A Moment at Franck Muller

A visit to Franck Muller Watchland

First impressions are often more than just a snapshot. They encompass feeling, atmosphere, authenticity. That's precisely what we look for when we encounter brands: beyond mere staging, where passion, craftsmanship, and history become tangible. For our series “A Moment at the Maison” We set off for Switzerland to capture these moments in the great watch houses.

Part 3 of our series: „A Moment at the Maison“ – A Moment at Franck Muller

Whoever the name Watchland A first-time visitor might think of some kind of amusement park – perhaps with clock motifs and some entertainment. And yes, it does involve clocks, and it's a great pleasure to be there. But that's where the similarities end. Because the "attractions" that await here are different – quieter, more serious, more fascinating.

Courageous, precise and uncompromising

The story of Franck Muller begins relatively young for the world of haute horlogerie – yet with impressive consistency. In 1991, watchmaker Franck Muller and entrepreneur Vartan Sirmakes founded a brand in Geneva that, from the very beginning, forged its own path: bold in design, precise in craftsmanship, and uncompromising in its mastery of complex movements. Even in its early years, the company made a name for itself with models such as the Cintrée Curvex, the playful Crazy Hours or early tourbillon creations gave a name – watches that quickly became trademarks.

^{Two new models in the iconic shape by Franck Muller: Cintrée Curvex™ and, on the right, the elegant (Copyright: Franck Muller)}

Watchland

The construction of their own manufacturing campus, "Watchland," starting in 1998 reinforced this ambition: Here, a watch was not only to be assembled, but created entirely – from the initial idea to the finished timepiece. This spirit continues to shape the brand today: a blend of creative freedom and deep respect for the art of watchmaking.

Watchland is located on the grounds of a historic estate in Genthod, about ten kilometers north of Geneva. You drive through the quiet, almost unassuming village of Genthod until the estate opens up behind a hedge: an ensemble of manor house, outbuildings, and lush greenery – and, in good weather, a breathtaking view across Lake Geneva to the Mont Blanc massif. This vista accompanies the visit, constantly reminding you of your location.

A historic estate as a center of modern watchmaking

The manor house, dating from 1905, was the first building to be restored, beginning in 1998, and transformed into one of the manufacture's central hubs. Today, it houses reception areas, marketing and sales departments, as well as the offices of Vartan Sirmakes and the administrative teams. In 2000 and 2019, two more outbuildings were added, each housing a portion of the production facilities. Impressively designed in a style and charm befitting the manor house, the entire complex now appears both classic and modern, elegant yet deeply rooted in tradition and heritage – much like the watches crafted here, including models such as... Vanguard, the more sporty one Yachting-variant or the elegant Long Island.

The idea behind Watchland is as clear as it is ambitious: watchmaking as a complete art form. Virtually everything that makes a watch what it is is created here side by side. Watchland is less a location and more an ecosystem where tradition, innovation, and craftsmanship mutually reinforce each other.

Our visit begins in the manor house and takes us from there across the entire campus:

Casings, materials and the art of form

In the first building, we encounter the case manufacturing area. Between metallurgy and modern CNC machines, the physical structures of a Franck-Muller watch are created. Stainless steel, 18-karat gold in various shades, platinum, titanium – and materials such as carbon fiber or cases milled entirely from sapphire. Depending on the model, many of these parts are still meticulously handcrafted. Here, the form of future watches, such as the Vanguard, the Master Banker or the technically sophisticated tourbillon models take shape for the first time.

The Birth of the Works

In the second building, things get even more refined: Here, the pieces are created – component by component. Gears, shafts, springs, screws, hands, numerals – virtually every part. And here, the finishing touches are applied: grinding, beveling, engraving, and electroplating, where the surfaces of not only the components are refined. The precision of the hand touches every part – sometimes visibly, often only perceptibly. All of this together forms the basis for the complications and designs for which Franck Muller is known – from Perpetual Calendars up to Multi-axis tourbillons.

^{The Revolution is a world premiere and one of the masterpieces of the Franck Muller collection. After years of development, Franck Muller revolutionized the watchmaking industry with the production of the world's very first three-axis tourbillon: the Revolution 3.}

Studios full of light, concentration and atmosphere

As if that weren't fascinating enough, visitors to the third and fourth buildings of the complex can now experience the watchmakers' workshops. Not large rooms with long rows of workbenches, but airy studios where specialized teams work on their complications, assembling "their" watches from start to finish. Each team works independently in its own bright, modern Swiss setting, in a quiet and focused environment.

My highlight:

the studio, which revolves around the Tourbillons cares:

Eight workbenches, aligned with a panoramic window offering an unobstructed view of Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc massif. Despite – or perhaps because of – this distraction, some of the Maison's most impressive timepieces are created here, including the signature... Revolution Tourbillons.

The journey of a watch – and ours

The ground floor and basement of the last building house the shipping and storage areas. From here, the finished watches begin their journey around the world – following the same path we traveled today: from raw material to finished timepiece.

A visit to Watchland reveals just how much this place shapes the watches created here. The buildings, the people, the craftsmanship, the tranquil yet creative atmosphere, the view of the lake stretching to Mont Blanc – everything flows, both visibly and invisibly, into the work.

And us? We can hardly wait for our next visit. Next time we'll delve even deeper – and capture even more of this special atmosphere.

Our very special thanks go to:
Thanks to Mr. Ralf Kern for making this visit possible, and to the entire team that accompanied us through Watchland, to all the watchmakers, experts and specialists whom we were allowed to distract from their work with our questions!