The Franck Muller Round Skeleton Baguette 31 shows off skeletonisation on a small scale

Buffy Acacia

As a brand, Franck Muller is readily associated with its tonneau cases, Alice in Wonderland style of numerals, and its whimsical approach to high watchmaking. But if you look past the lavish flavour, past the fanciful attitude, and past the celebrities who wear them, you’ll be reminded of Franck Muller’s technical excellence. The Franck Muller Round Skeleton Baguette 31 is a prime example of what the brand is capable of in terms of gem setting, case finishing, movement design, and quality. It’s not a company to make things easy on itself, and reducing the size of its Round Skeleton from 39mm to 31mm was a tall order.

The case

Previously available in 39mm or 42mm sizes, the Franck Muller Round Skeleton had quite a lot of room to play with. The diameter of this version is actually only 30.5mm, so the model name is rounding up. It’s 9.85mm thick, which is a nice level of slenderness considering the depth of everything. A skeletonised watch like this breaks down boundaries between the dial and movement, but the case acts like the frame of a painting. In this instance, the frame is just as ornate as the centrepiece. To call the watch “Round Skeleton” does a disservice to its elegance, as the circular case is full of detail that sets it apart from plenty of “round” cases. It has polished segments between the areas that are set with diamonds, retaining structure with the sparkle.

The lugs emerge between those polished sections, supporting the case while separate from it, in a way that evokes the soldered lugs of custom-made wristwatches before the 20th century. Those lugs are elevated by three baguette-cut stones each, continuing the grandeur of the gem-set bezel. There are five total references of the Round Skeleton Baguette 31, all using lab-grown gemstones. One uses blood red rubies, another has pure white diamonds, the third is set with emeralds, and then there’s one with deep blue sapphires. Finally, there’s a rainbow reference which has an assortment of stones including yellow, blue and purple sapphires, red rubies, and green tsavorite garnets.

The dial

I do love skeletonised dials, but honestly, a trained eye can notice when it’s been done specifically to be cost-effective. Usually, it’s an off-the-shelf movement with a couple of holes and no dial to hide them, and while the effect is cool, there’s not much room for artistry. On the other hand, the Franck Muller Round Skeleton Baguette 31 was designed from the ground up as a skeletonised movement, and it shows. The various bridges, struts, and housings for screws and bearings are arranged with intent, creating an almost steampunk look of curves, exposed gears, and geometry. Watching the escapement beat through the dial is always entertaining, as is tracking the power’s progress across the train of gears.

Skeletonised watches aren’t renowned for their legibility, simply because there are too many details that draw the eye. However, the Round Skeleton Baguette 31 uses a set of poire hands to track the hours and minutes, with a small seconds indicator down at 6 o’clock. There’s a chapter ring around the dial’s perimeter with minute markers and bold printing for the hours, along with the Franck Muller logo and “Geneve” text. The watches in 18k rose gold have matching gold-toned dials, while the white gold models with silver components allow the hands to stand out more.

The movement

As previously hinted, shrinking a skeletonised movement down from a 39mm case to a 31mm one isn’t just a case of scaling down the digital file and hitting “go” on a CNC machine. The MVT FM 1540-RS was constructed with the same finesse as its larger siblings to ensure its flair remained the same. As a time-only movement with a petite seconde that’s wound manually, there really isn’t a lot of complexity beyond its architecture. However, the fact that Franck Muller has crammed in a power reserve of 96 hours is really impressive. The movement components are all on show: you can see the large mainspring sitting behind a ruby bearing at 12 o’clock, as well as the balance spring at 7:30 (or 04:30, if you flip the watch over), and the keyless works at 3. Of course, the view from the rear of the watch is beautiful too, with a sapphire caseback and no winding rotor to obstruct.

The strap

Depending on which reference you go for, you’ll end up with one of several colourful alligator leather straps with calf leather backing. They also have colour-matched stitching, keeping a homogenous look that compliments the gemstones in the bezel. Curved spring bars always contribute to a luxurious feel, as they allow leather straps to hug the case and not let a peek of your wrist show through. The buckle is made from 18k gold and is also set with more baguette gemstones, fitting them in wherever Franck Muller can.

The verdict

Although the case size and gem-set nature of the Franck Muller Round Skeleton Baguette 31 does theoretically put it in a stereotypical women’s category, I do appreciate that there’s nothing overtly feminine about the watch. It’s certainly glamorous and exuberant, but can suit any small wrist with the right attitude to pull it off. The assortment of colours has been chosen well, as was the gradient of the rainbow bezel version, and it doesn’t feel like any detail has been brushed over. Add in the in-house movement, and it’s hard to find anything not to like about it.

Franck Muller Round Skeleton Baguette 31 price and availability

The Franck Muller Round Skeleton Baguette 31 is now available exclusively within the Asia-Pacific region. Price: CHF 81,200 (~US$89,710), CHF 101,200 (Emerald, ~US$111,810)

Brand	Franck Muller
Model	Round Skeleton Baguette 31
Case Dimensions	30.5mm (D) x 9.85mm (T)
Case Material	18k rose or white gold
Water Resistance	30 metres
Crystal(s)	Sapphire front and back
Dial	Skeletonised
Strap	Alligator leather, curved spring bars, gem-set 18k gold pin buckle
Movement	MVT FM 1540-RS, in-house, manual
Power Reserve	96 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds
Availability	Asia-Pacific exclusive
Price	CHF 81,200 (~US$89,710) CHF 101,200 (Emerald, ~US$111,810)