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Frederique Constant Classics 40mm Mens Watch
Ref. FC-335MC4P5
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 Classics line is where Frederique Constant makes its clearest argument for dress watches that do not require a second mortgage. This particular reference layers two complications onto a guilloché silver dial in a way that rewards looking: an open-heart aperture at twelve lets the balance wheel's motion sit in plain view, while a moonphase at six adds a second piece of theatre without crowding the Roman numerals between them. The date, unusually, is read by a central pointer hand tracking an outer ring, which keeps the dial face unbroken by a window. At 10mm thick with a lug-to-lug of just 44mm, it disappears under a cuff and sits flush on smaller wrists in a way that most 40mm watches do not. The 66-gram total weight means nothing registers on the wrist by the afternoon. The FC-335 runs on a Sellita SW200 architecture — not a house secret, but a sensible one, since it can be properly serviced by almost any competent watchmaker rather than requiring a brand-authorised centre. The mock-croc leather strap is better in hand than it sounds, and the gold PVD pin buckle matches the case without fuss.
- Reference
- FC-335MC4P5
- Brand
- Frederique Constant
- Collection
- Classics
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 10mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Gold PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- FC-335
- Functions
- Date, Moonphase, Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 60m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Brown
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 44mm
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
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 7 collections
This watch appears in the Frederique Constant Classics range (19), Back in Stock (4,652), Automatic Watches (1,724), Leather Strap Watches (1,023), Silver Dial Watches (703), Gold Watches (662) and Dress Watches (533).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 40mm suits most wrists
- 44mm lug-to-lug keeps the 40mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Frederique Constant's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 60m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Price history
This watch is currently at its highest recorded price. It was £1,995 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-335MC4P5 | R27057732 | YA126390 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,195 | £2,250 | £2,130 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 60m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | 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. 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?
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.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 44mm, which suits wrists from roughly 15cm (6 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.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths 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 £1,995 and £2,195, today it's £2,195.
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