Issue No12 - Polo De'Marco Magazine Issue No12 Polo De'Marco Magazine | Page 31

Franck Muller
Vanguard
Tourbillon Skeleton
The art of skeletonization is often recognized as the
highest form of movement decoration, and for good
reason. Literally taking the edges off all the plates and
bridges, as well as major components, skeletonization
reduces a movement to such a bare minimum that its
functionality often teeters in the balance. Extreme
skeletonization demonstrates a watchmaker’s bravado –
how much material can be removed before the movement
loses its stability?
But there’s no room for trepidation here because every
component cut and every hollow bored must be done with
surgical precision in order to preserve optimum
timekeeping performance yet achieve maximum
skeletonization. As a matter of fact, this task is so complex
that the end result is often regarded as a complicated
movement in its own right, and who better to turn to for
such an intrepid creation than the Master of Complications,
Franck Muller?
Like most haute horlogerie marques, Franck Muller is no
stranger to this category of fine watchmaking. In fact, it
has been making skeletonized watches since the day it was
born. Some of its most recent creations include the Giga
Tourbillon with its openworked movement and the 7 Days
Power Reserve, which boasts more negative space than
actual movement, pushing skeletonization to new
extremes.
Even though these are technical heavyweights, what with a
tourbillon and seven days long power reserve, the watches
appear almost light and airy. This hollow, weightless effect
is what the new Vanguard Tourbillon Skeleton went for,
but with a decidedly modern twist.Franck Muller Vanguard
Tourbillon Skeleton closeup

Maximum skeletonization has been achieved but with
absolutely no compromise on movement stability, thanks
to the astutely designed structure, which reminds one of
the many beams on a suspension bridge – that’s quite apt
considering that these minute, hollowed out parts are,
themselves, called bridges. Echoing the color scheme of
the case, they have been hand- polished and assembled,
although judging from the rounded internal angles, one
would surmise they had been cut and beveled by
machine. Still, when fully put together, the movement
Calibre FM 2001 is just as likely to sweep you off your
feet, and we haven’t even begun to talk about its flying
tourbillon regulator.
Those familiar with Franck Muller’s complications
would immediately recognise the tourbillon carriage
rendered in the shape of the manufacture’s initials. Held
together by three screws, the asymmetrical FM insignia
makes it just that little bit harder for the watchmaker to
regulate the tourbillon, but Franck Muller had it mastered
eons ago. Set in a circular black finished aperture, the
carriage is finished to the same effect as the skeletonized
bridges – pink gold with vertical brushing – and beneath
it lay the blackened balance wheel oscillating at
18,000vph, the escapement, and the hairspring. The
Vanguard Tourbillon Skeleton comes in titanium, carbon,
stainless steel, and pink gold.

www.franckmuller.com