Franck Muller Success Story

Franck Muller was born in Switzerland in July 1958 of Italian and Swiss parents Franck was raised in a multicultural environment with an early interest in all things mechanical. Franck Muller was fascinated by moving parts and soon devoted much of his spare time to disassembling clockwork machinery and started to collect astrological instruments purchased from local markets. Franck Muller eventually joined the famous Geneva School of Watch making in 1981 and passing out after 4 years with the highest distinction. Franck Muller being fiercely independent bravely decided to start his own watch restoration and repair business instead of joining a group of watch makers.

It wasn’t long before Franck Muller was receiving collector’s items from all over the world including auction houses keen to receive his gifted expertise and technical prowess to restore valuable time pieces to their former state of excellence.

As a watch restorer Franck Muller tuned and finely honed his skills to the inevitable conclusion of creating truly unique timepieces namely wrist watches with a distinctive flair and individualism that naturally oozed from Franck Muller. Franck Muller decided to apply principles of technical excellence and features formerly only found in pocket watches and apply this to wrist watches. This goal was kept close to Franck Muller’s heart.

The launch of Franck Muller’s first wrist watch came in 1983 with a complicated movement entirely designed by Franck Muller himself.

Once established Franck Muller had created a reputation of excellence and it was inevitable he would create and launch a range of unique time pieces. Franck Muller Genève was born in 1992, located in the picturesque village of Genthod near Genève; Franck Muller finds this enchanting environment boasting a poetic serenity an inspiration in the creation of his distinctive time pieces.

Franck Muller launched the ‘Tourbillion’ upon the world and by 1986 with ‘jumping hours’ and by 1987 a ‘Minute Repeater’ and finally the ‘Perpetual Calendar’ feature by 1989

By 1992 Franck Muller had certainly made a name for himself with his innovative and complicated designs and was now being hailed as a ‘watch making genius’ by his peers. This accolade was largely attributed to the watch that captured the imagination and was privileged to be called the exclusive title of ‘the most complicated wrist watch in the world’ This unique time piece ‘Grande and Petite Sonnerie’ This horological masterpiece boasted features including, minute repeater for the hours, quarters and minutes, a perpetual calendar programmed to the year 2100 with date, day of the week, month and monthly retrograde equation, leap year cycle, 24 hour moon phase indicator, indicator of the internal temperature of the mechanism. A truly magnificent piece of workmanship from Franck Muller.

By 1998 Franck Muller had added to the 1992 and 1995 Chronographs, a 60 minute counter and power reserve indicators to the striking mechanism and movement. By 1998 saw the expansion of the Franck Muller business with the ‘Watchland’ concept incorporating a total overview to the watch concept, design, creation, prototype, research and development, stamping and watch assembly processes to create a site devoted to the world of watch development and innovative thinking to perpetuate traditional skills and to open to new ideas and to invite the public to experience this and even become involved with feedback and ensure that Franck Muller would be at the cutting edge of watch design and customer expectations.

The First World Presentation
1998 saw a furthermore a milestone with the first World Presentation of Haute Horology is organized. This watch exhibition WPHH was held on the Watchland site and was dedicated to portray the very best of the craft of the finest timepieces. The success of this exhibition by Franck Muller has been a reoccurring international exhibition ever since.

Watchland Inauguration
2001 is symbolized by the official inauguration of the Franck Muller Watchland. This one-of-a-kind concept unites all the steps of production of a watch: design, creation, engineering, study and development, prototypes, movements, stamping, watch making, casing, after sales department, all on one location. The Franck Muller Watchland venue is unforgettable with fabulous scenery of the Mont Blanc and the Lemon Lake with its turn-of-the-XIXth century architectural style, all these elements make this must visit venue for all interested in watch making expertise at its finest. Open to the public by appointment, visitors from all over the world can come and view for themselves. Franck Muller Watchland, visitors can view all the steps involved in the process of the making of a watch: the mystery of watch making is unveiled before your very eyes. This is the first time ever that anyone is permitted to enter the secret world of this secular art.

The First Jewellery Watch Collections
2001 was also the year Franck Muller launched their jewelry encrusted watch time pieces.

Two new watches were launched following the successful exhibition namely:

• Pierre Kunz
• ECW

PIERRE KUNZ has been developing highly complicated pieces for Franck Muller for several years and to whom the founder of the Franck Muller granted him the opportunity to realize his own watches under his own name.

ECW: is brand of sporty, trendy, high quality watches with an innovative and outstanding design.

By 2002 Franck Muller’s Company had seen a decade of meteoric growth and establishment within the watch making industry. Franck Muller launched at the prestigious party and fifth anniversary of the ‘WPHH’ attended by VIP’s, clients, including Paul Anka as host reveals the ‘Tourbillion Revolution’ Franck Muller is granted the title of ‘Master of Complication’