Frederique Constant’s latest collaboration hands the Highlife Chronograph Automatic over to Bamford Watch Department, an atelier famous since 2009 for pushing horological design into bolder, darker territory. George Bamford brings his trademark monochrome modernism to the Swiss marque for the first time, introducing a radically reimagined Highlife at Dubai Watch Week. The crystal-titanium case, stark contrasts and boosted legibility signal not just a stylistic tweak, but a shift in attitude.
Frederique Constant’s leadership wanted disruption, and Bamford delivered it with gusto. This limited run of 100 pieces is a full recalibration. The watch adopts an assertive blacked-out identity, lifted by Bamford’s signature turquoise accents across the sub-dials and chronograph hand. The 41 mm case, forged through extreme heating and slow cooling, reveals a unique crystalline structure which is tactile, lightweight and visually arresting. Paired with black DLC, it thrusts the Highlife into unfamiliar yet compelling design territory. Inside, however, beats the dependable FC-391 calibre with its 60-hour reserve and Geneva-striped finishing, visible through a smoked sapphire caseback.
Three straps are included: black rubber, turquoise rubber and black nubuck. This partnership marries Swiss refinement with British audacity, producing a Highlife that confidently rewrites the original.
