Back in 2015, I had a quick glance at an homage watch--or perhaps a replica--of a classic Franck Muller design. A co-worker was wearing an intriguing design with an elongated case and at six o'clock a window into the heart of the watch. An original, he said would cost $30,000 or more. Of course, I am philosophically opposed to any actual counterfeit watch. I believe that customers should buy the authentic watch or an homage that has its own branding and doesn't infringe on trademarks. However, the encounter was enough to pique my curiosity about the real thing.
Franck Muller Watches On Amazon
On Amazon, I found several Franck Muller watches for sale. The first one that caught my eye was this Franck Muller Vanguard watch.
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| Franck Muller Vanguard watch (photo on Amazon) |
While it's not $35,000, it's not a watch that I can afford. As of 2024, most of the designs shown on Amazon have an elongated tonneau design, an automatic movement, and a price tag between $5,000 and $12,000.
Another popular design from Franck Muller is the Long Island watch which offers inimical designs, automatic movements, and a wide variety of price tags on various internet outlets. That $30,000 figure quoted by my former co-worker is not out of the ballpark.
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| A Franck Muller "Long Island" Watch |
Low Price Alternatives to Franck Muller Watches
If these are out of your price range, Muller's design influence is felt throughout the horological world. As of 2024 on Amazon, this Invicta Specialty Tonneau watch shows the influence of Franck Muller. However, the Invicta logos and shapes are also quite evident.
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| Invicta Specialty Tonneau Watch (Amazon photo) |
Beyond that, Frank Miura watches bear a resemblance to Muller's design, but with perhaps with a bit more funkiness to fit the sub-$100 price point. The Chinese characters on the dial don't disguise that this isn't a Franck Muller design. The watch below is less than $50 and can be found here on Amazon.
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| Franck Miura Watch |
The most interesting Frank Miura design is this Macau Gambling Watch below that includes actual gambling dice in the bottom part of the dial.
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| Frank Miura Macau GamblingWatch |
I like the diversity that this school of design adds to watch collecting. I love that people can find unique watches that reflect their own style choices.
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