The watch world is busy.  It is difficult to keep up with the developments, changes, and additions that come every year to the watch industry. Even as a big fan of all things watches, it is hard to keep count of all of the new brands popping up and the yearly releases of well-established brands.  This quick pace and changes make it difficult to pinpoint brands that are creating exceptional watches, simply because they get lost in the progressions.

Frederique Constant is one of the few brands that have been able to stand out of the haze, and the watch we are reviewing today is a great example of that. This brand produces watches at just about all price ranges. The Frederique Constant Runabout comes it at the $1k mark, and it is a perfect mix and balance of sports wear and formal wear.

The Watch:

• Size: 42mm

• Lug Width: 21mm

• Movement: Automatic FC-303

• Case back: Exhibition

• Power Reserve: 38mm

• Lume: Hands and Indices

The first thing that comes to mind when you encounter this watch is the fantastic combination of rose gold and dark blue.  I’m normally not a big fan of rose gold, but I found it to be a great pair with the rich blue color of the dial.  In isolation, the dial has a dressy feel.  The style of hands, minimal text, complications, and overall dial layout are formal.  The inner guilloche circle adds a touch of life to the dial, without going too far.  In this sense, the watch is a great formal piece. I can see wearing this with a suit and it fitting in well.

However, a few characteristics indicate a sportier side of this watch.  The 42mm case breaks from the formal feel, falling in the category of sports watches.  Additionally, the lumed hands and indices is something I never see in formal watches and almost always see in sports watches.  In this sense, I can see wearing this piece on a boat or during any outdoor activity. In reality, I suspect the watch can play both parts well.

Packaging:

If you are a frequent reader, I have mentioned in the past that I don’t normally talk about watch packaging unless it is particularly bad or good. In this case, the Runabout may have the best packaging of a watch I have ever encountered. As shown in the video, the watch comes with a miniature Runabout boat, which really looks fantastic. It’s a nice touch that adds to the feel of the watch, but personally, the boat itself wasn’t enough to catch my attention as something “great”. In reality, the greatness comes from the overall quality of the wooden box, documentation, and overall packaging. It really is phenomenal.  I have owned watches in the $3k-$5k price range, and this piece’s packaging blows them out of the water. Check out the video to see it in greater detail.

Conclusion:

Frederique Constant is trending in a fantastic direction. The Runabout is one of the many things to be excited about, if you’re a fan of the brand or watchmaking in general.  It’s the perfect mix of formal and sports wear.

Below is a video showing what you get when you buy this watch, including lume shots, wrist shots, and more.