Key Highlights
- Tourbillon repositioned from 6 o’clock to the absolute centre of the dial, with hour and minute hands orbiting around the cage
- In-house MVT FM CX 36T-CTR movement, 313 components, eccentric micro rotor self-winding, 4-day power reserve
- 18K rose gold case, 36 mm wide × 53.1 mm long, following the iconic Cintree Curvex silhouette
- Open caseback with Côte de Genève finishing; edge-to-edge sapphire crystal front
- Diamond version available: 26.12 carats of baguette-cut diamonds in invisible setting on case and dial
- Integrated strap fixed by two concealed screws; hand-stitched edges
- Assembled entirely at Franck Muller’s Watchland manufacture in Genthod, Switzerland
Quick Take
The Curvex CX Grand Central Tourbillon is Franck Muller’s most architecturally radical wristwatch in recent memory. It does not simply add a complication — it reorganises the entire logic of a dial around one.
Moving the tourbillon from its conventional 6 o’clock address to the geometric centre required rebuilding the movement’s component hierarchy from scratch. The result is a timepiece where the complication is the dial, not a feature within it.
Design & Mechanics
The case follows the Curvex CX tonneau form: 36 mm wide, 53.1 mm long, cut from an 18K rose gold block. The separate bezel allows a refined two-tone treatment, and reduced side material opens sightlines to the curves without compromising structure.
An edge-to-edge sapphire crystal sits flush with the case, and the integrated strap attaches via two concealed screws rather than traditional spring bars — a small construction detail that reads as considered rather than merely clever.
Movement & Materials
The calibre is the in-house MVT FM CX 36T-CTR, comprising 313 components. An eccentric micro rotor drives self-winding, and the power reserve extends to four days — a specification rarely seen in a Franck Muller tourbillon, where manually wound movements have historically been the rule.
The caseback is open, revealing Côte de Genève stripes alongside a bridge that doubles as the seconds indicator for the tourbillon. The contrast between that classical finishing and the unconventional front-dial architecture is deliberate, and it works.
For those drawn to haute joaillerie, a fully set version places 26.12 carats of baguette-cut diamonds across the case and dial using the invisible setting technique — prongs concealed, surface uninterrupted. The Master Jumper Skeleton and the Vanguard Aero Revolution 3 similarly demonstrate how Franck Muller layers technical ambition with finishing craft across its collections.
Who It Is For
This piece addresses the collector who finds conventional tourbillon placement predictable. The central cage turns every glance at the time into an encounter with mechanical motion — there is nowhere else for the eye to go.
At 36 mm × 53.1 mm, the Curvex CX case wears comfortably for most wrist sizes, and the rose gold with warm dial tones positions it naturally for formal occasions and private moments rather than active settings. The diamond version takes it further into ceremonial territory without abandoning horological credibility.
It also speaks to anyone following Watches and Wonders closely, where architectural reinvention of classic complications has become the dominant collector conversation of the decade.
Final Verdict
Franck Muller built its reputation on grand complications that break convention. The Curvex CX Grand Central Tourbillon is the clearest recent statement of that position. Centering the tourbillon is not a visual trick — it demanded a full mechanical rethink, delivered through an entirely in-house movement with a 4-day reserve.
Every element — the rose gold block, the integrated strap, the Côte de Genève caseback, the invisible-set diamond option — follows the same internal logic: reinvention grounded in craft. Assembled at Watchland in Genthod, it carries the traceability that serious collectors require.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What movement powers the Franck Muller Curvex CX Grand Central Tourbillon?
The watch is powered by the in-house MVT FM CX 36T-CTR movement, composed of 313 components with a self-winding system driven by an eccentric micro rotor and a 4-day power reserve.
What makes the tourbillon placement in the Curvex CX Grand Central Tourbillon unusual?
Rather than the conventional 6 o'clock position, Franck Muller relocated the tourbillon cage to the very centre of the dial. The hour and minute hands orbit around it in a circular display, achieved through a stacking of components without adding thickness to the case.
What are the case dimensions and material of the Curvex CX Grand Central Tourbillon?
The case is crafted from an 18K rose gold block, measuring 36 mm in width and 53.1 mm in length, following the brand's signature Curvex CX tonneau silhouette.
Is there a diamond-set version of the Curvex CX Grand Central Tourbillon?
A version entirely set with baguette-cut diamonds on the case and dial is available, featuring a total of 26.12 carats applied using Franck Muller's iconic invisible setting technique.
Where is the Curvex CX Grand Central Tourbillon manufactured?
Every component is designed, crafted and assembled at Franck Muller's Watchland manufacture in Genthod, Switzerland.
