Frank Muller Round Skeleton Bagguette 31

Buffy Acacia

As a brand, Frank Muller is easily associated with the Tonneau case, the style of Alice in Wonderland’s numbers, and his whimsical approach to high-quality watchmaking. But as you pass by the gorgeous flavours, past fantastical attitudes, and famous people who wear them, it will remind you of Frank Muller’s technical excellence. The Franck Muller Round Skeleton Baguette 31 is a prime example of what a brand can do in terms of gem setting, case finishing, athletic design and quality. Reducing the size of the round skeleton from 39mm to 31mm was a tall order, not a company that makes things easier.

case

Previously available in sizes of 39mm or 42mm, but the Frank Muller round skeleton had plenty of room for play. The model name has been rounded up as this version actually has a diameter of only 30.5mm. The thickness is 9.85mm. This is a nice, thin level, taking into account all the depths. Such a skeletonized clock breaks down the boundary between the dial and movement, but the case acts like a painting frame. In this example, the frame is just as gorgeous as the eyeball. Calling a watch a “round skeleton” harms its elegance as its circular cases are full of details that set it apart from many “round” cases. The segments between areas set with diamonds are polished and the structure is retained with sparkle.

Rugs emerge between these sophisticated sections and support the case separately from the case in a way that evokes soldered rugs of custom-made watches prior to the 20th century. These rugs are raised by three baguette cut stones each, continuing the grandeur of the gem set bezel. There are a total of five references for the Round Skeleton Bagguette 31, all using lab-grown gems. One uses blood red rubies, the other is set in pure white diamonds, the third is set in emeralds, and the second with deep blue sapphires. Finally, there is a rainbow reference with a range of stones including yellow, blue, purple sapphires, red rubies and green tsarbolite garnets.

Dial

I love skeletonized dials, but honestly, trained eyes can be noticed when it’s especially cost-effective. Usually it’s a ready-made movement with some holes and no dials to hide them, and the effect is cool, but there’s not much room for artistry. Meanwhile, Frank Muller’s round skeleton baguette 31 is designed from the ground up as a skeletonized movement, which shows. The various bridges, posts and housings for screws and bearings are intentionally arranged to create an almost steampunk look of curves, exposed gear and geometry. Watching the escapement beat through the dial is always interesting, as it tracks the progression of power across the train in gear.

Skeletonized watches are not well known for their readability simply because they have too many eye-catching details. However, the round skeleton baguette 31 uses a set of poire hands to track hours and minutes, and down the indicator for a little seconds at 6am. Around the dial are micromarkers and bold printing, and chapter rings with the Frank Muller logo and “Geneve” text. The 18K rose gold watch has a matching gold-tone dial and a white gold model with silver components that makes the hands stand out even more.

Movement

As previously suggested, reducing the skeletonized movement from the 39mm case to the 31mm case doesn’t just scale digital files and hit “GO” on the CNC machine. The MVT FM 1540-rs was built with the same finesse as its larger siblings to ensure that its abilities remain the same. As a time-only movement with a small, manual wounded second, it is not really very complicated outside of its architecture. But the fact that Frank Muller packed it with a 96-hour power reserve is truly impressive. All movement components are on display: you can see the large main spring sitting behind the ruby bearing at 12 o’clock, and the balance spring at 7:30 (or 04:30 if you turn the watch over). Keyless works with 3. Of course, the view from the back of the watch is also beautiful. The sapphire case back and winding rotors are unobstructed.

strap

Depending on which reference you use, it will be one of several colorful crocodile leather straps with calf leather lining. They also have color-matched stitching, which maintains a homogenous look that complements the bezel gem. The curved spring bar always contributes to a luxurious atmosphere as the leather straps hold the case and prevent the wrist from peeking out. The buckle is made from 18k gold and has more baguette gems set, and fits where Frank Muller can.

verdict

The case size and nature of the gem set of Frank Muller’s round skeleton baguette 31 theoretically puts it in the stereotypical female category, but I appreciate that there is nothing overtly feminine about watches. It’s there. It is certainly attractive and enthusiastic, but can fit a small wrist with the right attitude to pull it apart. Like the gradients in the rainbow bezel version, the colour assortment is well selected and I don’t feel like the details are polished. Adding internal movements makes it difficult to find something you don’t like.