Cameron Wong
A few days ago, we introduced you to the opulent curves of Franck Muller's Cintree Curvex Grande Date, a curvaceously cased complicated chronograph with a big date and semi-skeletonised dial. Well, today we've got something just as Grande in the date department: the Franck Muller Vanguard Grande Date, with a dial that's a little more openworked, and a case that's still plenty curvy.Vanguard by both name and nature, Franck Muller's Vanguard collection extends on those oh-so-well-rounded proportions of the brand's famed Cintree Curvex case design, with bolder styling, larger dimensions and equally as strong curves. The tonneau-shaped case of this particular Vanguard Grande Date measures 44mm across by 53.7mm from top to bottom, with a thickness of 12.8mm, and is available in a variety of materials, from stainless-steel or titanium, to carbon or 18k rose gold (as pictured here).A larger case also means more room for the things that delight our eyes, with the inner architecture of the automatic in-house manufactured movement put on full display through the openworked dial on the front and a sapphire crystal on the back. It is only obscured by large lume-filled hour markers and semi-skeletonised hands, and the outer rings of small subdials for the chronograph's elapsed minutes at 3 o'clock and the running small seconds at 9 o'clock. Telling the time may just be the last thing on your mind anyway, as your gaze wanders across the wonderfully hand-bevelled edges, circular graining, and decorations of C?tes de Geneve on the movement's components within.While the movement has the looks, it also has the know-how, featuring both a chronograph and a big date display neatly tucked in between 7 and 8 o'clock. It has a power reserve of 46 hours with large pushers on the case's side operating the chronograph, while the crown nestled between sets the time, and a tiny pin pusher on the opposite side of the case corrects the date.Finally, holding it to your wrist is a choice of leather or nylon straps, with both backed by a tough-wearing rubber.The Vanguard collection represents a more dynamic Franck Muller, featuring sportier designs that still encompass the traditional watchmaking values of the Swiss-made brand. Forever in motion just like the lines and curves of their iconic flowing cases.
16.12.18