Into the Darkness
Black diamonds and various other tweaks create a darker, edgier iteration of a beloved Franck Muller timepiece
When Franck Muller’s Vanguard line made its debut in 2014, it was hailed as yet another triumph for the brand. The new timepiece’s calling card was its tonneau-shaped case, which didn’t just push the boundaries of Franck Muller’s neoclassic aesthetic, but also pointed to the lineage that inspired its design. The Vanguard’s lack of lugs also allowed larger case sizes to be worn comfortably without any overhang—a detail that made the line especially suitable as a platform for creating bold, sporty watches.
Instead of just sticking to a single formula, however, Franck Muller has taken the Vanguard in the opposite direction with various feminine iterations. One notable highlight is the Vanguard Rose Skeleton, which was introduced in 2021 to critical acclaim. The timepiece makes its return this year in a new guise—the Vanguard Rose Skeleton Black Diamonds—with five references exploring the darker, edgier, and sultry side of things.
The new Vanguard Rose Skeleton Black Diamonds is, like its predecessor, a stunning blend of several Franck Muller signatures.
There’s the Vanguard case, of course, slightly upsized from the original’s 32mm to measure 35mm across. This has enhanced the watch’s presence, while maintaining suitably diminutive dimensions to suit a wide range of women’s wrists.
Within this slightly larger case sits a skeletonised movement— nearly identical to the original— that bears rose motifs created using hand-painting and gem-setting. The overall effect is reminiscent of a picture housed in a frame, as light plays across the textured floral creations. Although the new movement looks similar to the original, it is actually slightly larger to match the bigger case without requiring spacer rings, which would have affected the watch visually.
As the new timepiece’s name suggests, what’s special this time is the usage of black diamonds. Across the five references, black diamonds have been set into the watch bezel for a sparkle that’s paradoxically brilliant yet dark and mysterious. The black scintillating effect here is, in turn, further enhanced by the PVD treatment on the white gold case. It’s a simple visual tweak, but one that belies the technical complexity of producing a surface that’s both Pvd-coated and gemset at the same time. To do so, the individual stones must be treated before and after they have been set.
The roses themselves serve as the finishing touches. Integrated into the movement itself, they come in different colours with gemstones that mirror the reference’s shade accordingly. A cherry red matched with rubies evokes sultry passion, while green with matching diamonds conjures up a verdant summer, and pastel pink with pink sapphires recalls warmth and romance. Rounding out the list is a crisp white paired with white diamonds for maximum contrast, and the deep, dark boutique exclusive variant of black enamel varnish and black diamonds.
Far from just being a variation on a theme, the Vanguard Rose Skeleton Black Diamonds stands on its own as a contemporary take on feminine watchmaking with all the luxurious appointments one would expect. From power dressing to goth chic, the timepiece’s possibilities are only limited by its wearer.