Page 2 of Watchland by Franck Muller

designed to make it as easy as possible to create and manufacture watches many companies try to provide good working conditions but the reality is often a manufacturing floor that is crowded stress-inducing almost antiseptic watchland is one of the few places i have visited where the beauty and comfort of the work environment is given such high priority sirmakes believes that workers must be comfortable and happy if the franck muller brands are going to be successful watchland s environment is an important factor in employee retention the high complications workshop on the top floor of the main building could easily be mistaken for a master watchmaker s atelier of another century the room is completely finished in wood with the carved eaves and buttresses of the building just outside through the wrap-around windows which afford the best view of watchland here the only concessions to modernity are a computer and a phone watchland provides an environment that keeps workers happy and promotes creativity an element that is essential to the franck muller brand as an example sirmakes says we have an apprenticeship program that allows young watchmakers to advance if someone has a good idea or a different way of doing things that makes sense we give them a chance the franck muller brand has become known for creating out there products from big statement watches to crazy twists on traditional time presentations to amazing complications this is our concept to be a master of time sirmakes explains we have tourbillons repeaters perpetual calendars and other classical complications but we also have another culture of communicating timekeeping when you put on the crazy hours watch for example you see it s different not just hours and minutes not classical this is a result of our research department developing new ideas it is our direction and where our clients want us to go people want fun watches and we provide them with more choices creative thinking extends to the group s business plan as well commenting on the acquisitions that have built the company s holdings to five brands sirmakes assures me that franck muller is not becoming like swatch or richemont we have our own way of doing things there is more freedom and more creativity each brand has its own vision its own design and i never influence this vision when we consider acquiring a brand the process begins with a feeling he continues when we acquired rodolphe i considered this when we acquired barthelay the first thing we considered was this feeling we want to make sure there is synergy there are two types of watchmaking concepts one looks only at figures whereas mine is more about creation shape design and color i prefer my concept any discussion of the franck muller brand must include franck muller the insync clockwise from top left the watchmaker s atelier the high complications workshop franck muller s 7880 magic time 1 an r&d meeting the 7880 dhr both watches are from the cintrée curvex line 148 april 2007

[close]