Frederique Constant Enters the Metaverse with a Tenth Anniversary Worldtimer

Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be any additional juice to squeeze out of the Frederique Constant Worldtimer, the Swiss brand has gone ahead and entered the Metaverse. Is this a thing that’s going to start happening? I think it might be. With the increasing adoption of cryptocurrency, NFTs, and whatever this is, I think it’s completely within the realm of possibility that we’re in the beginning stages of watch brands going full tilt into the metaverse landscape. While on the surface it’s hard to think of two areas more disparate than traditional watchmaking and purely digital goods and services, we’re bound to see some creative implantations of the tech as brands experiment, make mistakes, and inevitably get things right as well. The new watch from Frederique Constant offers a glimpse of the type of digital add-ons brands might try to offer their customers in years ahead. 

We’ll start with the watch, officially named the Frederique Constant Classics Worldtimer 10th Anniversary. This will be quick, because Frederique Constant’s Worldtimer is a fairly well known entity at this point, which is basically the impetus for this release, marking the tenth anniversary of the brand’s first implementation of this complication. Complications at an affordable price point have become Frederique Constant’s niche, and the Worldtimer is one of their signatures. Their version of the classic traveler’s complication is old fashioned, with a city ring around the perimeter of the dial that allows the wearer to read the time all over the world at a quick glance. As is tradition, a world map motif is present at the dial’s center, and for this anniversary edition Frederique Constant has gone with a blue colorway that serves to highlight the oceans on the aforementioned map. Two versions of the watch will be produced: one in pink gold, limited to 88 pieces, and the other in steel, which is limited to 1,888.

OK, let’s get to the Metaverse of it all. The launch of this watch officially took place on March 24 in what the brand calls the “Frederique Constant Metacube.” They claim to be the first watchmaker to launch a watch in this manner, and describe the digital space as a place where “photos, objects, and avatars collide.” Cool. 

Everyone who buys either of these limited edition watches through an authorized channel is automatically entered into a drawing for a chance to win a digital copy of the watch – an NFT. Benefits of owning the NFT include a warranty extension, early access to future Frederique Constant releases, and invitations to Frederique Constant events. 

Of course, nothing is stopping you from enjoying the watch on its own terms, which if you’re at all into a classic execution of a worldtimer should be fairly easy to do. It’s 42mm in both metals, which is a perfectly fine size for a watch like this that requires some additional dial real estate to get the most of the complication, and the watch runs on Frederique Contant’s FC 718 automatic caliber, which in addition to worldtime functionality includes a date display in a 6:00 subdial and a power reserve of 38 hours. 

The retail price for the stainless steel version is $4,495, while the pink gold edition will set you back $18,995. Frederique Constant