In mechanical watchmaking, skeletonisation involves more than removing material to expose a movement’s inner workings. Every bridge and supporting component must retain sufficient strength and rigidity to ensure reliable performance, making the process as much an engineering challenge as an aesthetic exercise.
For Franck Muller, three creations demonstrate how openworking can serve different horological purposes, from revealing the intricate choreography of jumping complications to creating the illusion of floating displays and integrating decorative elements into a movement’s architecture.
Master Jumper Skeleton: Making Complexity Visible
The Long Island Evolution Master Jumper Skeleton places one of Franck Muller’s more complex mechanisms in full view. Its in-house calibre MVT 3100-CS1 coordinates five synchronised discs responsible for the instantaneous display of the hours, minutes and date.
Unlike conventional indications, jumping displays require energy to be accumulated and released at precise intervals. The challenge becomes particularly demanding at midnight, when all three indications must advance simultaneously.
To manage these energy requirements, Franck Muller developed a double-barrel architecture. One barrel powers the movement and date mechanism, while the second drives the jumping hours and minutes. Separating these functions helps maintain stable torque and consistent performance.
The skeletonised construction exposes the five discs and their associated wheels beneath a precisely machined supporting bridge, making the interaction between components visible. An additional sapphire crystal incorporates the three display apertures, introducing depth without obscuring the movement.
The latest execution combines a rose gold inner case with a black PVD-treated titanium exterior, a construction that also provides additional shock protection for the calibre.
Round Triple Mystery Skeleton: The Mechanics Behind The Illusion
The Round Triple Mystery Skeleton approaches openworking from a different perspective, revealing the mechanics behind a display traditionally defined by illusion.
As the first fully skeletonised creation in Franck Muller’s Mystery series, it replaces conventional hands with three independently rotating discs indicating the hours, minutes and seconds.
Powered by the in-house calibre MVD 2800-TMY, with a 42-hour power reserve, the watch places considerable emphasis on minimising weight while preserving mechanical rigidity.
The central seconds assembly weighs just 0.052g, comprising a skeletonised aluminium component, a triangle-cut sapphire indicator and a centrally positioned diamond. Equally remarkable are the movement’s delicate bridges, measuring only 0.3mm in width.
The skeletonised discs feature a geometric motif inspired by a spirograph, creating shifting patterns as they rotate. This interplay of transparency and motion reinforces the impression of indicators suspended above the movement.
The 39mm white gold case is set with 120 brilliant-cut diamonds, while a further 281 diamonds adorn the hour and minute discs, combining mechanical intricacy with elaborate gem-setting.
Vanguard Curvex Cut Flower: When Mechanics Become Art
Where the first two watches emphasise mechanical complexity and motion, the Vanguard Curvex Cut Flower explores skeletonisation as a form of decorative architecture.
Rather than positioning ornamentation above a conventional movement, Franck Muller transforms the calibre’s structural bridges into floral stems, making functional components part of the design itself.
The composition features six flowers formed from 36 pink sapphire petals, each incorporating the maison’s patented 73-facet Curvex Cut. Six brilliant-cut diamonds provide the focal points of the blooms, which appear suspended above the exposed mechanics.
The openworked construction allows light to pass through the movement, accentuating the relationship between the sculpted bridges, gemstones and mechanical components.
Housed in a rose gold Vanguard case, the watch is powered by the manually wound in-house calibre MVT FM 1540-VS3, offering a four-day power reserve.
Together, these three Franck Muller creations demonstrate how skeletonisation can extend beyond mechanical transparency, allowing the architecture of a movement to define both its technical character and visual identity.
