This year marks 30 years of innovative and creative watchmaking by Franck Muller. Since our founding in 1992, we have been a disruptive force within the industry, an independent brand transforming the way horology is perceived by all.

30 YEARS OF UNCONVENTIONAL DESIGN

Over the last three decades, Franck Muller has radically modernised the aesthetics of modern watchmaking. Driving new trends and creating new ways of interpreting time is something our watchmakers and designers do on a daily basis.

Of all the designs Franck Muller has created, the Crazy Hours is arguably one of the most iconic. The idea for the watch originated from a holiday in Mauritius, which led Franck Muller to break one of the most rigid rules in watchmaking: the classic display of time, in a standard 12-hour ring. With one watch, Franck Muller overcame 3,500 years of timekeeping tradition that began with the sundial.

At a casual glance, one might not notice anything strange about the Crazy Hours display. But further examination reveals a surprising dial design: none of the hours are where they should be, except the ‘1’, ‘4’, ‘7’ and ‘10’ markers. As the minute hand reaches 60, the hour hand makes a leap to the next, hopping across the dial almost randomly. This ingenious design is thanks to a clever mechanism that drives the hour hand to jump in steps of five hours, sending time flying around the dial.

INTRODUCING THE CRAZY HOURS 30TH ANNIVERSARY

To commemorate 30 years of ingenious designs at Franck Muller, the brand is introducing the Crazy Hours 30th Anniversary series. Like the regular Crazy Hours timepieces, the collection features the same dial design, with a display that curves according to the double convex case and stamped with a guilloché pattern imprinted with flying numerals. The hour markers are applied by hand, with a clever adjustment made at ‘10’ with the adjacent 3 o’clock marker, to represent the 30th anniversary of the brand.

The Crazy Hours 30th Anniversary series is available in Franck Muller’s unique Cintreé Curvex case, the brand’s take on the classic tonneau shape. This modern take on the tonneau is particularly challenging due to the convex caseback, with a dial and sapphire crystal that’s specially curved to fit the case design.

Two versions of the watch in white or rose gold include another iconic Franck Muller design style: the Colour Dreams, with rainbow-style multi-coloured hour indicators on the dial. The white and rose gold models feature a gem-set cases with 161 brilliant-cut diamonds. This is a particularly challenging task due to the complex curvature of Franck Muller’s Cintreé Curvex case design. Across all of the four models, the number ‘30’ is set with diamonds to highlight this special year.