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Franck Muller Vanguard Line Cut

Reduced to just right.

First announced as an exclusive to its retailers in France two years ago, the Vanguard Line Cut is a departure from the usual Franck Muller offerings. With just two hands and surrounded by sandblasted titanium, the Line Cut is monochrome, sleek, thin, and as minimalist as Franck Muller.

Franck Muller, known for its large watches with exaggerated styles, did something different with the Vanguard Line Cut. It's essentially a flatter, sleeker version of its Vanguard.

But Line Cut is more than just nips and folds. The Line Cut feels amazing on the hand and wrist. The feel is different from the typical Franck Muller, lighter, more slender and restrained. Like all tonneau-shaped Franck Muller watches, the case is slightly curved so it fits snugly on the wrist.

Unlike most other watches in this segment that emphasize angles and straight lines, such as the Bulgari Octo Finissimo, the Line Cut is completely rounded and has soft edges, making it extremely comfortable to wear.

And Line Cut is equipped with a new movement specially developed for watches, which makes it more technically interesting. That said, the movement is a bit of a mystery, as Franck Muller has not provided any information about it other than the specifications, at least officially. The specifications indicate that the movement is indeed an in-house movement, as they do not correspond to any well-known movements. (From my informal knowledge of the movement, the construction is proven, robust and reliable.)

From a functional standpoint, the only downside to this watch is that it is water resistant to 30 meters. While more than enough for everyday wear, it's not enough for a real sports watch, at least 50m is required.

But the design of Line Cut on the dial is still a bit too much. The brand's name and garland logo appear in the series and model names at numbers 6 and 12. Most of the content could be cut and the watch would be more attractive but more recognizable as a Franck Muller.

Due to the simple style of this watch, I also wish there were finer details such as hands or applied numerals.

Overall, the Line Cut is an understated product in its class. Priced in line with alternatives, and offering comparable build quality, but with a smoother, more streamlined feel.

Introduced a few years ago as a sporty version of Franck Muller's signature case shape, the Vanguard is often bigger or larger. In fact, the recently launched 43mm model, although a large watch, is "medium-sized".

The Line Cut is essentially a flattened and simplified version of the smallest standard model, the Vanguard 41. Although the same diameter, the Line Cut is about a quarter thinner than the standard model. It does away with the seconds hand and date, and despite all the branding, it still has a clean, functional look.

As a result, the Line Cut measures 41mm x 50mm and is only 9.1mm tall, making it slim by comparison, but perfect for anyone wanting a mid-sized watch. It's worth noting that tonneau-shaped cases often lose their elegant silhouette beyond a certain size, but the Line Cut is just right. It's a larger watch, but it manages to maintain a stylish feel.

The Line Cut's 9.1mm height isn't extreme though - the Royal Oak "Jumbo" reference. 16202 for example is 8.1mm - feels much thinner than it looks. At the same time, it looks much thinner on the wrist than it actually is. This is largely due to the case's arched, tapering profile, which has historically been a key feature of Franck Muller's tonneau-shaped cases.

The only thing I don't like are the resin filled channels on the sides of the case. This is present in all Vanguard models and is intended to create the visual impression of a sandwich structure, where the two halves of the case meet. It is no doubt inspired by many brands that use similar structures, such as Hublot and Richard Mille.

On Line Cut, however, the channels are purely cosmetic. As far as I know, the case is one piece in the middle, so the channel is basically a carved groove filled with black resin. The removal of the channel will allow for a cleaner line of the case, reminiscent of the original Franck Muller Cintree Curvex watch from the 1990s. Fortunately, the channels are not noticeable when the watch is on the wrist.

The Line Cut uses the dial design of a standard Vanguard. It retains almost all of its appearance, except for the minute track, which has been simplified to just five-minute markers.

As I mentioned above, I'd prefer to simplify the dial design even further, but for a brand that likes its flamboyance, that might be overkill. In terms of execution, the dial is good enough, though not outstanding. For example, printing can be improved by increasing thickness and sharper definition.

Interestingly, the lines of the bracelet are slightly more complex than those of the case, with grooves on each edge of the links. Unlike many other watches in this category, the bracelet is not integrated into the case. Nonetheless, the bracelet fits the case very well visually.

In terms of feel, the bracelet scores high. It's lightweight and smooth to the touch, so it's comfortable to sit on.

The folding clasp is a bit thicker than it should be, especially compared to the height of the links. Meanwhile, the friction-fit closure of the clasp is basic for relatively expensive watches.

Something a little more complicated in terms of construction will take the bracelet to another level, such as a clasp embedded in the links or a clasp equipped with hidden buttons. Still, the bracelet gets the job done, so it will suffice. The in-house FM 708 movement makes its debut in Line Cut. Franck Muller himself doesn't say much, and there are no pictures available. The brand only says that the FM 708 was developed exclusively for this model, although it will certainly appear in other watches in time. The diameter and thickness of the movement and the frequency of 3.5 Hz do not correspond to any ordinary movement, confirming Franck Muller's claim that the FM 708 is an in-house movement.

Based on conversations with some brand insiders, I know that the fundamentals of the movement have been tried and tested, so it will be a strong performer.

The Line Cut looks and feels unlike any other Franck Muller, which means it will appeal to those who think the regular Franck Muller is too much in terms of design. It's also reasonably priced, both relative to Franck Muller's other watches and to its wider industry peers. The Line Cut is definitely something more Franck Muller should have done.

Franck Muller Vanguard Wire Cutting
refer to. V 41 S relative wire cutting

Diameter: 41mm x 50mm
Height: 9.1mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 meters

Movement: FM 708
Features: hours and minutes
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Clockwork: automatic
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Titanium bracelet