variant could truly be mistaken as a vintage piece with its timeless look.

The straps

Each watch is offered with a single strap option at purchase. The gold-tone variant is paired with a brown leather strap and case-matching pin buckle, while the steel variant is afforded a matching Milanese mesh bracelet. The straps both feature quick-release tabs to allow for easy swapping, but the stainless steel model has the advantage of having a bracelet that could easily be swapped to another factory leather strap, while the gold-tone model does not (at least not yet) have the luxury of being swapped to a factory gold-tone mesh bracelet.

The movement

The FC-206 quartz calibre within both watches rests beneath a solid stainless steel caseback, even on the gold-tone model. contrasting the colour of its front. The movement offers 60 months of autonomy according to Frederique Constant, which means you can set it and forget it – only needing to worry about correcting the time when changing time zones or after 5 years when the battery depletes.

The verdict

At US$1,495 for both models, and with both being quartz-driven, at a surface level, I suspect some will not see the same value-driven aura around these two Frederique Constant watches as they typically would. However, I would argue that within the context of a moonphase complication, even if quartz-driven, it is still an attractive price. Really, it is the detailing found on the dial that I believe is where the value lies. With hand-polished dauphine hands, faceted and polished applied hour indices, and the coined flange adding further visual flair, I think Frederique Constant has certainly succeeded in offering a timeless, hassle-free moonphase at a more approachable price.

That being said, I do hope that Frederique Constant eventually offers a gold-tone Milanese mesh bracelet for the gold-tone variant, as I do think it could look really hot and really speak to those looking for the all-gold look without having a full 18ct gold budget.

Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase pricing and availability

The Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase is available now for purchase. Price: US$1,495