I started making mechanical watches as a profession in 1998.

This year is the 26th year, and I have seen, heard, and touched the mechanical watches of the time for about a quarter of a century.

I would like to share with you some trends and observations.

It will be in the form of my memoir, but I would appreciate it if you could join me.

I am fortunate.

In 1998, it was the same as it is now, but ROLEX was the most popular, with Cartier and BVLGARI.

These three brands are representative imported watch brands in terms of brand recognition and demand.

Franck Muller was the one to step in.

At that time, Franck Muller's momentum was tremendous and it was a huge and enthusiastic trend.

Comparison with the three popular brands above is that of an up-and-coming young genius independent watchmaker.

Although the phrase is not that rare, at that time the existence of independent watchmakers was not recognized at all. Until now, the trend of Swiss watch products in the Japanese market has been extremely polarized between classic models, which are traditional classics, and sports models, which represent ROLEX.

Franck Muller emerged as a kind of third force that did not belong to either of them.

Thank you.

This is just my personal interpretation of why Franck Muller has become so popular.

The innovative shape of the company's icon, the tonneau curvex, and the modern, stylish, and dynamic Arabic index dial and design really stuck with me.

The product concept is novel, impactful, and very easy to understand without any complicated elements. Until the 90s, people who were familiar with mechanical watches were rare.

In general, there were many people who could not distinguish between mechanical types, so

It is a kind of revolution that is not a preconceived idea.It is a simple 3-hand automatic winding mechanical watch that is easy to use even for beginners, and has a semi-custom feel with a variety of materials and a detailed size range for both male and female models. The strategy to create a sense of exclusivity is also clever, with the tonneau-shaped shape providing a natural fit based on ergonomics, and the movement's platinum rotor design adding a sense of luxury.

This major trend led to the creation of innovative blockbusters such as Conquistador and Crazy Hour one after another.

At that time, popularity expanded through pure word of mouth, rather than through social media as it does today.

Compared to the three popular super brands mentioned above, it has a presence as a living legend.

Mr. Franck Muller has a huge presence, and as a pioneer of watch manufacturers whose hands can be seen, his achievements in driving the boom in the watch market in the 90s are tremendous.