One of the most acclaimed independent watch companies in contemporary horology, Franck Muller was founded in 1991 by master watchmaker Franck Muller and watchmaking specialist and entrepreneur Vartan Sirmakes. An award-winning brand known for its highly exclusive technical complications, many of which are proprietary innovations produced in-house, it has introduced more than 50 world premieres and patents that have dazzled the world of haute horlogerie. At its Manufacture in Genthod, Geneva, also endearingly called Watchland, Franck Muller continues to master its craft and oversee the creation of its timepieces.
Serving as the centre of the brand’s production processes, Watchland fulfils one of the brand’s main priorities—to remain independent. Located in the neighbouring countryside of Geneva, with breathtaking views of classical terraced gardens, Lake Léman and the Mont-Blanc waterfront, the enchanting and poetic expanse serves as the ideal environment for Franck Muller to create its timepieces. The main house of the estate has since been joined by two additional buildings, where the team in charge of the manufacture of watch components is now comfortably situated.
At Watchland, the brand is able to concentrate all the various stages of the making of a timepiece, from conception, watchmaking, assembling, case manufacturing, engraving, and after sales department, all on the same property. Meanwhile, other production processes are done in the Jura Arc, including dial manufacturing and case stamping, two integral steps in watch production that Franck Muller takes great pride in, as it is one of only a few brands in the world that manufactures 100 percent of its cases and dials. After completing these steps, the parts are then delivered to Watchland to be finished and ultimately assembled. By meticulously overseeing the creation of its watches, the brand is able to ensure the quality and integrity of its products.
Driven by this commitment, the brand continues to explore the different facets of haute horology, including skeletonisation, which is the horological art of trimming and hollowing out a watch’s movement and dial to reveal the intricate inner workings, such as gears, wheels, and the mainspring. Dating back to the 1800s, the process originated as a way to reduce the weight of a watch. Once a technique used for practicality, skeletonisation has now become a form of artistic expression, wherein watchmakers are able to use their creativity in coming up with new ways and designs of showcasing their movements for all the world to see.
Franck Muller first showcased its prowess in skeletonisation with the Giga Tourbillon unveiled in 2011, during the 20th edition of the brand’s World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie (WPHH). With a record-breaking size, it featured a massive 20 mm diameter tourbillon cage, which is twice the size of a standard tourbillon and takes up about 50% of the entire watch face. This was followed by the Round Skeleton in 2012, a departure from the house’s tonneau-shape signature with its circular shape. Powered by the FM 1740-RS manual winding movement, the timepiece was a classic offering that highlighted the high calibre of Franck Muller’s craftsmanship and its artisans.
In 2022, the Round Skeleton was followed up with the gem-set Round Rainbow Skeleton. Celebrating the chorus of colours derived from the natural scenery of Watchland, combined with the traditional art of skeletonisation by the brand’s craftsmen, the timepiece is a multi-hued spectacle. Its round shape, taken from the natural curves of pebbles found in the streams of Genthod, is wonderfully reflected on the bezel and case back. Adorning the bezel are exquisite baguette-cut gems of every colour of the rainbow arranged in a channel setting. From pink sapphires, tsavorites, to rubies, each stone is carefully chosen by in-house gemmologists to deliver the declination of colours on the bezel. The result is a stunning watch worthy of being called a Franck Muller masterpiece.
Tearing up the rules of watchmaking, Franck Muller went the psychedelic route with the Vanguard 7 Days Power Reserve Skeleton Colour Dreams. A successor of Colour Dreams, which was first introduced in 2000, the Vanguard Skeleton Colour Dreams from 2022 was a Southeast Asia exclusive housed in a lightweight carbon fibre case to match the lightweight FM 1740-VS calibre.
Engineered in contemporary Franck Muller style, the model was designed as a skeleton watch from the beginning. Combining with the architectural inspiration were vivid pop colours on the electroplated movement components, from the fiery red barrel bridge to the marigold yellow small seconds counter at 6 o’clock. Furthermore, the plates and bridges of the Vanguard Skeleton Colour Dreams were tinted in signature hues through the process of electrolytic anodisation, which requires the special manufacture of components in aluminium, instead of the traditionally used brass or nickel silver.
From psychedelic colour, Franck Muller honed its mastery of skeletonisation with the Vanguard Curvex Cut Flower, presented at WPHH 2025. Capturing the intricacy and delicate language of floral imagery, the Vanguard Curvex Cut Flower is a high jewellery timekeeper where fine watchmaking and gem-setting artistry meet in full bloom. Crafted from Rose Gold or White Gold and measuring 32 mm in width and 42.3 mm in length, the model’s signature tonneau-shaped case serves as a protective frame around the dial. In all its openworked glory, the dial reveals a landscape in motion.
A mechanical bouquet comes alive with rhythm and intricacy, as one views the interplay of gears, bridges and springs. Within this flurry of movement, the diamond flowers blossom beautifully, featuring petals crafted using the specialised Curvex Cut™ Diamond technique. This advanced gem-setting method shapes each stone to follow the curvature of the petal, creating a sense of depth, softness and organic movement. Available in four distinct variants, the timepiece is powered by the in-house MVT FM 1540-VS3 calibre, composed of 153 finely assembled components.
This year, Franck Muller presents the culmination of its skeletonisation journey with the Vanguard Rose Skeleton. Presenting unparalleled femininity, the watch showcases delicate roses next to captivating diamonds, a tableau that is sure to bring out the hopeless romantic in anybody. Highlighting roses and leaves that seem to grow naturally out of the skeletonised bridges on the front as well as on the back, the model is a visual treat that brings out the brand’s iconic and timeless design aesthetic.
Intricately skeletonised, the exclusive in-house FM 1540-VS15 calibre can be viewed through the dial. Providing a generous power reserve of 4 days, the manual-wound movement takes pride of place, with its components trimmed down to reveal as much of the inner workings as possible. Drawing the eye to the openworked dial are meticulously hand-painted roses that belie their actual function. Decorative and beautifully finished, the precious petals actually act as bridges and plates, enhancing the structural integrity of the entire movement, which has been endued with several luxe treatments including, but not limited to, satin finishing, circular graining and hand-chamfering.
An utterly modern yet truly refined timepiece, the Vanguard Rose Skeleton graces the wrist of its wearer with elegance and comfort, thanks to its slim profile, curved case back and supple alligator strap. Showcasing the perfect blend of the brand’s creativity and technical prowess, the model, available in a variety of colours, is encased in either rose or white gold. A wonderful encapsulation of Franck Muller’s journey in the art of skeletonisation, the Vanguard Rose Skeleton is a stalwart symbol of the brand’s legacy in creative haute horology.
