Frederique Constant has added two new references to their Highlife collection - the Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture FC-975N4NH6B and FC-975N4NH9. The Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture FC-975N4NH6B comes housed in a 41mm brushed and polished stainless-steel three-part case, while the Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture FC-975N4NH9 finds its home inside a 41mm brushed and polished 18K rose gold three-part case. Beating inside both the references is the FC-975 Manufacture Caliber that was first introduced in 2018.
Dividing the complication into four segments, the watchmaker has thoughtfully organised the placement of the functions. Since the day and date is something a wearer would check every day, the manufacture has placed it horizontally on the dial with the day subdial on the left and the date subdial on the right for easy reading. The manufacture has unified the month (large hand) and leap year indication (small hand) in a single counter at 12 o'clock. This intuitive look of the dial has been completed with the tourbillon at 6 o'clock, counting down the seconds with its central hand.
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Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture FC-975N4NH6B and FC-975N4NH9
Both the references feature a tonneau-shaped case that measures 41mm in diameter and 12.65mm in height. The case has a front convex sapphire crystal and another sapphire crystal on the back that gives the timepieces a transparent caseback. Small pushers in the caseband allow for corrections in the display of the perpetual calendar.
The watch faces of both the timepieces offer a contemporary design with a skeleton dial that has a navy blue outer ring with white printed second markers. The stainless-steel model features hand-polished silver-coloured hour and minute hands with white luminous treatment. The red gold model on the other hand has been adorned with hand-polished rose gold-plated hour and minute hands with white luminous treatment.
The stainless-steel timepiece has navy blue day counter at 9 o'clock with hand-polished silver-coloured hand, navy blue month and year counter at 12 o'clock with hand-polished silver-coloured hands, navy blue date counter at 3 o'clock with hand-polished silver-coloured hand, and an open tourbillon's cage at 6 o'clock with hand-polished silver-coloured second hand. Limited to 88 pieces, the Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture FC-975N4NH6B is offered on a brushed and polished stainless-steel three-link bracelet including an additional navy blue rubber strap.
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The rose gold iteration timepiece has navy blue day counter at 9 o'clock with hand-polished rose gold-plated hand, navy blue month and year counter at 12 o'clock with hand-polished rose gold-plated hands, navy blue date counter at 3 o'clock with hand-polished rose gold-plated hand, and an open tourbillon's cage at 6 o'clock with hand-polished rose gold-plated second hand. The rose gold FC-975N4NH9 is a limited edition of 30 pieces and is offered on a navy blue alligator leather strap with nubuck finishing including an additional navy blue rubber strap.
The in-house FC-975 movement holds together 188 components that work in tandem to display both the time and all the perpetual calendar indications. It has 33 jewels and beats at a frequency of 28,800vph and offers 38 hours of power reserve. The FC-975 movement's finishing includes Perlage, Côtes de Genève, and blued screws.
The stainless steel model is available for around Rs 20 lakh, while the rose gold reference is marked at around Rs 35 lakh.
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Technical Specifications
Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture FC-975N4NH6B
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, month, leap year
Movement: FC-975 Caliber, automatic, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, 33 jewels, 28'800 alt/h, silicon escapement wheel and anchor
Finishing: Perlage, drafted marks and Côtes de Genève decorations
Power reserve: 38 hours (approx.) power reserve
Case: Brushed and polished stainless-steel 3-part case
Diameter and height: 41mm and 12.65mm
Sapphire: Front convex sapphire crystal and see-through caseback
Water resistance: Up to 30 metres
Dial: Skeleton
Strap: Brushed and polished stainless-steel 3-link bracelet, included is an additional navy blue rubber strap
Limited edition: 88 pieces
Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture FC-975N4NH9
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, month, leap year
Movement: FC-975 Caliber, automatic, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, 33 jewels, 28'800 alt/h, silicon escapement wheel and anchor
Finishing: Perlage, drafted marks and Côtes de Genève decorations
Power reserve: 38 hours (approx.) power reserve
Case: Brushed and polished 18K rose gold 3-part case
Diameter and height: 41mm and 12.65mm
Sapphire: Front convex sapphire crystal and see-through caseback
Water resistance: Up to 30 metres
Dial: Skeleton
Strap: Navy blue alligator leather strap with nubuck finishing, included is an additional navy blue rubber strap
Limited edition: 30 pieces