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Frederique Constant Highlife Automatic Mens Watch Set
Ref. FC-303V4NH2B
Sits in Frederique Constant’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Frederique Constant watches we list, which start at £850.
Price range £850 to £3,995 across 22 Frederique Constant watches in stock.The Highlife line was built around a single structural idea: an integrated bracelet that flows from the case without a visible join, giving a 41mm watch the contained, close-to-the-wrist presence usually associated with something considerably smaller. The FC-303 movement inside carries COSC chronometer certification, which means it has been independently tested across temperatures and orientations to confirm it keeps within the tolerance the Swiss institute demands — meaningful for a calibre at this tier, where that verification is not simply assumed. The dial carries an embossed globe motif across its centre, which catches light differently depending on the angle and prevents the silver surface from reading as plain. The two-tone treatment runs consistently from the case through to the alternate links of the bracelet, so the rose gold PVD is a structural choice rather than an accent. The quick-change bracelet system is tool-free, which matters in practice: swapping to a leather strap for a different occasion takes seconds rather than a visit to a watchmaker.
- Reference
- FC-303V4NH2B
- Brand
- Frederique Constant
- Collection
- Highlife
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case thickness
- 10.84mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Two-tone
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- FC-303
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Two-tone
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
- Warranty
- 2 years
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 4 collections
This watch appears in the Frederique Constant Highlife range (5), Automatic Watches (1,724), Silver Dial Watches (703) and Two-Tone Watches (474).
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Frederique Constant's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Frederique Constant Highlife alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | FC-303V4NH2B | R27057732 | YA126390 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,195 | £2,250 | £2,130 |
| Case size | 41mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Ceramic bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 80 hours | — |
| 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. 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 comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 38 hours fully wound — so it will usually stop if you leave it off overnight.
What 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.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £2,195, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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