A marriage of extravagant sparkle and mechanical magnificence
With all due respect to the creators of high-jewellery watches, adorning a timepiece with a wealth of precious stones may make an impression, but merging gem-setting expertise with technical mastery elevates it into the realm of haute horlogerie.
Swiss independent marque Franck Muller, for one, is not one to shy away from lavishing its jewellery watches with copious amounts of dazzling stones. But having built a reputation as being one of the most technically progressive watchmaking houses in modern horology, every gorgeously bejewelled timepiece that emerges from the Manufacture also brings the promise of exceptional mechanical qualities.
Case in point: the Round Skeleton Baguette 31, Franck Muller’s latest high jewellery release for 2024. Made exclusively for the Asia Pacific market, the watch joins the hugely popular Round Skeleton collection—with the distinction of being the most diminutive member of the starry cast, bearing a 31mm case compared to its predecessors’ 39mm and 42mm cases.
In this compact iteration, the Round Skeleton Baguette 31 becomes an intimate masterpiece, fitting snugly onto feminine wrists while radiating the forthright grandeur synonymous with Franck Muller’s high jewellery creations.
A true visual spectacle, the watch commands your attention with its shower of baguette-cut stones that sheathes the case and lugs entirely using the channel setting technique. And there is variety, too. The Round Skeleton Baguette 31 comes in six stunning variants—three models in 18k rose gold with either rainbow-hued coloured stones, rubies or diamonds; and three models in 18k white gold with a choice of blue sapphires, diamonds or emeralds.
Hard as it is to believe, the opulent and high-wattage case only serves to frame the Round Skeleton Baguette 31’s ticking heart. The skeletonised MVT FM 1540-RS movement is Franck Muller’s smallest mechanical movement to date, and it is just as visually captivating while being technically impressive.
A high-performance movement that offers up to four days of power reserve, the dainty but formidable engine comprises 137 parts—with every single component fastidiously hollowed out, decorated and finished to the highest standards. The result is a compelling work of mechanical art that is as beautiful as it is utilitarian—one that elevates the art of watchmaking and luxury design to an unrivalled apex.
