There’s a Franck Muller timepiece for every occasion

ANYONE who is mildly acquainted with Franck Muller would agree that it is not a brand for the faint-hearted.

The watchmaker does not do understated or quiet elegance; there are enough brands in the market catering to that demand brilliantly. Instead, what Franck Muller promises – and has consistently delivered since its inception in 1991 – are wrist-takers that garner attention even from across a well-populated room.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. For instance, the brand’s new Curvex CX Piano bears 20 layers of translucent lacquer for a glossy jet-black dial that’s a vision of minimalist sophistication. But as the rest of Franck Muller’s superlative 2023 timepieces show, it’s the boldest, brightest, and blingiest that are par for the course once more.

The New Vanguards Take its three new Vanguard Beach timepieces, for example. The word “beach” tends to conjure up mental images of turquoise waters, white beaches, and a sunset sky. In Franck Muller’s world, however, it translates into the most vibrant blue, green, and red for the sea, land and sky. The inspiration for its name comes through in the cases, which feature a distinct wave-like pattern reminiscent of the sand ripples found on beaches.

This is thanks to the automatic timepiece’s glass-fibre case construction. Glass is first melted at 1,500°C before it is pulled into ultra-fine filaments, cooled down and formed into sheets at 700°C. The sheets are then meticulously coloured before they are layered up, compressed into blocks and carved into shape. The results are watch cases that are lightweight yet robust, making them perfect for the trials of everyday wear and more. (Glass-fibre composite is a quarter as dense as steel but just as strong).

If you love striations but would rather do without bright colours, turn to the new Vanguard Damas designs. Crafted from single blocks of non-magnetic Damascus steel (used to make Samurai swords), the timepieces showcase distinct patterns as unique to the watch as stripes are to a tiger. No two are the same. 

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First, two types of stacked steels are combined to create different layers. Then, the watch cases are carved out from the blocks and immersed in an acid bath to reveal their unique line patterns. The latter is a process that Franck Muller has mastered in-house to ensure maximum visual impact.

There are two Damas editions to choose from – a classic automatic three-hand date model and a sportier-looking automatic date in the form of the Racing Skeleton. Both watches offer a 42-hour power reserve.

Last but not least of the new Vanguards are the Slim Skeleton creations that bring a hefty dose of glitter and glamour to the table. Available in rose and white-gold executions, these timepieces put aside the collection’s usual sporty vibes for diamond-studded cases that are smaller than expected – a detail that fans with smaller wrists would appreciate. 

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At 49.49 mm long, 41 mm wide and 9.1 mm thin (existing Vanguard Slim models measure 53.70 mm x 44.00 mm x 9.50 mm), the Slim Skeleton’s case size is entirely new for Franck Muller. And the manufacture has had to redesign its 136-component calibre to accommodate the watch’s slimmer and trimmer size. The automatic movement, which promises a power reserve of 38 hours, can be thoroughly admired through the timepiece’s open-worked skeleton dial. 

The Curvex CX’s new identity

It’s not just the Vanguard collection that has had its horizons broadened. Through the years, Franck Muller has paid much attention to ensuring its emblematic 31-year-old Cintree Curvex remains modern and relevant. A case in point is the Curvex CX watch case Franck Muller debuted in its Grand Central Tourbillon timepiece in 2021.

  Presenting a fresh take on a brand icon, the Curvex CX features a sapphire crystal that extends right to the watch’s integrated bracelet. Coupled with a slim bezel that allows the brand to play with two-tone options, the redesigned case lends modernity while opening up the watch’s dial for greater visibility.

The results must have been ones that pleased fans and the public. This year sees Franck Muller introducing the Curvex CX as a core collection in its own right. And the brand has not held back – there are myriad options to choose from, including steel or rose-gold executions with bi-colour treatments and different dial colours.

For now, only automatic three-hand time-only models grace the collection. This allows the clean dials to set the stage for the new guilloché pattern created specifically for the collection. Think of it as a Clous de Paris that has been twirled at the dial’s centre, with its three-dimensional pyramids graduating from small to large as they move towards the edge – resulting in a mesmerising play of light that seems to glisten with the wrist’s every turn.

The Curvex CX is undoubtedly a versatile case. While the new core timepieces show the watch case’s dignified side, the Grand Central Tourbillon Flash takes things in another direction by demonstrating its capacity to have serious fun. Bearing indices made of Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA), the carbon case number glows under ultraviolet light, guaranteeing you attention even on the busiest dance floors.

This is aside from the fact that the watch also drips with technical ingenuity that took Franck Muller over a year of research and development to produce. The tourbillon takes pride of place at the centre of the dial, with its hour and minute hands positioned around the central tourbillon cage.

Available in blazing orange, neon green or electric blue, the Grand Central Tourbillon Flash, as with the rest of its 2023 offerings, showcases Franck Muller’s ability to meld technical wizardry with design audacity – and have an absolute ball of a time while doing it.