Though it may seem that watchmaking is marching boldly into ever wilder expressions of character, some watches remind us of the value of restraint, as seen here in the Franck Muller Vanguard Sfumato Slim. Yes, odd though it may seem, we have opted to highlight the one Franck Muller that dials back on aggressive design. Elsewhere, this issue, we have already selected the Vanguard Royal Bauxite to illustrate the potency of aluminium in watchmaking so this is the right spot to go a little quiet. For the Sfumato Slim, Franck Muller has even done away with the otherwise signature numerals, opting instead for the most understated hour markers. It is all a paean to the sfumato effect, which is a technique in Renaissance-era painting. Believe it or not, Franck Muller references this in its own release.
On that note, here is an excerpt from that release, which leans heavily into the poetic: “In that quiet moment when the sun slips beneath the Atlantic and the sky melts into the sea, colours soften, shadows stretch and time feels suspended. It is in this fleeting transition, neither day nor night, that the Vanguard Sfumato Slim finds its inspiration. Born from the poetry of twilight and the heritage of Italian coastal charm, this collection captures the beauty of stillness in motion.” Looking at the time-only watch, Franck Muller really delivers on the sentiment, even if one takes issue with the metaphors.
Leading the way on this sfumato effect is the dial, which features the famous vanishing point. This is what distinguishes the four models of the Sfumato Slim, each of which uses brushed sunray decoration and layers of varnish to create the contemplative dials. In terms of cases, there are steel and rose gold variants, with the green, anthracite, blue and brown dials gracing both; this means there are eight versions of this model. The leather straps match the dial colours, as does the case middle (standard for the Vanguard case) making the green dial variant stand out. Movements are all the same, and visible via the exhibition casebacks.
Movement Automatic: FM 708-S6; 42-hour power reserve
Case: 41 x 49.95mm in rose gold and steel; 30m water-resistant
Strap: Leather
Price: From SGD 18,400
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