Franck Muller launches Vanguard Line Cut
Stylish, slim and monochromatic.
Franck Müller’s latest work is different from its usual exuberant, colorful style, slim, simple and monochromatic. Vanguard Line Cut is an exclusive product of its French store. It is a thin limited-time watch made entirely of sandblasted titanium, with a stylish and clean appearance.
Although most Vanguard models feel very derivative or a bit biased, the size, style and price of Line Cut seem to be just right. Its width is 41 mm, which is small according to Franck Muller’s standards, and its height is less than 10 mm, giving it the wide and thin proportions of many popular luxury sports watches.
The minimalist appearance also extends to its color and texture-the extensive use of sandblasted titanium is both clean and in line with style, creating a cohesive and attractive aesthetic. But its water resistance is only 30 m, which is worse than ordinary sports wrist watches.
The internal FM 708 movement does not provide much information, although Franck Muller stated that it was developed specifically for this watch.
Vanguard is derived from Franck Muller’s iconic Cintree Curvex tonneau watch. It is a sports watch that has some similarities with the familiar case style of Richard Mille. But the thinness of Line Cut reminds of Franck Muller’s earliest watches, most of which are smaller and thinner than today’s models.
The titanium case measures 41 mm x 50 mm and the height is only 9.1 mm. It is all titanium—although there is a black rubber insert on the side of the case—just like the bracelet, while the dial is treated with a gray coating to echo the finish of the titanium case.
Inside is the FM 708, which is an automatic movement with a diameter of 28.9 mm and a height of 3.84 mm, which makes it slightly wider and thicker than the ETA 2892-A2.
Franck Muller Vanguard Line Cut
Ref. V 41 S AT REL Wire cutting
Diameter: 41 mm x 50 mm
Height: 9.1 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m
Movement: FM 708
Features: hours and minutes
Frequency: 21,600 times per hour (3.5 Hz)
Chain: Automatic
Power reserve: 42 hours
Strap: Titanium bracelet