New: Franck Muller Vanguard Beach

Franck Muller releases the Vanguard Beach, and update to the collection with new bright, bold and audacious colours. Its time to party!

Press release information with commentary in italics.

New: Franck Muller Vanguard Beach

The Franck Muller Vanguard Beach will have a retail price of SGD 14,800. The series is exclusive across Asia Pacific.

Commentary

The Vanguard collection is Franck Muller’s entry into the sporty, casual and fun genre, and has been one which has been attracting new collectors to the brand. The design is based on the same curvex styled tonneau case, and FM has been a bit more playful with the collection than their more classical collections.

This latest novelty is a three reference release in bright colours – blue, red and green. What’s special is that Franck Muller has chosen to use a case constructed of glass fibre composite. These are made in blocks by melting glass, then drawing the molten glass into thin filaments which are then cooled to form sheets. These are then dyed in the brilliant colours we see, and the sheets layered and compressed into blocks. The blocks are then machined into watch cases. Interesting construction technique. And seeing the watches, the colours do pop.

We also find the dial construction to be rather interesting. The appliqué numerals are the “exploding” style common and popular in Franck Muller watches. The numerals feature raised edges and pop out from the base of the dial, for a rather graphic look.

We attended the launch party at the coolest club in town – Marquee at the Marina Bay Sands, and have made an appointment to photograph and handle the watches for a full review. Coming soon! But even before that, we can already tell this is one super cool collection! Get ready to party!

Release information

For those who carry the beach in their hearts no matter where they go, Franck Muller presents a bold new collection capturing the essence of carefree holidays and endless possibilities.

It’s sun, surf and sand galore as the House makes waves with its latest creation: the Vanguard Beach. Brightly coloured in fiery red, ocean blue, and summer green, these monochromic timepieces evoke la dolce vita with a splash of sporty chic, seamlessly blending vivid fashion-forward colours with Franck Muller’s trademark case shape.

First introduced in 2014, the Vanguard expressed a casual, sporty vibe that didn’t just explore a new facet of the brand, but also alluded to its eponymous founder’s penchant for tonneau-shaped timepieces. The watch’s curved tonneau case had a weighty presence, but remained eminently wearable thanks to its lack of lugs; these features quickly made the Vanguard popular with both seasoned connoisseurs and newcomers alike. Indeed, the collection has grown into a key pillar for Franck Muller, which the brand continues to expand upon by exploring various themes through different materials, colours, and complications.

In the latest of these, the Vanguard Beach line, Franck Muller demonstrates its mastery over both design and material engineering. Here, the material for the familiar Vanguard watch case has been carefully chosen and constructed in a glass fibre composite, which has been specially tailored to create a pattern of undulating lines reminiscent of ripples in the sand on a beach. To accomplish this, glass is first melted at 1,500°C and drawn into ultra-fine filaments, then cooled down and formed into sheets at a lower temperature of 700°. Next, these sheets are dyed in colour baths, before being layered and compressed into blocks that can be machined into watch cases.

By managing the individual steps in this process, Franck Muller precisely controls the exact hues of the Vanguard Beach, while also creating the line’s distinctive pattern. This customisation has, in turn, been meticulously matched by the dial and strap for a striking tone-on-tone look that emphasises the Vanguard’s design in three eye-catching colours, inspired by the glistening blues and greens of the sea and the fiery sunsets that paint the sky.

Unique aesthetics aside, the glass fibre composite is also a lightweight yet robust alternative to traditional case materials. At just a quarter the density of steel – with comparable mechanical strength to boot – the glass fibre composite is the perfect material for a light, durable case. This makes the Vanguard Beach suitable for every occasion of course, from coastal escapades to partying the night away. Rendering the case in this material, Franck Muller also draws parallels to glass fibre composite’s applications in sports equipment – an important aspect of the Vanguard collection’s identity. A self-winding movement with a date display and 42-hour power reserve completes the package for a timepiece that is as convenient to wear as it is versatile.

Designed to encapsulate the boundless energy of the coast in every tick, the Vanguard Beach is yet another showcase of Franck Muller’s work to push the boundaries of the Vanguard collection. The line will enrapture men and women alike, embodying the spirit of sun-soaked days and carefree moments, all while embracing the impeccable craftsmanship and functionality that the House is renowned for.

All three references, in fiery red, ocean blue and summer green, will be available exclusively across Asia Pacific.

Franck Muller Vanguard Beach Specifications

References V 41 SC DT BEACH GFVRVE

Case:	Vanguard case Glass fibre composite Water resistant up to 30 meters Width: 41 mm x Length: 49.95 mm x Thickness: 12.2 mm Sapphire crystal
Dial:	Matte red/blue/green White hand-painted Arabic numeral indices
Functions:	Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date at 6 o’clock
Movement:	MVT FM 800-DT Self-winding movement with bidirectional rotor system Power reserve of 42 hours 165 components 25 jewels Diameter: Ø 26.20 mm. Thickness: 5.50 mm Balance wheel frequency set at 28,800 alternations per hour
Movement decoration:	Côtes de Genève on bridges and the rotor plate Perlage on the mainplate Chamfering on the rotor board Diamond polishing on the sinks and bridge bevels Sunray brushing on the bridges, rotor segment, bearing cage and barrel cover Snailing on the ratchets Circular satin brushing on the wheels
Strap:	Fabric Velcro strap Epoxy titanium buckle