Water-themed watch releases almost always follow the same script and they can get corny fast. You get a bezel, a pile of lume, and a depth rating most owners will never test in anything deeper than a hotel pool. I guess sometimes, a brand remembers that most time spent on the water involves no diving at all. Think varnished teak decks and slow afternoons on an Italian lake (not a life I lead). That’s been Frederique Constant’s lane since 2009 with its biennial boat tribute, and the 2026 edition now gains a second time zone. Here’s a look at the new Frederique Constant Classics Runabout Automatic GMT.
Frederique Constant launched the Runabout series in 2009 and formalized its partnership with the Riva Historical Society in 2013, with each release supporting the preservation of Italy’s classic wooden speedboats. Both 2026 versions, one in deep navy and one in teak brown, are limited to 888 pieces each, and the dials trade the guilloché textures of earlier generations for vertical satin striping that mimics a runabout’s hand-fitted foredeck planks.
The layout runs in three concentric rings: a seconds track at the edge, an hour ring with applied indices and Arabic numerals at 3, 9, and 12, and a 24-hour GMT scale at the center. That central scale removes any need for a separate day/night indicator, so the dial stays surprisingly calm for the amount of information on it. Beige “old radium” lume carries across the numerals and rhodium-plated hands, and a date window sits at 6 o’clock.
Now, about that movement. The press materials describe a “Manufacture GMT module” built on the FC-350, and the wording is worth unpacking. Frederique Constant’s own spec sheet lists the FC-350 as a Sellita SW200 base fitted with the brand’s in-house GMT module. So the complication is developed in-house, while the engine underneath is a proven third-party caliber.
It’s also a caller-style GMT, meaning you adjust the 24-hour hand independently rather than jumping the local hour. The punch list rounds out with a 38-hour power reserve, Côtes de Genève on the bridges, and a smoked sapphire caseback carrying the Riva Historical Society pennant. The module brings thickness to 12.85mm, up from 11.5mm on the previous three-hand Runabout.
The blue model ships on black rubber with a pin buckle, while the brown version comes on leather with a folding clasp. Both arrive in a box with a miniature wooden runabout, which remains a charming touch after all these years. Official pricing sits at CHF 1,995. At 42mm and nearly 13mm thick, this is a lot of dress watch.
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Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.