What We Know
Frederique Fixed isn’t any stranger to collaborative releases, however their new venture with the watch collector neighborhood (and habillage producer), Watch Angels, is a very robust one. The brand new restricted version Worldtimer Manufacture has been downsized from 42mm to simply over 40mm, with a reshaped and brushed stainless-steel case and a refined bezel. The dial has been rethought with a deal with readability and legibility with the elimination of the date subdial, inclining the town disc so as to add depth, and a solar and moon show (for day and evening) that has been given a sublime simplification.
That new stainless-steel case, with sloping lugs and sharp bevels, measures 40.5mm by 13.4mm and includes a show caseback by way of which you’ll be able to see the FC-718 in-house caliber. The motion now powers the hours, minutes, central seconds, and world time, with all capabilities managed by way of the crown. The facility reserve is barely 38 hours, however the case has a strong 50m of water resistance. You may additionally discover that, along with the blue dial with sunburst ending and minute observe with round graining ending, there are rhodium-plated utilized indexes and hand-polished rhodium hour, minute, and seconds fingers, now with a Laurent Ferrier-esque Assegai spear form.
You will get in on the bottom flooring of crowd-funding the subscription–fashion portion of the restricted version by way of Watch Angels by way of March 13, 2025. In any other case, the remainder of the 718 items of the restricted version will likely be out there by way of Frederique Fixed in October for $4,995.
What We Assume
I am a giant fan of Frederique Fixed once they hit the mark of what they’re nice at: nice worth at an accessible value level. Their Highlife Perpetual Calendar might be the very best funds mechanical QPs in the marketplace. I personal the Highlife Worldtimer, so I am fairly accustomed to the convenience of use of the caliber. Plus, one of many early tales I wrote once I got here on board at Hodinkee was a few blue-dialed Worldtimer Manufacture, and whereas I preferred the watch in some ways, there have been a couple of issues that I felt missed the mark.
The dial and case look beautiful within the photos they supplied, and each really feel like huge enhancements over the problems I’ve with the usual launch (an absence of cohesion on the dial and a clunky case form). The smaller case diameter makes it extra wearable for extra individuals. At simply shy of $5,000, it is nonetheless probably the most inexpensive full-featured world occasions in the marketplace (with the very best competitors in all probability being the Nomos Zürich Weltzeit at $6,100).
Nonetheless, some downsides are inherent to the caliber. The facility reserve is fairly anemic at 38 hours. On the similar time, as an automated motion that has been maximized for affordability and never high-end dimension effectivity, it is also a bit thick at 13.4mm. The Nomos, alternatively, is available in 2.5mm thinner (although they do not have the world time capabilities built-in into the crown, nor certainly a traditional World Time complication that exhibits the time in all the listed time zones concurrently). When you want a date as properly, you then’re out of luck right here. However I feel the elimination of the date was price it for what you get. Regardless, this mainly seems like an prompt advice for anybody in search of an inexpensive journey time watch that is not a sporty GMT.
The Fundamentals
Model: Frederique Fixed x Watch Angels
Mannequin: Worldtimer Manufacture Restricted Version
Reference Quantity: FCWA.718.SS.2.1.1
Diameter: 40.5mm
Thickness: 13.4mm
Case Materials: Brushed and polished stainless-steel 3-part case
Dial Coloration: Blue dial with sunburst ending and minute observe with round graining ending
Indexes: Rhodium utilized indexes
Lume: None
Water Resistance: 50m
Strap/Bracelet: Black real handmade calf leather-based strap with tone-on-tone stitching; Folding buckle
The Motion
Caliber: FC-718 in-house caliber
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, worldtimer
Energy Reserve: 38 hours
Winding: Computerized
Frequency: 28,800 bph
Jewels: 26
Chronometer Licensed: No
Further Particulars: All capabilities adjustable by the crown; Anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal; Engraved and see-through screwed case again
Pricing & Availability
Worth: $4,995
Availability: The subscription order window by way of Watch Angels opens on February 13, 2025; Accessible by way of Frederique Fixed in October
Restricted Version: Sure, 718 items
For extra, click on here.
Trending Merchandise
