Casablanca is a timeless Hollywood movie that has made many hearts swell, including Frank Mueller, a master watchmaker and co-founder of the namesake label. Besides being one of the best romantic movies, the motion picture is also the reason for the birth of the classic Cintrée Curvex Casablanca. Ever-so sophisticated, chic and sporty, the timepiece sees influences of the movie and love story shared between the protagonists. Despite having launched more than two decades ago, the calf leather wrist companion was way ahead of its time; it has an art deco style design that is simple but exquisite and trailblazing, with many brands reviving the style today.
Though it is as rare as hen’s teeth these days — considering it was launched in 1998 — many are still on the hunt for the classic legend. But here’s the good news, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has launched a new Casablanca line, one that both recalls the original spirit of the watch while echoing the design philosophy and brings it forward in a new form.
Dubbed The Vanguard Casablanca, this collection builds on the inaugural series; the simple elegance is injected into the 21st-century Vanguard case, giving the watch a stronger and more powerful presence on the wrist. What comes through is the stainless-steel Vanguard case; it follows the unique contouring of Franck Muller’s perfected tonneau design, with a statement-making bezel that makes it easily identifiable and fits any wrists. And just like the original design, the numerals of the Vanguard Casablanca are Art Deco-inspired, both straight and arched at the same time.
While it may seem like a replica of the classic Cintrée Curvex Casablanca, the inner bezel and display feature set them apart; the Vanguard-style compass points and angled skeleton hands with an arrow-shaped second hand put forward a contemporary savour. One can also expect a small date aperture added across the four colour iterations and the inclusion of Super-LumiNova C3 hands and numerals exclusively on the black and salmon styles, proffering a luminous glow in the dark after exposure to light.
Its oversized hour markers on the dial also increase legibility for the user, while the overall design remains robust and tough, nodding at field military watches. Other key updates include a new case size, V43 — a new dimension in the Franck Muller repertoire and a SEA exclusive. Like the V41, V43 showcases the Maison’s finesse in horology. The introduction of the new size also means that the collection will fit more wrists; regardless of your bulk, the Vanguard Casablanca would be right up your street.
Available in black, brown, salmon and an exclusive boutique edition in a black dial with blue accents, these Vanguard Casablanca watches come in a classic time-and-date model as well as a chronograph version, powered by the self-winding calibre 2880. This series also sees a central chronograph seconds hand, with a 30-minute totaliser and small seconds counter at 3 and 9 o’clock, respectively. With an amalgamation of state-of-the-art functions, coupled with a modish appeal, these watches perpetuate the legacy of the Cintrée Curvex Casablanca while simultaneously offering a contemporary take – fulfilling the needs of both long-time fans and the younger crowd.
