Sometimes a design is so well done that it sets the bar for all other watches in its class. The Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase was one such watch. Introduced in 2013 by the relatively young Swiss brand, it has since become the benchmark for moonphase dress watches coming in under $5,000, with the brand’s in-house automatic movement setting the bar high.
It would perhaps be forgivable for a brand to rest on its laurels and continue to churn out the same well-received watch, but Frederique Constant, who already have 24 in-house calibers to their name, felt the desire to update and improve a modern classic with the introduction of the new Slimline Moonphase Manufacture.The two most apparent differences between the original watch and its successor are the case size and the layout of the date and moonphase complications. Previously, the watch featured a pointer date located in the same sub-dial as the six o’clock moonphase display. The redesigned FC702 caliber now separates the two with a pointer date register at nine o’clock and the moonphase display at three o’clock. There is no denying that the balance of the dial from left to right and the remaining size and position of empty space are very nicely done.

Another earlier iteration of the moonphase with the single sub-dial.
The possible downside of splitting the two registers is the resultant “AUTOMATIC” text that now appears in the lower half of the dial, presumably in large...