Frederique Constant is known more for its commitment to in-house movements than for headline-grabbing collabs, but when the Swiss watchmaker does choose to pair up with another brand, you know it’s going to be interesting. Such is certainly the case with its long-running series of homages to the British sports car maker Austin-Healey, one of the most legendary names in vintage motorsports. This month — just in time for concours season — the brand released its latest instalment in the series, the Classics Healey Chronograph Vintage Rally. Limited to 1888 pieces and powered by a Swiss-made automatic movement, it’s a stylish tribute to an important chapter in motorsports history.
While Frederique Constant has spent most of the last two decades focusing its resources on making watches that hit the bullseye of quality and value, it has also aligned itself with a wide range of historic international motorsports events, including the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge and the Carrera Panamericana, often serving as official timekeeper. Since 2004, Frederique Constant has also collaborated with the Austin-Healey car brand. Founded in 1952 by Donald Healey, a British WWI pilot-turned rally driver and car designer, the company’s signature roadsters made impressive showings at high-profile races including Le Mans and Sebring. While Austin-Healey went out of business in 1972, thanks to its impressive on-track record and classic open-top designs, it remains a favourite among collectors and enthusiasts.
Previous tributes have included the Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic released in 2022 to mark the 70th anniversary of Austin-Healey’s creation. Outfitted with a British racing green dial, the watch is inspired by one of the most famous Austin-Healeys of all time, a 1953-55 Austin-Healey Special Test Car/100S that raced at Sebring, the Carrera PanAmericana, and Le Mans before spending decades in storage. Identifiable by its NOJ393 number plate, this rare piece of motorsports history set a world record in 2011 when it sold at auction for approximately $1.3 million before being painstakingly restored to its original glory. Featuring a bicompax dial with racing red hands, the chronograph was produced in an ultra-limited run of 10 watches, along with a larger run of 700, and presented in a gift box alongside a scale model of the NOJ393.
The new Classics Healey Chronograph Vintage Rally is the latest in a two-decade run of tribute watches created by Frederique Constant. Like its forebears, it combines Frederique Constant’s Swiss precision and classical design cues with elements inspired by Austin-Healey roadsters. The new 42mm chronograph takes an understated approach with a light blue sunray dial featuring an oversized 12 numeral and a subtle Healey brand logo at six o’clock. Limited to 1888 pieces, it also comes in a collector’s gift set that includes a scale model of the famed NOJ393. If you’d prefer a dial in traditional British racing green, however, you can always opt for the Classics Vintage Rally Healey Automatic COSC, a non-limited piece featuring a three-hand dial, a perforated calfskin strap, and a Chronometer-certified movement. Naturally, either one will feel right at home alongside a pair of leather driving gloves and a tweed flat cap, ideally behind the wheel of a classic open-top sports car.
FEATURE PHOTO: ALEN PALANDER, COURTESY OF CITIZEN WATCH GROUP.
