This year the Swiss brand has presented a whole plethora of watches equipped with their revised FC-700 in-house automatic movement sporting a lube-free silicon escapement. The new Frederique Constant Maxime Manufacture Automatic Silicium (ref. FC-700SMG5M6) is one of them.
If you take (carefully) the new Maxime Manufacture Silicium in one hand and the original 2009 Maxime Manufacture in the other, you will possibly notice only a few differences between the two.
The 42.00 mm x 11.80 mm stainless steel case that combines polished and satin-finished surfaces is still here. The rounded lugs are here. The setting crown, too, seems to be the same.
Even the dial looks like it retained the exquisite guilloche-work of the original with the only difference being a new set of numerals. Still hand-polished, applied, and half of them painted with Superluminova, the Arabic numerals were finally replaced with Roman digits. Not surprisingly, they look more in place here playing nicely with the thin hands and making the whole display look a tad lighter.
Of course, the main reason for the update of the collection was the introduction of a slightly modernized FC-700 self-winding movement.
Designed and crafted at FC’s own manufacturing facilities, the revised automatic caliber has its standard escapement wheel replaced with a more technologically advanced part. The new one is made from silicon. Hence the name “Silicium,” that’s how they called the metal when it was initially obtained in a pure form almost 190 years ago.)
Compared to steel or brass, the mineral is more lightweight, which decreases its inertia and increases the movement’s energy efficiency. What’s even more important, it doesn’t require any lubrication substances, which increases service intervals and makes it easier to service.
Being manufacture-made, each FC-700 caliber is uniquely numbered and decorated with circular-graining and Cotes de Geneve motif. Its skeletonized oscillating weight is made from gold: the metal not only looks good but is also denser than steel, making the automatic winding more efficient.
There are two things that I don’t like about this new timekeeper.
The first one is that Frederique Constant decided to limit the timekeeper’s production to mere 888 pieces. I mean, come on! This is a beautiful timekeeper with a nice movement, why would anyone artificially limit the supply? The second one is, of course, the price: the MSRP of $3500 is sort of prohibitive given the brand’s lower perceived value compared to some other Swiss watchmakers.
Come on, FC, lower it by a thousand bucks and you will get an instant hit!
See Also: Frederique Constant Peking to Paris Limited Edition
Photos: Frederique Constant
Frederique Constant Maxime Manufacture Silicium FC-700SMG5M6 specification
Price: $3500 (MSRP)
Movement: Caliber FC-700, automatic, in-house, Swiss Made
Number of jewels: 26
Movement frequency: 28,800 vph
Movement decoration: Skeletonized gold oscillating weight, circular graining, Cotes de Geneva motif
Functions: Hours, minutes, date
Power reserve: 42 hours
Case: Stainless steel, polished and satin-finished
Shape: Round
Size: 42.00 mm
Case height: 11.80 mm
Lug width: 18/22 mm
Dial: Black
Numerals: Roman, applied
Hour markers: Gray
Hands: Luminous
Water resistance: 50 meters
Strap: Black alligator leather strap with steel folding clasp and water-resistant inner lining
Crystal: Sapphire, convex
Back: Transparent