Exploring Frederique Constant (Review) & Resale Value of Wristwatches 

Good Archie impression, Tim.👌

Your description of winding feel & satisfaction can not be over emphasized. My 861 Speed-Master is one of the smoothest winding I own, like butter. Purest happiness with every wind 👍 Makes this Omega a favorite.

That rose gold Frederique Constant is gorgeous!

Beautiful peices! Just the way they are.OMG I absolutely love them. Very prestigious and regal looking.

As far as I’m concerned, FC makes very attractive dress watches with reliable movements and solid finishing quality. They aren’t really my style though. I very rarely wear formal attire and I don’t wear suits at work so I’m not the target demographic for these watches. Every now and then, when the time comes for me to wear a nice suit, I tend to prefer the look of a vintage watch or at least a new watch with vintage styling. Also, I have 7.25” wrists but I still tend to prefer smaller watches. 38’s are ideal for me most of the time. 40mm works well for me when it comes to sport watches but for field watches or dress watches, I really prefer a 37 or 38. I think FC makes several 42-43mm models which is kind of crazy for a dress watch. With all of that said though, I have no ill feelings about Frédérique Constant whatsoever. I think they make quality watches throughout an incredibly wide price range and I’m sure they are lovely to own if you’re someone who loves that particular type of style.

I just purchased the FC MANUFACTURE CLASSIC WORLDTIMER FC-718NWM4H6. Amazing watch. Looks great with the blue face. Fits perfect on my wrist. With the in-house movement it is a great value for all that you get..

Always enjoy your videos, Tim, especially your honest and 'unbiased' (and not sponsored) take on things! Not convinced of your Part 2 though, as it would be foolish/fruitless to try and convince someone in the market for a US$900 watch to buy a US$10,000 watch just in order to not lose money in the future? And whoever bought that US$900 watch will lose US$400 the moment they walk out of the store with the watch on their arm as per the values quoted in your video, as many people do not want the hassle or has the knowledge to buy pre-owned and rather buy from stores at retail price (for every watch available at US$500, someone had to buy it at US$900). Rather, the question is which watch brand to buy at the price point you can afford, and even more important, which model from that brand to buy as not all models retain or increase their value over time. Hope I haven't misinterpreted your reasoning!? Keep up the good work, and how about showcasing some more guitar playing to end off your videos...:)

Great video …. I just buy a watch because it looks great to my eyes. Then I hunt through the internet for the best price. I recently got a Meistersinger Primatic 365 limited edition of 100 watches from an A.D for £1236. RRP was £2300. I love that watch and at half price I love it more. 😊😊

I have an FC watch from their Manufacture line (in-house movement) and I am very happy with it. The crown is shaped slightly differently which makes it easier to wind compared to an Omega Speedmaster. My FC watch also has a blue dial and I think it looks gorgeous on hand.

Tim you nailed it with FC. I purchased one about 10 years ago when i just started collecting. Great watch, attractive and very reliable. That said, I made a mistake and I chose the "rose gold" finish which you cannot polish. I still get compliments on the watch when I wear it.

Nice Video, I agree that in most cases people forget the cost of entry for a brand. Anyway, I am yet to hear a financially sound rationale which explains this hobby altogether. For most of us, buying watches is an expense and not an investment. FC manufactures fine watches, many with in-house movements which is a significant matter.

I think their slimline moon phase was their big breakout watch. I owned that watch and loved it, but could never defend it to my fellow watch colleagues. I loved that watch - incredible value.

i liked both of those watches , but i preferred the rose gold , & both looked good on your wrist tim .

Thanks Tim. 2 nice looking watches there 👍

Awesome and candid review as always Tim. Was thinking of picking up one of their Horological Smartwatches as I'm a bit sick of mechanical, just want a grab-and-go watch on a busy day and it seems like the perfect watch, albeit a bit on the dressier side and 42mm is a tad large for me. Any thoughts?

I know exactly what you mean about the pull, and the winding. For me it’s like opening and closing a high-quality door vs some cheap door with poor hinges. Or opening and closing a quality retractable pen vs one that you bought in a pack of 3 from the stationery store.

What is it with dress watches at 40mm?! I am not a small man but I just see little style and/or finesse in a dress watch above 38mm.

I agree with the feel of the movement.... What is the minute had in relation to the second hand?

Do you recommend any of the FC brand being good beginners ladies watches that have a decent resale value?

I love the slimline moonphase, especially the exhibition caseback, but for me the no seconds hand is a dealbreaker. At least have a small seconds!

They make the best watches bought one and happy for 15 years

The feel of the movement is part of the movement itself right? So I assume it's like that for all SW200 movements, at least, one of my watches has an SW200 that also feels a bit "toy-ish". I also have an SW200 equivalent of ETA, the 2824, which feels better.

Nice video .. FC is good value and they say every watch is handmade...is that right?! I just bought my first FC classic chorno silver watch and waiting for its arrival!

The Frederique Constant brand represents excellent value for beautiful watches, some even with in house movements. For the money I can’t fault it barring that stiff grainy feel when you wind the watch or adjust the time. That’s a definite downer. A sharp contrast to winding a Rolex or Tudor.

The rosegold one is stunning😍 - 1000 euro on chrono right now. Telling about re-sell value

Hi Tim, would love to hear you review some more German brands. Im partial to the Stowa marine 36 and antea ks rose, as well as the GO sixties with that crazy dial texture.

I like your stile and how you explain stuff. good video!

Their flyback two-tone chrono is gorgeous. I don't really care about resale as I like to pick things up at the bottom of their depreciation curves.

The FC watches I have seen are beautiful; even the quartz watches are beautiful

The bracelet looks good, looks like IWC rice bracelet , lovely dial too, a little Chopard LUC look

Beautiful designs. Who cares about resale? Watches are not investments!

I have a collection of 37 wrist watches, nothing fancy, starting from a G-Shock, going through some Seikos, Orient Stars, Jungnans, and ending with an 50's gold Omega Turler, but I have not considered selling any of them. I... don't want to :) So the resale value is not my concern. Is that a bad thing in your opinion, Tim?

I do like FC. It is a perfect dress watch. It is not in the sports watch category nor I like the sports watches but the most of consumer seems follows the sports watch. I think it is value for money. For Rolex it is simply supply and demand. But with now the overall demand for watch is diminishing, I think the assumption of Rolex resale value will also be questionable.

The design of Frederique Constant watches remind me of Orient watch designs. The Swiss version of Orient, you can say. They are nice dial designs though. Would take an Orient over FC, given the price difference and similar looks. And same drawbacks as well, especially the could-be-better straps.

There is nothing much wrong with FC. But on a tight budget in 2022, Tissot is hard to beat.

You are awesome , my friend … very funny too . I love your channel .

I own a Frederique Constant moon phase. I wanted a moon phase watch. I would have preferred a Blancpain, but the FC was a beautiful choice at a much lower price. Even though I purchased it at an AD, I got a 25% discount. It's probably a keeper, but if I ever sell I won't lose all that much. I've seen prices for used FC's on Chrono24 and they are similarly priced to the one I got new. I like Archie Luxury, but if we only listened to him our collections would be rather limited and repetitive and EXPENSIVE.

Tim you mention using the forums. Can you tell us how to use them to our advantage please.

I am looking to get a new certina DS 4. What do you think ? Thanks

I don't understand why people buy with the future resale value in mind. My opinion towards collecting is you buy because you like the watch in its purity. If the priority is its future resale, then you're just limited to only 3 brands: Rolex, Patek, & Audemars.

FC, at least when they started out, was an homage brand to brands like VC, PP - similar to invicta to rolex.

Just a little disappointed he didn’t choose those in house caliber watches. FC-760N4H6 has really nice flyback mechanism though.

Excellent video...

I agree but the older the watch, to trade-in you will never get 100% dependant on the model. The AD / boutique will take some coin...

Interesting that the Roman numeral four is correctly shown as IV rather than the IIII. I think the dials look great.

well done!!

Buy that FC on the used market for 40% off retail, then try to sell it and you will still get slammed

Alot of people don't take into account that your Rolex (if you manage to get one for RRP in the first place), has to be kept in good value to get 100% back. Also you will have to pay for services etc, which are very pricy for Rolex's. Noone seems to take that into it when they say they will get their investment back. If you service your watch every few years, thats thousands lost in servicing.

Hi Tim, I really enjoy your analysis of other watch RU-vidrs. Perhaps you could analyse Craig Shipp. You should find him the most unusual so far. He’s quite immature and narcissistic.

I've just bought the open heart version. Its genuinely tremendous.

The pink gold looks very good, however, someone made a mistake and used a yellow gold buckle.

Great video. Can you do a video about whats your thoughts on water resistence (especially if 3 ATM are enough for normal dialy use in the office), would be interesting to see.:)

Winding my cheap Nomos Orion is a pleasure that i dont get from any eta/sellita that i own.

Loved the pink/rose gold plated version - but like your good self - a little too big for my tastes as a dress/business watch. The waffle center part of the dial is lovely though. If it was my money and I only had €850-1000 would look for a solid gold vintage hamilton/omega maybe?

I love Frederique Constant

Being a it nerdy but, why on earth did FC not match the pink gold watch with a pink gold buckle, rather than that gold one? Very annoying.

Tim, to me, that 40mm FC size looks great on your wrist- not too big at all. Nice! Cheers, E

I was surprise the steel FC looks exactly like a Mido ocean star I purchase not to long ago, even the bracelet looks the same. I paid 90.00 on ebay works great

Wish you had reviewed a ladies watch. My wife owns one and its one of her least favorite. The way the band attaches to the case is not good as it sticks slightly past the bottom of the band and the studs will rub slightly on the wrist making it slightly uncomfortable. Also its just to heavy for a womans watch. I noticed the links are put together with a rod that is not directional and they are hard to get out to adjust it.

It feels like a seiko? Im gonna get so many hate for that...

Seiko 5 while saving for Rowww.......

Good vid

At that price point, I think that Longines is making more interesting and attractive watches lately.

Great watches

It’s a butterfly clasp BTW

Archie would say it's a shitter ! Fuck me dead. Lol

Never heard Citizen pronounced like that :)

Rolex? They all look pretty much the same don’t they, where do they get the prices from?

What's the watch in the thumbnail? It's stunning!

Butterfly clasp

I only like the FC-760N4H6. That's it.

Happ Birthday ,Have a great day!

remember, Its all nice if your on the spot for cash, and you just happened to find a watch expert on the roadside who will open your Rolex to verify it authenticity, good luck. Some Chinese fakes are AAA rated almost perfect looking. Will some watchmaker just open your watch, verify its value, give you some certificate or follow you to where you need the cash fast and speak for you of its value ? What guy will even believe your certificate is worth the paper its written on ? Good luck Get a Zenith El Primero Chronomaster ,( ten times more fantastic looking that a Rolex Divers bezel plain watch)

You look like John Dillinger!

The problem is too big. In this case big is not better! bring it down to at least 38. You are not competing against Invicta.

Once I bought Frederique Constant (~ $5000) to my wife for thirtieth anniversary of our marriage. It stopped on the fifth day. (We were in Finland that time and could not find where to serve the watch.) As we came back to Israel I gave the watch to the service. They tried to repair it instead of changing. Till now the watch is in the box while the company sends me congratulations any holiday. Thank them for their anxiety.

Better looking than that Rolex.

So basically get in from an AD and youre in the Rolex game and can't lose.

Love watches for what they are only watch snobs buy watches for resale value most Everyday guys we buy watches for what they are

It's called a dual deployant or sissor style clasp

Those are my favorite watches .

Die Armband heisst SCHMETTERLING

lol i know exactly who you are talking about

Resale value is a stupid topic. No-One Knows really what it will be in the long run. What I know is that an FC is about 1000 and 4000$ for the most part, with at least 6000 to 9000 saved on buying an FC instead of a rolex hard to get from AD or to buy it even more expensive on the grey market; I know that if I have bought it 10 years ago, my savings would have been multiplied by 2. If I bought a FC at 4000 and I save 6000 in 10 years I get: A resale value of 2400 and a capital of around 12000 Grand total: 14400 I am not sure that a submariner at 10000 will go high enough to beat it, and I am talking at retail price If I buy it at 12000, the increase of price will be even more hazardous and it would have meant I would have saved 8000 which leads to 18400$ after resaling the FC and the stocks. Never forget, you can invest the difference and it can make a better financial choice.

Rowlecks! Rowlecks! Rowlecks!

This brand is not really affordable its on the higher end of entry level luxury watches I have the open heart . The open heart retails for $3,000 usd you an find them used anywhere from 800 to 1,000 dollars if y1our lucky .

ETA movement like Tissot. This is costume jewelry with 3rd party parts. The value will drop like a rock as soon as you pay for it. Investment no, costume jewelry yes.

Archie is overrated... he just yells for money. I have a FC Highlife and three rolexes and FC is a great brand!!! I am actually looking at a quartz (I know omg) but the FC business timer is a great dress watch to me.... that's what counts...

i consider all men's watches to be a men's toys.

ROWLECKS ROWLECKS ROWLECKS

You are saying that if I buy a Rolex Date just gold and steel from an A.D. at $12,300 I can sell it let's say within a month for the same price? To whom? That my friend is not true. My brother lost over $3000 on his new 2017 Rolex Cellini his ex wife gave him on his birthday. He tried Chrono 24,watch forums and e_bay and after 6 months of trying to get the most for his watch still lost over $3000. I wish people stop lying about Rolex not loosing value the internet is making fools of people and people are sheep. Buy what you like and fall in love with your purchase don't let this so called experts tell you what to buy when they may be getting sponsored by this brands.

Citizian? Really? Like Really? Ci-Tiz-Ian???

Roll eggs Roll eggs Lol

There's better watches out there than watches, that have a better resale price, I like rolex watches either they're overrated,

I owned a FC classics automatic about 5 years ago. New from ebay..Just like the model shown on the youtube. Junk!! Open up the back to look at the movement... unfinished, Sellita equivalent movement to ETA.. plastic movement holder.... cheap.. cheap... cheap... Avoid this brand.... probably made in China case & bracelet.

It's Citizen* ("Bürger" in German, which I assume is your native language, given your accent) not "si-ti-sian". Also, when you're not a native-English speaker, there is no need to pronounce a French-language name as if it was English. "Fre-de-riek Con-ston' ", not "Fred-rick Conn-Stent".

FC is ok for someone not into watches. Personally, I would never buy one. They don't have a story. I'd rather get a vintage Seamaster or something like that.

Sh!tter...

first

If you buy enough Frédérique Constantine ;), you’ll be able to afford air conditioning.