Franck Muller Cintree Curvex Men Chronograph 8880 CC AT OG

Franck Muller Giga Gong Tourbillon: Big and Loud

When Swiss watchmaker Franck Muller released the original "Giga Tourbillon" watch a few years ago, it was a statement to collectors and the watch industry. With the Giga Tourbillon, Franck Muller builds the largest-diameter tourbillon ever made. A source of pride for the brand, it claims to remain an innovator in the watch industry – just a few years after the financial crisis caused serious problems. For collectors, it's a symbol of hope that "Franck Muller still has it". So what is a tourbillon and why is it important? Many ultra-high-end watch movements feature a balance wheel that spins on its own axis—this is a tourbillon. As complex as it is beautiful, the tourbillon is a status symbol in the context of high-end timepieces, meaning "

The Giga Tourbillon features an oversized version of the brand's signature tonneau-shaped "curve" case, with a fun skeletonized dial that looks like a surprised face. The two massive barrels are like eyes (the pupils are synthetic rubies), while the tourbillon is like an open mouth. Symmetrical designs are very common in mechanical watch movements, and we can't help feeling that brands such as Franck Muller are deliberately making "face-shaped" dials. Maybe there's a nice way for people to connect with their watches?

The original Franck Muller Giga Tourbillon - as well as this new version - both provide ample power reserves to the movement. These two large barrels, 16mm wide, have enough energy to power the movement for 9 days. The original hand-wound movement was updated in 2013 with the release of the Giga Gong Tourbillon. "Giga Gong" sounds even silly when said "Giga Tourbillon," but it does neatly sum up what the watch is all about. "Gong" refers to the set of gongs and hammers included in a watch as part of the striking complication. Like ancient timepieces, the purpose of a striking watch is to strike the hour on the hour.

Fortunately, striking watches do have an on and off function activated by a pusher under the crown. Another more classic term for a chiming watch is "sonnerie", although a sonnerie watch can come in many forms. This one happens to strike every hour. Not only that, but the mechanism "chimes" the time by chiming enough time to indicate that it is now "two chimes at 2 o'clock". Dedicated watch lovers may have spotted something quirky from the watch - the gong is not round.

This is something I'm curious to investigate myself. To the left of the dial is a hammer for striking the thin metal sheet that usually wraps around the movement. Usually round, in this case the gong is more squared to follow the shape of the 18k rose gold case. In terms of appearance and function, the Giga Gong Tourbillon is beautiful with its open movement and high level of decoration. A black 'giga' tourbillon case with Franck Muller 'FM' lettering initially completes the package. This is a big, loud watch, both visually and literally, for those who want some serious seriousness on their wrist.