In Geneva I congratulated Aletta and Peter Stas for the 10th anniversary of their in-house handcrafted calibres. When the two started the production this was a bold and smart step and they definitively were ahead of time.
Let me on the following pages resume the evening in Geneva, show you the 15 calibres Aletta and Peter meanwhile have in their portfolio, show you four new Frédérique Constant watches to celebrate this memorable event and let me invite you to listen to a personal and therefore very exciting conversation with Peter. I taped it this afternoon whilst we were on Skype. Wednesday we did not find the right moment and it simply was too loud during the evening.
Today some companies struggle due to the fact that they no longer get the mechanical movements they would like to buy and use for their watches. Of course you all know that ETA has step by step slowed down its deliveries to third parties and the remaining big movement manufacturer Sellita is literally sold out with its mechanical calibres. So when Aletta and Peter Stas, the founders and owners of Frédérique Constant, decided to invest money and brainpower in their own movements they were ahead of time, since ten years ago the today´s on-going movement discussions and issues were not yet imminent. For the at that time still very small company this was a very courageous step too. It was an adventure and Aletta and Peter knew that their new movements would not take off by themselves.
Last Wednesday Aletta and Peter now celebrated the first ten years of their adventure together with employees, friends, journalists and retailers. For me it was an honour to be among the 400 invited guests of this wonderful evening in Geneva.
The evening started with a cocktail reception in the beautiful and legendary Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva.
After being seated in the big theatre in the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices Peter revisited Frederique Constant’s brand building over the past ten years, with a watches production reaching over 135.000 pieces this year, among which 18.000 movements will be in-house handcrafted. Besides paying tribute to the Frederique Constant Team, Peter revealed two new timepieces in the Manufacture collection, specially edited for this tenth anniversary: a new Heart Beat Manufacture Silicium FC-942, edited to 188 in 18 carat rose gold and to 18 pieces in platinum, as well as a new Slimline Tourbillon Manufacture FC-980, proposed for the occasion with a dark green finishing and limited to 10 pieces in 18 carat rose gold and to 10 pieces in stainless steel.
Amongst other things Peter said: “We are very proud to present this year two new in-house calibres, featuring an innovative escapement in Silicium, that brings now our number of calibres developed, produced and assembled in-house to 15. Thank you for your continued support.”
Let me give you a short sample… Peter Stas live …
Then we all saw a perfectly arranged, thematic dance performance…
Bravo once again!
Get a short impression through my video filmed with my iPhone …
Thereafter the big party started…
Aletta Stas sporting the new Slimline Tourbillon Manufacture FC-980 …
Peter Stas embracing some of his ticking babies.
>>> Writing about Peter Stas brings me to the conversation I taped this afternoon with him. I invite you to click on page 2 and listen to it …
Congratulations on 10 years of movement manufacturing.
Frederique Constant is at the top of my “hit list” and is a favorite brand of mine that I do not have an example of (yet). Now that they are getting wider distribution in the USA, I hope to remedy that situation in the near future. Not that I can afford the tourbillon. 🙂
Thank you Steve and Freddie for your comments on Frederique Constant. Alexander, thank you also again for the interview. Looking forward seeing you soon.
I admire their bold entrepreneurship skills wrapped up by incredible innovations, and very motivated team work