WORLDTEMPUS - 13 October 2011
Elizabeth Doerr
The setting for this luxurious fair couldn't be better: who can resist the sunshine sparkling off the azure Mediterranean along such a dramatically rocky coast? Monaco, apart from being ravishingly beautiful, epitomizes luxury with every thread of its fabric. Really, this is the perfect place for the Franck Muller group to display its luxurious offerings.
Master of Tourbillons
The group seems to have emerged from its various financial dilemmas of the past three years. At the 2011 edition of the Monaco WPHH it appeared stronger and more relaxed than in many years, with the Franck Muller brand placing distinct emphasis upon the tourbillon. This is a move that makes complete sense when you consider that Franck Muller was perhaps the watchmaker to bring this complicated type of escapement to the fore from 1986 onward.
Exhibiting two of its most extraordinary models, Franck Muller's brand exhibited how diversely it masters the style. Running the gamut, the brand showed both the Giga Tourbillon, which was released at the Geneva edition of the WPHH earlier this year, and the Tourbillon Lady, which represented the big release in Monaco.
The Giga Tourbillon is the largest tourbillon currently on the market. With a tourbillon diameter reaching a full 20 mm – not to mention ten days power reserve – it is no wonder that this hand-wound specialty needs an inordinate amount of energy. In order to reach this, the Giga Tourbillon possesses four spring barrels, which serially operate in sets of two. Each barrel also has a diameter of 16 mm, which is about 4 mm more than traditional spring barrels. In its skeletonized and blackened version it appears particularly masculine.
The Lady Tourbillon, in bright contrast, is the smallest of its kind currently on the market. With a tourbillon cage only 11.6 mm in diameter, this watch housed in a typical 18-karat white gold cintrée curvex case is even automatic, wound by a solid platinum micro rotor. It is also characteristically decorative: a heart-shaped tourbillon cage femininely harmonizes with red numerals and hands.
Digital era
There also seems to be a new sense of organization at the group, which was celebrating its twentieth anniversary at this year's show. One of the major changes was the introduction of an iPhone app and the announcement of a digital catalogue to aid consumers and salespeople in finding their way through the extensive collection, which is quite rich in references. The app comes closely on the heels of a titanium iPhone jacket created for the iPhone 4. Franck Muller himself uses one that is gem-encrusted with the fanciful numbers that grace both the brand's jewelry and iconic creations such as Crazy Hours.
The app, co-developed by Sisban Sirmakes, son of Franck Muller co-owner Vartan Sirmakes, will soon be available in the iTunes app store for free download.
Group brands
Several group-owned brands make up the periphery of Franck Muller's glittery world. Backes & Strauss currently enjoys its fifth year as a watch brand according to managing director Vartkess Knadjian. With roots in the diamond industry, this brand continues to progress forward in a methodical manner: choosing to introduce few pieces emphasizes their spectacular quality and design. Now represented in 20 countries with a total of 42 doors, Backes & Strauss remains exclusively for the rich, famous and crowned of this world.
Custos, which celebrated five years of existence last year, seems to revel in the glitterati atmosphere of Monaco. Sassoun Sirmakes, co-founder of Custos and Vartan Sirmakes's other son, explains that what was being shown in Monaco was basically “face lifting,” including some interesting models made for ladies' wrists in typical Custos style. The Geneva edition of the WPHH in January will see new movements entering the scene.
A visit to Pierre Kunz was as entertaining as ever. “Playing with watch hands is truly my passion,” he said. Updated variations on his existing themes were to be seen: Vertigo, Cupidon and Carré once again displayed their ingenious declarations of love.
Looking forward
Franck Muller's head watchmaker Pierre-Michel Golay, who has really grown into his now more prominent role, explained that the company continues to innovate. “To have an impact in watchmaking has become harder and harder,” he said.
An early leak led to the impromptu announcement of a spectacular new timepiece that Golay and his cousin have been working on – and which is scheduled to be released in Geneva in January. The code names for the project vary from Speedo to Rapido, names that hide what Golay terms “a very delicate development” – and one that may just reassert the Franck Muller brand as the king of tourbillons. This new development contains a six-second tourbillon that acts as a satellite to a stationary escape wheel. More is unfortunately not to be revealed at this time, but Vartan Sirmakes explained the idea behind it, “To make tourbillons that are more impressive for the public – to differentiate us.”
This coincides well with Sirmakes's announcement that he will be adding two new buildings to Watchland's grounds, with construction to commence in 2013. “This will become the most beautiful watchmaking site in the world,” he said.
