Frederique Constant Highlife Heart Beat

Over 25 years since the first Heart Beat timepiece, many collectors still associate Frederique Constant with this distinctive design today, which reveals the inner workings of its movement at midday. Through this aperture, those who truly appreciate mechanical timepieces can watch the rotation of the balance wheel in their watch, its beating heart.

The story behind this discreet aperture at 12 o’clock has much to do with youthful inexperience. In 1994, Frederique Constant was a new and entirely independent family- owned company enjoying phenomenal growth. The collections were rich, the new models diverse. It was a time for expansion, every detail exhibiting originality. The Heart Beat was an expression of this… which Frederique Constant neglected to protect! The design was never patented. Due to its success and the legal loophole that allowed for royalty-free use, countless brands have copied the Heart Beat aperture, with no benefit to Frederique Constant. The price of success!