To the same end, the sword-style hour and minute hands are shot through with luminous matter to enable the wearer to continue sailing long after the summer sun has dipped below the horizon. Each hour index is applied, lending the dial depth while improving readability. The Runabout collection stands out with its large even-number Arabic numeral indices complete with five-minute markers on the inner-bezel. Its lines and contours, meanwhile, reflect Frederique Constant’s modern aesthetic. The Runabout Automatic’s central guilloché pattern set over a silver or black background allows it to capture each ray of light, imbuing the watch face with a shifting sense of texture. Guilloché designs were originally intended to be both decorative and practical, lending texture to overly smooth surfaces as well as boosting readability, with each micro groove serving to temper glare and reflections from direct light. The Runabout Automatic offers a fresh take on a dial embellished with a delicate Clous de Paris guilloché pattern. The watch face epitomises the finest of Geneva watchmaking tradition, spliced through with an assertively modern feel. This resolutely contemporary design features a 42 mm-diameter dial, and is suitable for both men and women seeking masterful precision in time-keeping. This year, Frederique Constant is releasing two new limited editions of its Runabout Automatic timepiece in 888 units. This legendary yacht, initially hand-crafted entirely from wood, embodied the inimitable, easy-going elegance of 1960s Italy. At the same time, the RHS (Riva Historical Society) was set up in Italy in a bid to celebrate the dolce vita by safeguarding one of its most famous boats. In 1988, up-and-coming independent family-run brand Frederique Constant was established in Geneva, the heart of the Swiss watchmaking industry. This year, two new limited editions have been added to the collection for an elegant, sporty take on the design inspired by the runabout yachts, available in 888 rose gold-plated and stainless steel units. This sporty classic yacht is one of the Domino Super series, reaches up to 40 knots, and accommodates up to 8 guests in 4 ensuite staterooms, comprising a master, VIP, double and twin.Frederique Constant’s Runabout collection was first launched in 2009, in an ode to the legendary wooden boats built in Italy on the shores of Lake Iseo.

One such example is M/Y MAROON, a 27m sports fly coupe yacht currently for sale through bluewater. Where the historic wooden Rivas summon up the glory days of yesteryear, the Riva superyachts of today are modern technical marvels, bringing together the sleek grace and raw power of the Riva brand. Today, Riva is owned by the Ferretti group and has expanded into superyacht builds, now producing spectacular yachts up to 50 metres in length.

The Riva wooden runabout may have captured (and sustained) the world’s attention as the ultimate lifestyle icon, but the Riva brand has broken plenty of boundaries since then. The brand has a towering history from tiny beginnings as a boat repair service in 1842, with its reputation reaching cult status in 1962 with the launch of the Aquarama, designed by Carlo Riva and quickly coming to be known as ‘the Ferrari of the boat world’. Aft deck of 27m Riva Yacht Maroon © Bluewater

Riva runabout