SHARON LIM
The CEO of Franck Muller Pte Ltd shares her plans for the Swiss brand in this region
Founded in Switzerland in 1992, Franck Muller is known for its bold creations, from the Crazy Hours with jumbled hour numerals (and yet the watch always displays the right time) to the Giga Tourbillon with the world’s largest tourbillon cage. The watchmaker is highly inventive, with numerous world premieres under its belt.
In this interview, Sharon Lim, who became CEO of Franck Muller Pte Ltd in 2021, shares why she is incredibly excited about leading the brand in Asia.
How do you plan to move Franck Muller forward?
We want to be the leader in the luxury contemporary watchmaking segment. To do that, we need to have good products. We must recognise what our customers want. We’ve also stepped up our game with special editions for the region.
Secondly, Franck Muller must have high visibility and awareness. Before this, Franck Muller was only in Sincere Fine Watches but now we also have Cortina Watch. We have repositioned locations that were not desirable, for instance moving to ION Orchard in Singapore, which is the right environment for the brand. We’ve also revamped the store concept to make it seem more contemporary and luxurious. We’re also launching a new boutique in Siam Paragon in Bangkok. And the next exciting project will be in Malaysia, where we will open one of our biggest boutiques.
How does Franck Muller inspire you?
As a brand, Franck Muller is very customeroriented. We can work with them to create special editions for us. What inspires me also is that they are always creating fun, exciting, and a bit crazy timepieces. They are not traditional in that sense, but they have a serious approach to watchmaking.
Please elaborate more on the special editions. When I talk about the creation of products, it’s really for this market where we want our watches to stand out. One good example is the Southeast Asia-exclusive Vanguard Rose Skeleton in black diamonds. The choice of black diamonds is something very different for the market—it’s not new, but it’s rare. And the rose is beautifully shaped on the skeleton dial.
We want to highlight not only Franck Muller’s strength in creating complications but also gem-setting. In our communication, these are the two pillars we always want to focus on.
How involved are you in the creative process?
We work closely with the brand principal—it’s very collaborative. We identify what are the products we feel can be for our market, like the #Fr2nck, which is limited to 800 pieces and exclusive to Asia. We wanted it to be young and to reach out to a younger generation, and we can do it because we’re edgy and contemporary. The brand is very creative in that sense.
How would you describe someone who wears a Franck Muller watch?
The person is bold, edgy, and contemporary.
MAXIMUM EXPOSURE
The Rado Diastar is something of a rebel. When it was born in 1962, the wristwatch commanded attention with its very unusual shape—a cross between oval and cushion—and a case in tungsten carbide. The latest rendition, Diastar Original Skeleton, is perhaps its most daring yet, featuring a bezel in Ceramos with a skeleton dial. Ceramos is a high-tech material that combines the hardiness of ceramic with the lustre of metal. A sapphire crystal clearly showcases the R808 skeleton movement fitted with an anti-magnetic Nivachron hairspring, delivering enhanced timekeeping precision. The anthracite-grey movement parts complement the sombre tone of the Ceramos bezel; together, they lend a rich contrast against the sleek bi-coloured hands and indices. Designed for true watch connoisseurs, the transparent caseback offers a view of the R808 on the other side.
Rado Diastar Original Skeleton