Frederique Constant and French artist second/second/ have collaborated on two limited edition Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture.
The collaboration between Frederique Constant and second/second/ (born Romaric André) featured two Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture and emphasised the manual assembly of its watches. To emphasise this message, therefore, the Helvetic House relied on second/second/, which has become a reference for many collectors in recent years.
From the re-edition of vintage watches with playful elements to collaborations with brands from practically all price segments, second/second/ found in the watch industry an ideal, and little-exploited, playground to combine his two passions: satire and watchmaking. The result is two limited editions of the Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture, one in steel, produced in 100 pieces, and a second, also in steel, but with rose gold-coloured crown and dial elements, limited to just 10 pieces.
Limited Edition Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture
The first collaboration between Frederique Constant and second/second/.
About this first collaboration with Frederique Constant, Romaric André said: 'Watch enthusiasts like us seek perfection... But when perfection is too much, we begin to regret the lack of soul, the lack of connection with the 'craft roots' of watchmaking. The same is true in life: the quest for perfection can come into conflict with nature and human beauty. I love talking about the contradictions we experience as social subjects and I think this watch represents this beautiful bipolarity that resides in all of us'.
Two very original Slimline Manufacture
The artist's touch is evident.
At first glance, these Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture look almost 'normal'. The polished steel case is 42 mm in diameter by 11.3 mm thick, The silvered dial (protected by a domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal) and the date and moon phase indicator at 6 o'clock are always present. A closer look, however, reveals several special features. In the 10-piece edition available exclusively online, for example, The crown, hands and applied hour markers reflect a pink gold tone. Taking a closer look at the dial, then, we can see that the applied hour bar indices appear to be randomly arranged.
The logo and date indication also appear to be handwritten. Even the moon and the stars of the moon phase disc appear different and hand-drawn. For second/second/, however, it all adds up: to emphasise the 'handmade' nature of Frederique Constant's Slimline Moonphase Date Manufacture, the artist integrated the element of human error with uneven typography.
Finally, on the case back, the porthole that opens the movement to view shows a "disclaimer" that perfectly sums up this collaboration: "How can we tell the world that manual assembly is at the heart of our manufacture? We asked the artist second/second/. Who exaggerated a bit'. Underneath this message is the FC-705 automatic calibre (28,800 vib/h, 26 jewels, 38-hour power reserve) made in-house, complemented by circular-graining on the plate, Côtes de Genève work on the bridges and blued screws. The watches are completed by an alligator strap with a folding clasp.
Price3,295 euro.
