The first thing you’re likely to notice about Frédérique Constant’s Classics Manchette is the way it plays with proportion by nestling a compact 25 mm x 20 mm watch face—available in onyx, malachite, white matte, and diamond—inside a seven-link, stainless-steel bracelet. Unlike most watches, where the dial is the clear focal point and the strap or bracelet is an afterthought, the Classics Manchette is a single, continuous composition. Is it a piece of jewellery that tells time? Or a watch that doubles as jewellery? It’s a question for the ages.
What we can say for certain is that the origins of the Classics Manchett —“manchette” being the French word for cuff—can be traced all the way back to the ornate bracelets crafted by Indigenous societies around the world, from the ancient Egyptians to the Navajo. Fast-forward a few millennia to the early 1970s, and the ancient cuff bracelet’s modern descendant—the wristwatch—was ready to take on a glamorous new look. The women’s watch had previously been an understated accessory, but in line with the adventurous runway pieces created by the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Emilio Pucci, brands from Piaget to Bulova turned that on its head with statement timepieces featuring ornate gold bracelets and dials cut from colourful semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli and coral.
This idea would continue to expand over the next decade, taking the form of iconic creations such as Gérald Genta’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Jörg Hysek’s Vacheron Constantin 222. By the 1980s, brands like Swatch and Hublot were taking the idea to extremes with postmodern creations that complemented the era’s freewheeling energy. You can catch a glimpse of the disparate influences that characterized these designs in the Classics Manchette’s distinctive bracelet, which blends an 18th-century “clous de Paris” motif with a hint of punk rock glam.
By the time Frédérique Constant was established in the late 1980s, the transition of the wristwatch from discreet timekeeping device to statement- making accessory was complete. Drawing on centuries of evolution, Frédérique Constant began to blend traditional Swiss watchmaking elements (think: Roman numerals and Breguet-style hands) with elegant contemporary flourishes like “heartbeat” windows that offered a glimpse of the ticking movement through the dial. This unique aesthetic, combined with a reputation for quality and value, would help it earn a place in countless stylish wardrobes around the globe.
When you look at the Classics Manchette, you might see a chic yet versatile accessory, a highly accurate timepiece, or both. Look closer, however, and you’ll start to recognize it for what it truly is: the product of thousands of years of evolution, centuries of culture, and countless minute design decisions. Fortunately, as with every great watch, you don’t need to know about any of that to fall in love with it.
Feature image courtesy of Frédérique Constant.
