Co-founder of the Franck Muller Group, Vartan Sirmakes represents the perfect combination between Eastern and Western values. Born in Constantinople in 1956, he descends from a family of Armenian jewellers. Upon his arrival in Geneva in 1974, he started his career with a jewel-setting apprenticeship with Antonio Bertolini. As soon as he obtained his diploma, he set up his own workshop in the Eaux-Vives area of Geneva. His reputation grew rapidly and before long, he had attained big clients such as Ebel and Cartier.

Vartan’s passion for design, architecture and beautiful objects inspired him to diversify his business and enter that of high-end watch cases, which he set up in partnership with Pierre Ecoffey, a manufacturer of bracelets and watch cases.

The collaboration became highly successful and they acquired prestigious accounts such as Daniel Roth. This was Vartan’s first step into the watchmaking industry.

The manufacturing of high-end watches soon became his goal, and he found in Franck Muller a suitable partner. Young, bold and talented, Franck perfectly embodied the profile Vartan was looking for to set up a watch brand. The brand has since often been referred to as one of the fastest-rising independent watch brands in the history of watch making.