TATLER FOCUS

The word vanguard means to be at the forefront, to lead the way, to be ahead of the rest, and the Franck Muller Vanguard collection is precisely all that. A contemporary incarnation of the perennially popular Cintrée Curvex, the Vanguard brings a sporty spirit to the house, as well as a hearty dose of technical innovation and a modern, almost futuristic aesthetic.

The tonneau-shaped case puts it on familiar ground with Franck Muller aficionados and here the manufacture has doubled down on audacity and creativity, having introduced such awe-inspiring complicated models as the Skeleton and the Gravity Tourbillon.

(Related: The Watch Expert's Guide: Discover The Jargon So Far)

Instead of Art Deco-styled numerals, the Vanguard comes with oversized applied Arabic numerals rendered in an industrial-style typeface. Variations enhanced with modern watchmaking materials like carbon, titanium, and aluminium show off the collection’s raw masculinity although models in gold and diamonds remind you of the watch’s luxurious provenance.

The Vanguard collection is a consolidation of Franck Muller’s most progressive watchmaking concepts, where creations like the Skeleton Sapphire make their debut. Here’s a watch where the entire curved tonneau case is made of sapphire crystal and the skeletonised bridges and the tourbillon carriage are coated with pristine white PVD—an industry first.