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Frederique Constant Classics Index Automatic 40mm Mens Watch
Ref. FC-303MC5B4
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Stepping up in Frederique Constant's range
The Classics collection sits at the heart of what Frederique Constant has built since Peter and Aletta Stas founded the brand in 1988 — watches that dress formally without demanding attention. This reference takes that brief and adds a rose gold-plated case and a silver dial with Clous de Paris guilloché at the centre, a hand-engraved hobnail pattern that catches raking light in a way a printed or plain-brushed dial simply cannot. The Roman numerals are printed in black, the hands carry open circles in the Breguet style, and the dark brown crocodile-embossed strap pulls the warmth of the case through to the wrist. The movement is a Sellita SW200-1, a dependable Swiss automatic that Frederique Constant engrave on the rotor — though with a closed caseback, that detail is more a matter of knowing than seeing. A 38-hour power reserve handles a weekend left on the nightstand without ceremony, and the 28,800 vph beat rate keeps the seconds hand sweeping smoothly. Not COSC-certified, which at 40mm on a dress strap is unlikely to be a deciding factor for anyone this watch is genuinely aimed at.
- Reference
- FC-303MC5B4
- Brand
- Frederique Constant
- Collection
- Classics
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case material
- Rose gold PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- ETA 2824
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Brown
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Origin
- Swiss made
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), Automatic Watches (1,417), Leather Strap Watches (904), Silver Dial Watches (630), Dress Watches (456) and Rose Gold Watches (246).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 40mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Price history
This watch is currently at its highest recorded price. It was £1,195 on 13 August. Prices are checked every day, and we record any changes.
Frederique Constant Classics Index alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | FC-303MC5B4 | BMM0A10874 | H32675140 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,295 | £1,450 | £1,065 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | — | 38 hours | 50 hours |
| This watch | 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. 50m 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?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
Has the price changed recently?
It's currently at its highest recorded price. It's ranged between £1,195 and £1,295, today it's £1,295.
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