Wristwatch Journal
Riva is probably the most emblematic yacht builder. This legendary yacht, the first examples of which were made by hand entirely out of wood, embodied the easy-going Italian way of life from the 1920s to the 1960s. On Italian shores, an association was set up to celebrate La Dolce Vita by preserving the famous Riva, the Riva Historical Society (RHS). Since 2009, Frederique Constant and the RHS came closer together, giving rise to a continued partnership, the fruit of which can be seen in the Runabout collection. Today, the brand introduces the latest model in the range, the new Runabout RHS Chronograph Automatic.
As you can expect from this partnership, the result is a nautical-inspired watch, made in the usual ‘accessible luxury’ style of Frederique Constant. After multiple models with a 3-hand display, the main attraction for this 2020 Runabout edition is the comeback of the chronograph complication, still with the luxurious appeal of the previous models.
The Frederique Constant Runabout RHS Chronograph Automatic is housed in a fully polished 42mm stainless steel case, with sapphire crystals front and caseback. The case is complemented by a thin bezel, offering a large view on the dial, as well as simple, old-school-style mushroom pushers for the chronograph. The watches are worn on calf leather strap with an alligator pattern, a steel folding clasp and contrasting stitchings – the colour of the strap and the thread depending on the chosen edition.
The dial reveals a central area with stamped clous de Paris pattern and an hour chapter ring with sunray-brushed decoration. The dial features a combination of applied baton indexes and Arabic numerals, which are polished silver-coloured and all filled with Super-LumiNova. The display is classical with central hours/minutes, a small seconds at 9 o’clock, a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock and a 30-minute counter at 6 o’clock.
Two dial variants of the Frederique Constant Runabout RHS Chronograph Automatic will be available. The first one has a dark grey dial with a light blue seconds hand – a colour scheme also found on the strap. The second model has a silvery dial with a dark blue seconds hand and a matching strap.
Powering these new Runabout models is the automatic Calibre FC-392, a movement provided by Sellita and based on the iconic Valjoux architecture – an integrated chronograph with cam/lever mechanism. This movement stores up to 46 hours of power reserve and runs at 4Hz. It is visible through the caseback, complete with a gold-coloured oscillating weight.
Price and availability
Each version of the Frederique Constant Runabout RHS Chronograph Automatic will be limited to 2,888 pieces, presented in a special case with a miniature replica of the legendary Riva boat. It will retail for EUR 2,695.
More details at frederiqueconstant.com.
Technical specifications – Frederique Constant Runabout RHS Chronograph Automatic
Case:
42mm diameter – Polished stainless steel 2-parts case – convex sapphire crystal and see-through caseback – 50m water-resistant
Dial:
Grey or silver dial with silver-coloured applied indexes with luminous, Clous de Paris pattern
Polished silver-coloured hours and minutes hands with luminous and light blue or dark blue seconds hand
Movement:
Calibre FC-392 (base Sellita SW-500) – automatic integrated chronograph – 25 jewels – 46-hour power reserve – 28,800 vibrations/hour – hours, minutes, small seconds, 30-minute and 12-hour counters, date
Strap:
Navy Blue or Dark grey calf leather strap with alligator pattern
Steel folding clasp
References:
FC-392RMG5B6 – grey
FC-392RMS5B6 – silver
Availability:
Limited to 2,888 pieces
