The Franck Muller Vanguard Skeleton Colour Dreams is a joyful riot of mad-cap fun
Borna BošnjakEver wondered what happens when you take the colour wheel and throw it at a watch with extreme craftsmanship and precision? Well, we recently found out. Franck Muller and colour share a healthy, two decade-long relationship, marked by the release of the first Colour Dreams model during the turn of the millennium. From the Crazy Hours to even a Colour Dreams eau de parfum, the vibrant features of the collection have enjoyed great success within the brand’s line-up. The Franck Muller Vanguard Skeleton Colour Dreams that Andrew is taking a look at in this video expands the concept from its origins on the numerals, spreading to the lattice-like construction of the bridges.
The main attraction, courtesy of a colourful calibre
It would be remiss of me to talk of the dial and movement of the Vanguard Skeleton Colour Dreams separately, as they’re essentially one and the same in this watch. The colourful anodised aluminium bridges stand proudly on display beneath the domed sapphire crystal. Shades of red, orange, blue and violet grace the hand-chamfered and mirror polished bevels, with more colours making up the wheels, small seconds markings and hands.
There are some markings around the small chapter ring, mainly denoting the minutes, model and power reserve – all in alternating colours, of course. All of this makes for a rather difficult time reading it. Speaking of intentions however, if your main intention for this piece is accurately determining the time, I’m sorry to say, but yours are misplaced. May I suggest a diver?
Partially responsible for this paint-can explosion is the movement, more of which can be seen through the display caseback. Designated FM 1740-VS2, it features a seven-day power reserve coming from twin barrels, fed to the gear train via an in-house escapement beating at 18,000 vph. Apart from the aforementioned hand-finishing, it also has polished main plate and bridge recesses, with the small baseplate satin-finished on one side and microblasted on the other.
Stealthy, lightweight case
Rather than using a traditional carbon weave the likes of which you may find on a fancy sports automobile, the Vanguard’s curved case is machined out of a single block of carbon sheets, stacked atop each other and compressed. The pattern is clearly visible, especially side-on, reminiscent of that of a damascus steel knife.
Much like any other Vanguard case, the Skeleton Colour Dreams features a seam line, splitting the case sides in two. The model that we had the pleasure of filming has an insert in yellow anodised aluminium, but it’s also available in orange and red. Measuring in at 42.50mm across the case and 52.70mm lug-to-lug, its curved nature helps the large dimensions wear a lot more feasibly. The height of 12.60mm helps too, reducing the visual bulk which is further helped by the overall airiness that comes from the extensively skeletonised movement.
The integrated leather strap is stitched to match the case insert, finished in a PVD-coated folding buckle, while the dark grey, muted tones of the carbon case and black strap really help offset the colourful dial.
Franck Muller Vanguard Skeleton Colour Dreams pricing and availability:
The Vanguard Skeleton Colour Dreams is a special edition for Southeast Asia and Australia only. Price: A$89,800
| Brand | Franck Muller |
| Model | Vanguard 7 Days Power Reserve Skeleton Colour Dreams |
| Reference Number | 43 S6 SQT COL DR NR CARBON |
| Case Dimensions | 42.50mm x 52.0mm x 12.60mm |
| Case Material | Carbon |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal on btoh sides |
| Dial | Skeletonised, with anodised aluminium bridges |
| Strap | Black alligator strap with coloured stitching and PVD-coated folding buckle |
| Movement | FM 1740-VS2 |
| Price | A$89,800 |