One of the true pioneers of the watchmaking renaissance of the 1990s, Franck Muller’s name will forever be synonymous with his eponymous brand and the bold designs it popularized.

Born in 1958 in Switzerland, Muller had an interest and aptitude in the mechanical arts from an early age — an interest that turned to gifted study and a stint as a watch restorer, including working on many pieces currently in the Patek Philippe Museum. In the 1980s, Franck Muller began making watches under his own name, quickly earning a reputation for his tourbillons and other complex designs as well as the so briquet “The Master of Complications.”

Franck Muller 1986 World Première — a tourbillon with jump hour and regulator-type dial

In 1991, he partnered with Vartan Sirmakes, to build the Franck Muller brand. His technical skill and undeniable flair established Franck Muller as one of the defining brands of the 1990s and 2000s, thanks in no small part to the remarkable Cintrée Curvex case design and complications like the Crazy Hours. Perhaps most importantly, though, Franck Muller added glamor and style to an oftentimes stuffy business.

Franck Muller Cintrée Curvex Crazy Hours