Horological Smartwatch

In February 2015 Frédérique Constant presented the Horological Smartwatch, claiming the distinction of being the first traditional Swiss watch maison to bring a connected watch to market while keeping the classic look of an analog timepiece. The stated goal was to hold together two worlds that at the time seemed far apart: on one hand, the formal, elegant language typical of the Frédérique Constant catalog, and on the other, the activity- and sleep-tracking functions then emerging with the first dedicated smartwatches, developed in partnership with the US technology partner Fullpower Technologies and its MotionX platform.

Unlike the screen-based digital smartwatches widespread at the time, the Horological Smartwatch keeps a traditional analog dial, with hands and sub-counters, while the connected functions — steps taken, sleep quality, silent vibration alarm — are managed through a smartphone app paired with the watch via Bluetooth: a choice that let the brand present the product not as an electronic device disguised as a watch, but as a classic-looking mechanical or quartz watch with an added layer of digital functions.

The line's journey continued in 2018 with the introduction of the Hybrid Manufacture, presented by the brand as the world's first smartwatch fitted with a true in-house manufactured automatic mechanical movement paired with connected functions: an evolution that overcomes the limitation of the first models, fitted with quartz movements, integrating into a single case both the mechanical tradition on which Frédérique Constant had built its identity since 2004 and the tracking functions typical of smartwatches, at a time when the Citizen group — the brand's owner since 2016 — was supporting its production expansion.