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Frederique Constant Classics 40mm Mens Watch
Ref. FC-292MC4P6
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Classics collection is where Frederique Constant makes its position clear: Geneva-style dress design, Swiss assembly, kept accessible without stripping out the details that matter. This chronograph sits squarely in that tradition — guilloché silver dial, Roman numerals, Breguet-style hands — the full vocabulary of the genre, executed in a watch that runs on an FC-292 movement built on a Ronda 5030.D base and rated for 54 months between battery changes. At 40mm with a lug-to-lug of 45mm, it sits proportionally well on most wrists without demanding attention. The 10.19mm case keeps it from reading as thick under a shirt cuff, which matters on a watch this formal in character. On a plain black leather strap with a tang buckle, it wears simply and without complication — there is nothing here that fights the suit.
- Reference
- FC-292MC4P6
- Brand
- Frederique Constant
- Collection
- Classics
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 10.19mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- FC-292
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date
- Water resistance
- 60m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 45mm
Learn more about Frederique Constant
Peter Stas and Aletta Bax, a Dutch couple, founded Frederique Constant in 1988 with a straightforward objective: make Swiss watches with genuine watchmaking content at prices well below where that content normally starts. The name combines those of two ancestors, Frédérique Schreiner and Constant Stas, the latter a manufacturer of watch dials from the 1900s.
The company designed its own movement, the FC-910 Heart Beat, in 1994 — an aperture cut into the dial to expose the balance wheel, which became the brand's signature and is now widely copied. It began manufacturing calibres in-house in 2004, an unusual step at its price point, and has since produced over thirty in-house movements including perpetual calendars, tourbillons, and a monolithic silicon oscillator replacing the traditional escapement entirely.
That last development, the Slimline Monolithic of 2021, was a serious technical achievement: a single silicon component oscillating at 40 Hz, delivering high-frequency regulation without lubrication.
Frederique Constant also produced one of the first Swiss-made connected watches, the Horological Smartwatch, with analogue hands and hidden activity tracking.
The company built a manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates near Geneva, shares it with Alpina, and was acquired by Citizen in 2016. It also owns the vintage-focused Ateliers deMonaco.
- 1988
- Peter Stas and Aletta Bax found the company.
- 1994
- The Heart Beat dial aperture becomes the house signature.
- 2004
- In-house movement manufacturing begins.
- 2016
- Acquired by Citizen.
- 2021
- The Slimline Monolithic introduces a silicon oscillator.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in the Frederique Constant Classics range (19), Back in Stock (4,652), Stainless Steel Watches (3,115), Chronograph Watches (1,219), Leather Strap Watches (1,023) and Silver Dial Watches (703).
Temporarily out of stock
Goldsmiths is not currently taking orders for this reference. Last listed as available on 23 September 2026. Stock is checked nightly and this page updates when it returns.
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 40mm suits most wrists
- 45mm lug-to-lug keeps the 40mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Frederique Constant's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 60m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Price history
This watch is currently at its highest recorded price. It was £795 on 21 August. Prices are checked every day, and we record any changes.
Frederique Constant Classics alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | FC-292MC4P6 | 5485-STC-00359 | VE3K00522 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £850 | £850 | £799 |
| Case size | 40mm | 39mm | 41mm |
| Water resistance | 60m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Leather strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 60m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat size strap does it take?
22mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 45mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16cm (6¼ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Has the price changed recently?
It's currently at its highest recorded price. It's ranged between £795 and £850, today it's £850.
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