Results for Franck Muller

At the Tour de France with Tissot

From the picturesque countryside of Lalinde to the historic town of Bergerac, deep in the heart of France’s Dordogne, Revolution joins Tissot on the Tour de France for the experience of a lifetime.

One Fixed Gear Bike, One IWC Big Pilot And 300km of The Tour De France

Insider View: State of the Industry Assessment

Our Special Correspondent Dr. Frank Müller gives his views on the State of the Industry. Pessimistic, or with an eye for optimism? Read and decide.

Keith at the Tour de France Finish Line

Introducing – The Brellum Pandial Power Reserve Black Titanium Chronometer LE

Independent and proudly small-scale, Brellum thrives carving its niche in modern Swiss watchmaking. Founded by fourth-generation watchmaker Sébastien Muller, the brand produces only 299 pieces per year, each officially COSC-certified, meticulously decorated, and sold directly to end consumers. Following the recent release of the Pandial Power Reserve Chronometer LE in steel, Brellum now offers a […]

Hands-On With The New Brellum Pandial Power Reserve Chronometer LE

During the past few years, we’ve covered many of Brellum’s new model introductions. The small brand produces tiny runs of its watches. While that may frustrate some, the company’s owner, Sébastien Muller, is known for communicating directly with customers. Plus, Brellum always brings a steady supply of releases each year. Today’s Pandial Power Reserve Chronometer […] Visit Hands-On With The New Brellum Pandial Power Reserve Chronometer LE to read the full article.

First Look – The New Brellum Pandial Power Reserve Chronometer LE, a Greatest-Hits of the Brand’s Catalogue

Independent and intentionally small, Brellum is the brand of fourth-generation watchmaker Sébastien Muller, and is built on three constants: COSC certification across the board, full movement decoration under a domed exhibition back, and direct-to-consumer production capped at 299 pieces a year. The catalogue splits into clear families. The Duobox, with its twin box sapphires and […]

Introducing – The New Brellum Pandial Marina Tricompax Chronometer

Founded in 2016 by Sébastien Muller, Brellum has consolidated a portfolio of well-built chronographs with a slightly vintage aura powered by chronometer-certified movements. With a limited production of around 299 watches a year, Brellum’s policy of direct sales allows the brand to keep its prices in check. The Pandial collection highlighted its racetrack credentials with […]

Introducing – The New Salmon Version of the Brellum Duobox Triple Calendar Moonphase

Founded in 2016 in the Swiss Jura by Sébastien Muller, a fourth-generation watchmaker, Brellum is an independent brand known for its direct-to-consumer model and limited annual production of no more than 299 COSC-certified chronometers. The brand debuted with the Duobox collection, recognised for its classic design, accessible pricing, and limited editions, including models featuring a […]

Introducing – The Pink Brellum Duobox 39 Mother-of-Pearl Chronometer

Brellum is a recent comer to the watch scene, founded by watchmaker Sébastien Muller in 2016. With a limited annual production of around 300 watches and an emphasis on chronographs with chronometer-certified movements, the brand’s direct sales policy (no intermediaries) means that Brellum can keep its prices in check. One of the first models we […]

Brellum Introduces a Smaller Version of their Duobox Chronograph

Sébastien Muller, a fourth-generation watchmaker, founded Brellum in 2017. Unlike many new brands, they did not pursue crowdfunding but adopted a more traditional approach. The first model released by Brellum was the Duobox, which was covered by Worn & Wound here. Since then, we have reported on several other releases by the brand. However, despite this coverage and similar attention from other outlets, Brellum does not appear to have the same visibility or market presence as many competitors. That is the impression I have, at least. Since 2017, they have quietly expanded into multiple product lines, exhibiting strong and distinctive brand coherence. They have successfully established their brand identity in such a way that their models are instantly recognizable as Brellum watches. In an industry as prolific, diverse, and prone to imitation as ours, achieving a high level of brand consistency is more challenging than one might expect, particularly if your designs are conservative. However, their watches do possess some flair, and all feature high-grade chronometer-certified movements. For 2024, Brellum is introducing a smaller version of their most popular model, the Duobox, along with a new chronograph movement in their collection. Introducing the Duobox 39 Chronometer Limited Edition. This watch is essentially a 39mm version featuring subdials at the 3, 6, and 9 positions. Many consider this arrangement more aesthetically pleasing than the standard ETA/VJ7750 dial layo...

First Look – The More Compact Brellum Duobox 39mm Chronometer Limited Edition

Brellum was founded in 2016 by Sébastien Muller, a fourth-generation watchmaker who set up shop in Porrentruy, Switzerland. With a limited production of around 299 watches a year and an emphasis on chronometer-certified movements, Brellum’s policy of direct sales to avoid middlemen allows the brand to keep its prices in check. One of this independent […]

First Look – The new Brellum Pandial Bicompax Titanium

Founded in 2016 by Sébastien Muller in the Swiss Jura, Brellum is a niche independent brand that uses a direct distribution model. Specializing in crafting vintage-inspired chronographs at attainable prices, Brellum produces only a few hundred watches annually, with no more than 299 pieces a year, including limited editions. The brand now proudly introduces its […]

First Look – The New Brellum Duobox Triple Calendar Moophase LE Chronometer

Established in 2016 by Sébastien Muller, a fourth-generation watchmaker, Brellum is an independent brand that employs a direct distribution model and offers exclusivity with only a few hundred pieces crafted each year, all COSC-certified chronometers. The Duobox, the brand’s inaugural collection, captured the hearts of enthusiasts with its timeless looks and competitive pricing, with several […]

Brellum Throws Their Hat into the GMT Ring with the Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer

Brellum is an up and coming independent brand that prides itself on its rich familial history in watchmaking. Founder Sebastian Muller can trace his family lineage of watchmakers all the way back to his great grandfather who set up his very own shop in 1910. The rest, as they say, is history. Brellum exists today with the intention of continuing the Mueller legacy by producing highly-crafted timepieces that, not only present with a thoughtful design for the modern day wearer, but to pay homage to their family’s passion for traditional Swiss watchmaking. Their surname is an anagram in the brand’s namesake afterall. Recently, the brand announced a very limited run of a handsome pilot’s chronograph equipped with a GMT function with the Brellum Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer. The dial is where the Brellum Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer shows a whole lot of flash without straying too far away from the traditional pilot’s watch aesthetic. And by flash, I mean that opalin silver-now dial. From the images, it seems that this dial has its own character all on its own, displaying a luster against radiant lighting, and then a more toned down matted white in neutral lighting. All of the dial markings use black as the main color for unmistakable legibility including the minute track, 24 hour display bordering the outer portion of the dial, and applied numeral hour markers. The subdials take up dial real-estate at six, twelve and nine with a date window sneaking into the six o’clock s...

MICRO MONDAYS: The Brellum Duobox LE.8 Chronometer artfully balances tradition and modernity

This is not the first time we’ve shown you a watch from Switzerland’s Brellum, an independent brand created in 2016 by fourth generation watchmaker Sébastien Muller. And although this is our Micro Mondays feature, Brellum is really established enough as a small manufacturer to deserve to be called an atelìer, with an exclusive production of … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Brellum Duobox LE.8 Chronometer artfully balances tradition and modernity appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Book Review: The Independent Spirit – Time Makers Since 1985

The Independent Spirit: Time Makers Since 1985. By Olivier Muller. AHCI.ch; CHF75.00 Conceived by the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI), the new book on independent watchmakers wants to address the persistent problem the founding members sought to remedy when they set up the association in 1985. Svend Andersen, one the two cofounders along with Vincent Calabrese, aptly describes the book in the foreword as a publication to raise awareness of independent watchmaking in a manner that’s not available from the mainstream watch press. In essence, the book is an update to The Hands of Time that was published 10 years ago for the AHCI’s 25th anniversary. Like the decade-old edition, the new book serves mainly to market the association’s members, with its structure being familiar to anyone who has seen the booklets that the AHCI has occasionally published, with each member is granted equal real estate to explain his work. The anniversary book of 2010 (left), and ‘The Independent Spirit’ A selection of AHCI booklets published over the last two decades In their own words… The AHCI’s 29 current members gets six pages each in The Independent Spirit, while the seven candidates for membership and 16 former members have one page each. Although Swiss watch journalist Olivier Müller is the “author” of the book, most of its content is a self-presentation by the watchmakers. In my reading, even his editing of their prose must have been restrain...

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: 19th August, 2016 – the 0.1% edition

This week we’re all about the finer things in life, and those who can afford them. So, crack open the ’61 Chateau Latour and allow your butler to read you this week’s edition of the Friday Wind Down. What happened? We posted our video review of the most complicated watch ever made – the Franck … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: 19th August, 2016 – the 0.1% edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Glashütte Original Opens New Dial Atelier In Pforzheim

Dear readers, On March 6, 2013, Günter Wiegand, Managing Director of Glashütte Original, presided over the opening of a modern factory in Pforzheim, Germany, for the manufactory’s own production of watch dials. The building has 1.300 m2 surface for production of sophisticated dials.   Together with the branch director Kurt Müller (on the left), Günter Wiegand (on the right) […]

Just Because: A Few Standout Pieces From Quincy Jones’ Collection Are Heading To Auction

Quincy Jones was an absolute king. He was a towering figure in the music industry, leaving an indelible stamp on popular culture through his producing, arranging, and film score work. From early collaborations with Count Basie, Ray Charles, and Frank Sinatra to producing one of the top-selling albums of all time (Thriller by Michael Jackson), not to mention We Are The World, he made the soundtrack for many of our lives. During a well-lived lifetime spanning 91 years, he was rewarded with accolades, including the entertainment industry grand slam 'EGOT' (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards).  There were also plenty of watches and jewelry gifted and collected during his epic life and career. Now some of Quincy Jones' unique pieces are heading to auction at Christie's in Geneva this month. We got a sneak preview of some of the catalog, including these three pieces, that the family has consigned. A couple of them were gifts from notable celebrities to Jones. They all give a sense of some of the objects worn and cherished by one of the most important figures in entertainment history.  Girard-Perregaux World Time Control Shadow 'Quincy Jones' Sized at 43mm in diameter with both a flyback chronograph and a worldtime complication, this Girard-Perregaux, dated from 2011, has a lot going on. The beefy case features a smooth black ceramic exterior, a titanium caseback, and an interior housing, in a size and style that's very representative of the era for the Swiss brand. The watch...

SJX Podcast: Independent Highlights from Geneva

During Watches & Wonders, all eyes are on the major brands exhibiting inside the cavernous Palexpo. Episode 38 of the SJX Podcast rounds up the highlights from the smaller fairs like AHCI and Time to Watches, and the independents exhibiting on their own around town. Among the standouts were Mathieu Cleguer, who debuted a novel escapement of his own design, Dominique Renaud who launched a 1 Hz balance, and Franc Vila, who seems to be entering a new era of creativity. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

State of the Industry: Vontobel on the Redrawn Watch Market

Last month Vontobel published its annual report on the Swiss watch industry, revealing a startling shakeup for the pecking order, with a rapidly growing share of the market going to industry giants, anaemic growth, and a few signs of hope. Another of the key points made in the report published by Vontobel, a family-controlled Swiss private bank, is influence of external factors beyond the industry’s control, like the strong Swiss franc and continuously climbing gold prices, but which have nonetheless played a major role in its recent development. Long the go-to publication for industry insiders, the Vontobel watch report has been published annually for well over a decade - and since 2021, the report has been authored by Jean-Philippe Bertschy, the bank’s head of Swiss equity research (pictured above). The strong franc Before getting into the numbers, it’s worth looking at the broader macroeconomic environment affecting the industry. The strong franc and weak dollar are headwinds for the export-oriented Swiss watch industry, and, like erratic US trade policy and soaring gold prices, entirely outside its control. In nominal terms, total Swiss watch exports declined for the second year in a row, down 1.7% to CHF25.5 billion, following a 2.8% decline the year before. However, the Swiss franc’s appreciation casts a more sympathetic light on these numbers. For example, if you sold a watch for US$100 this time last year, that revenue would have converted to about CHF90....

Monochrome Monopusher: The Montre de Souscription 5 by Angelus

On the heels of its sold-out collaboration with Habring² back in December, Monochrome is back with a vintage-oriented monopusher chronograph in collaboration with Angelus. The Montre de Souscription 5 Angelus Chronographe Tachymètre (MdS5) is a subtle riff on the brand’s Chronographe Télémètre, which walked away with the Chronograph Prize at least year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). Initial thoughts I had the chance to see the MdS5 on the wrist of Monochrome founder Frank Geelen during Dubai Watch Week, and the watch makes a statement with its compact proportions. In fact, it could almost pass for a vintage watch. While historical reissues are made in abundance, they are often unnecessarily up-sized to suit modern tastes. At just 37 mm, the MdS5 has a tidy footprint on the wrist, and the 9.25 mm case height makes for a low profile. Interestingly, the watch could actually be a little smaller, given the compact proportions of the La Joux-Perret A5000, a manually wound monopusher chronograph movement descended from a construction first developed at THA by independent watchmaking royalty, including François-Paul Journe, Denis Flageollet, and Vianney Halter. This lineage gives the movement cachet, though the La Joux-Perret movement is in reality a distant relation of the THA (and Jaquet) original. As a souscription series, as many as 20 pieces of the MdS5 will be made, assuming enough demand, with a non-refundable deposit due up front. The watch goes o...

Recap – The Best Stories of the Evergreens in 2025, Our Series About the Icons of Watchmaking

Ever since the creation of MONOCHROME, the idea of Frank Geelen, our Founder, has been to educate readers about the world of watches at large, whether by explaining some of the most complex technical features (let me quote him) “in a way your mother could understand it”, by bringing attention to independent watchmakers that mainstream […]

The Petrolhead Corner – The Best Stories from the Petrolhead Corner

For about six years now, we have been entertaining you, hopefully, with our Petrolhead Corner stories. The idea came from the fact that at least three of us (Frank, Brice and I) are absolute car-nuts, as much as we are watch-nuts. We also felt it offered something of a break from the onslaught of news […]

The Piaget Andy Warhol Collage Limited Edition is a Luxurious Tribute to the Iconic Artist

I am often asked by people unfamiliar with Pittsburgh what they should do when in my hometown. Other than eating fries on a salad (yes, it’s a regional dish and yes it’s great), seeing a Pirates game, and checking out Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, the recommendations usually always turn to the Andy Warhol Museum.  Many people would be surprised to know that Warhol, an iconoclast of the 60’s New York counterculture scene, is a Pittsburgh native. The grey skies, patchwork of neighborhoods, and working-class personality of the Steel City don’t necessarily jive with the glamour of Warhol and his Factory. But, nonetheless, his native son status endears me to him. That is why I’m quite interested in Piaget’s collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation, and the release of their limited-edition Collage watch. As many may know, the artist was a bit of a compulsive collector and one of his hobbies was watches. Upon his death, there were seven Piagets, four of which returned to the Swiss maison. This, in turn, sparked the beginnings for a partnership that, I believe, elevates Warhol’s legacy beyond pop art into the luxury world. The Collage is as much a balance of Piaget’s house design as it is a celebration of Warhol’s work. The creative team behind the Swiss brand took six months to even find a starting point, traveling to New York to view the artist’s archives and trying to find a balance between iteration without being too on-the-nose.  “With such...

Hands-On: The New Omega Speedmaster Grey Side Of The Moon With Caliber 3869

Apollo 8 was the first space flight to reach the Moon. On board were NASA astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders. It took them 68 hours to travel to the Moon, and during the first 66 hours, the spacecraft’s windows were facing Earth. Apollo 8 needed to swing behind the Moon (in total, […] Visit Hands-On: The New Omega Speedmaster Grey Side Of The Moon With Caliber 3869 to read the full article.

The Laurent Ferrier effect: why are watch experts so smitten with the Sport Auto?

Why are Kristian Haagen and Monochrome Watches' Frank Geelen (and us here at Time+Tide, too) so smitten with the Sport Auto?The post The Laurent Ferrier effect: why are watch experts so smitten with the Sport Auto? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Hands-on – The New Laurent Ferrier Classic Tourbillon in Teal Green (Incl. Video)

Laurent Ferrier is among the most laureled independent watchmakers in recent years, and for good reason. The brand seems to effortlessly blend shapes, colours and mechanics into fascinating yet elegantly discreet watches, even if we’re dealing with a world timer or a tourbillon watch. A prime example is the Sport Auto, one of Frank Geelen’s (our […]

Remembering The Legacy Of Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell

Last week, on August 7, 2025, Captain Jim Lovell, Apollo 13 Commander, passed away at the age of 97 in Lake Forest, Illinois. Jim Lovell Beyond Apollo 13, Jim Lovell’s NASA career was filled with key assignments. He first flew as pilot-alongside Frank Borman-on Gemini 7 in 1965. This nearly 14-day endurance mission served as […] Visit Remembering The Legacy Of Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell to read the full article.