Tonneau-shaped watches are usually behind round or rectangle watches on the popularity scale, but there are some exceptions, the Franck Muller Vanguard being one of them. An offshoot of the classical Cintrée Curvex, this relatively new collection represents a younger, more dynamic Franck Muller as it features robust dimensions, bold aesthetics, strong curves, and bright colors – hence the name Vanguard. Its larger than average size also requires a big personality to pull off, although being large also brings along other advantages, namely, more space to show off what’s inside the watch.

New for 2016, the Vanguard Grande Date has much to share and with a fully openworked dial, hides nothing. This is exactly the kind of watch you’d want to be wearing on an idle weekend afternoon, a glass of wine in one hand and loupe on the other. Through the sapphire crystal, you could easily make out the shape of the movement, which follows exactly that of the case. Not that this has any practical function, but it is always nice to know that the movement is dedicated to the watch.

Its Côtes de Genève finishing provides a neat backdrop to the layers of bridges and skeletonised wheels on top. Both chronograph counters are see-through, as is the grande date display, which is especially alluring with a stepped wheel for the individual digits of the date. All of the components have been hand-beveled or circular-grained or decorated with Côtes de Genève. The Vanguard Grande Date is available in four material variations: titanium, stainless steel, rose gold, and carbon.

Specs

Dimensions: 44mm x 53.7mm

Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, grande date, chronograph

Power Reserve: 46 hours

Movement: Self-winding Calibre FM 7002V1GGDTC3

Case: Stainless steel, titanium, rose gold, or carbon

Water Resistance: 30 meters

Strap: Rubber-lined leather or nylon with deployant buckle

This article was first published in WOW.