In my article on the Chronoswiss Grand Opus Singapore Grand Prix I mentioned the Franck Muller Conquistador GP Chronograph released last year.  A new piece from the brand has just come to my attention, the Franck Muller Conaquistador Grand Prix Tourbillon.

Franck Muller Conquistador Grand Prix Tourbillon Rose Gold

It is no secret that Franck Muller has taken a less prominent role in recent years from the day-to-day running of the brand which he founded in 1992 with Vartan Sirmakes, the renowned Haute Horlogerie watch case expert, however the instantly recognisable, slightly quirky case and dial designs are still very much in evidence as are the complications housed within.  After all this is the brand who presented to the industry the astounding Aeternitas Mega 4, a piece so complicated that it not only raised the bar for other manufacturers, it made it almost unattainable.

The Franck Muller Conquistador Tourbillon is the latest piece in the Grand Prix Collection and like most of the sportier pieces from this brand is a magnificent, handsome brute.

Franck Muller Conquistador Grand Prix Tourbillon

The piece is available in two versions, 18 carat rose gold or with titanium and Ergal ( not a mountain peak in Ireland, but a high-tech alloy of the super strong/super light variety).  The Conquistador measures 48mm x 62.7mm, but I bet you wouldn’t know it – all thanks to that curvy Cintrée Curvex body.  In the pursuit of symmetry, and of course because they are Franck Muller, the designers have come up with the curious but clever addition of two crowns, even though only one is actually functional! The outsize tourbillon also serves as a small seconds counter.

The Franck Muller Conquistador Tourbillon specifications:

Reference:    9900 T GP
Calibre:    FM 2001R11
Movement:    Manually wound mechanical movement
Dimensions of Movement:    34mm  x  31.20mm  x  Height: 5.30 mm
Tourbillon:    Flying Tourbillon on a ball bearing with ceramic balls, visible in the dial
Display:    Hours, minutes, seconds with options on the Tourbillon.
Crown Functions:    2 positions:  1- Winding the watch, 2- Setting the time
Rotor:    Platinum 950 segmented rotor
Power Reserve:    60 hours
Frequency:    18’000 vibrations / hour
Number of Components:    193
Number of Jewels:    21
Movement Decoration: Côtes de Genève, diamond polishing, hand-bevelling,  circular graining, bi-colour rhodium-plating
Dial:    Dial flammé with cellulose varnish and appliques numerals.
Case:    Cintrée Curvex – 3 executions: Ergal and Titanium; Rose Gold and Titanium, Titanium and Titanium.
Case Measurements:    Width: 48.00 mm  x Length: 62.70 mm x Height: 14.60mm
Strap:    Exterior Alligator and interior Alcantara hand-sewn with logo on the strap.

Our thanks to Franck Muller for assisting with this article.

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