What's so special about the watch?
The FC945 is a capstone timepiece that Frederique Constant used to commemorate ten years of manufacturing in-house movements. A part of their collection even now, the Heart Beat series presents a sophisticated window into entry-level luxury by combining popular elements of classical timepieces with a modern open heart complication.
 
What are the functions of the watch?
Date, 24-hour, moonphase, open heart.
 
Let me tell you about the case...
As far as cases are concerned, Frederique Constant could be a little more creative. From across their selection of watches I notice the same case shape, which I note as a means of keeping production costs down.
 
Despite that, the company manages to compromise on a moden case design that integrates a polished bezel into its rounded sides, with curved lugs that hug your wrist and makes good on that modern sizing even for smaller wrists like mine. The main allure of their case design for me has to be that polished onion crown that offers function as well as form. That little dimple in the middle is *muacks*.
 
Sandwiching the fully polished case are two sapphire crystals for the main dial and the display back. Frederique Constant has left the bezels on both sides relatively thin to allow for more dial presence - a good choice by my standards.
 
And now the dial...
The main draw of any Manufacture Heart Beat is that hole in the dial. The FC945 carries with it the bloodline of the Heart Beat collection, where the balance wheel has been modified on their in-house movement to face the other way. This little tweak allows the dial to incorporate this comma-shaped balance cock that exposes the fast spinning wheel (28,800vph) and the silicon escapement. It is worthwhile to know that the modern Manufacture Heart Beat movements do not carry silicon components, and loses the comma bridge in favor of a simple circle on the dial.
 
But away from geek talk, the dial itself is a work of art incorporating modern and classic elements that will give the watch enthusiast many months of gawk, praise and wander.
 
The comma bridge flows onto the outer sector of the dial - a mother-of-pearl-like surfacing with printed Roman numerals, whose paint glosses in the light. Intersecting the outer sector are two sub-dials - the moonphase calendar at 12 and a smaller 24-hour counter at 9.
 
The 3'O segment of the dial puts on display a nice machine guilloche honeycome pattern. I give creds to Frederique Constant for resisting the urge to slap their name on the empty space; many would have valued their brand name over restraint. 
 
A closer look into the two sub-dials would find one discovering that the outer sectors of those dials seem to be made of a sapphire (or resin) ring, on which the Arabic numerals used for telling the date or the 24-hour demarkations are printed on. This leaves a shadow effect on the dial beneath the outer ring, giving a very nice detail that's only available to the loupe-owners. 
 
The moonphase disc is also worth examing, with gilt dusting on a polished blue surface. Who doesn't love them a little glitter? 
 
And that's only the front - on the back is a full display of entry-level finishing done consistently well. Cotes de Geneve, pearlage and the humble deep brushed polishing adorn different levels of the movement, allowing more appreciation for the underrated watch maker that is Frederique Constant. 
 
Let's not forget the hands...
Matching the neo-classical appeal of the watch are two breguet hands for time telling, while small leaf hands are used for the two sub-dials.