Franck Muller’s Vanguard Slim Skeleton is a dazzling look into a holographic open book
By Bryle B. Suralta
When one thinks of Franck Muller’s famed Vanguard series, one can’t help but picture its self-winding mechanical movements, edgier exterior and exquisite Cintree Curvex case. The Vanguard, in many ways, has become a blueprint for sportive luxury watchmaking that way.
Recently, the watchmaker has taken another step toward building on the classic’s pedigree, one that exemplifies the complexities of the Franck Muller signature. Enter the Vanguard Slim Skeleton, a leaner version of the Vanguard that endows its wearer with a distinct sense of refinement while maintaining its predecessor’s larger-than-life character.
The “Master of Complications” introduces the public to a new case with the V 37. It has paired down the thickness of the piece and made sure to retain the Vanguard’s most distinctive qualities. Franck Muller’s new Vanguard Slim Skeleton was designed around softer curves, taking away tension from the robustness of that iconic case.
Further innovating the tonneau shape, all these are only accentuated by the sleek side insert. Meanwhile, the applique relief numerals are juxtaposed with the contour of the skeleton movement, which has been engraved and finished to the finest degree. What this does is it opens up the dial flawlessly despite the noticeably slimmer profiles in both the V 37 and V 41 case sizes.
Franck Muller offers wearers a fresh perspective on the innerworkings of their holographic open book. The superbly crafted hour numerals sit on a separate dial plate, blending beautifully with the entire mechanism and the coloured lacquer in the hands.
Utilising such varied skeletonisation techniques, the Vanguard Slim Skeleton’s rotor, bridges, wheels and plates are intricately exposed to underline the brand’s architectural prowess. To think, the 9.1-mm-thin piece’s automatic winding system and a 38-hour power reserve only complement the three-dimensional aspect of its form.
As with any Franck Muller timepiece, the Vanguard Slim Skeleton is nothing short of flamboyant in the way it carries itself. It comes in 18k rose gold or white gold variants, with its cases, hands and numerals adorned in immaculately cut diamonds that add up to more than five carats. The V37 reference retails for about AU$110,700 while the V41 retails for approximately AU$130,800.
Visit Franck Muller Asia Pacific for more information.
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