Frederique Constant has spent decades refining a simple idea, that classical watchmaking should be within reach of people who love it. The new Classics Moneta Solarmetre may be the purest expression of that idea yet. It takes the line's familiar elegance and powers it with light.
A Classic Face, A Modern Heart
At a glance, the Moneta Solarmetre is every bit a Classics watch. A 39mm stainless steel case, slim at just 8.5mm. A sandblasted dial with applied indexes and a discreet date window at 3 o'clock. A croc-embossed calfskin strap. Nothing about it announces the technology inside.
That technology is the FC-120, a Swiss solar calibre that converts light, natural or artificial, into stored energy. Wear it, and daylight does the winding. Leave it in a drawer, and Frederique Constant's specifications give the FC-120 a movement life of up to ten months. There is no battery to replace on a schedule and no winding ritual to keep. The watch simply runs.
For a first solar watch, or a first Swiss watch, that combination of low maintenance and classical design is hard to argue with.
Two Dials, One Character
The Solarmetre launches in South Africa in two versions, and the choice is genuinely difficult.
The burgundy dial is the statement of the pair. Deep, warm and unusual in this segment, it pairs with a black croc-embossed strap and reads as vintage without imitating anything. The light blue dial is the quieter option, matched to a navy strap, cool and contemporary in the metal.
Both are unisex at 39mm, both are water resistant to 50 metres, and both carry the sandblasted dial texture that shifts in changing light.
Explore them here: the Moneta Solarmetre with burgundy dial and the Moneta Solarmetre with light blue dial.
Where the Solarmetre Sits in the Classics Line
The Moneta family is Frederique Constant's home for refined, quietly technical watches, sitting alongside the Classics Moneta Moonphase and the broader Classics collection. The Solarmetre is its most accessible entry point at R25,995 including VAT.
Both versions are available now. See the full Frederique Constant collection at Picot & Moss, or book an appointment for a virtual consultation with one of our specialists.
