Franck Muller x JISBAR Vanguard Crazy Hours

A bold intersection of high watchmaking and disruptive contemporary art has emerged with the introduction of the Franck Muller x JISBAR Vanguard Crazy Hours collection. This venture brings together the Geneva-based watch manufacturer, celebrated for its intricate complications and unique designs, and JISBAR, a French artist known for his vibrant pop-street art interpretations of historical themes. The collaboration centers on Franck Muller's iconic Crazy Hours complication, housed for the first time within the modern architecture of the Vanguard V43 case, presenting a fresh canvas for JISBAR's distinctive artistic language.

Franck Muller, the brand, carries the name of its co-founder, a master watchmaker who established the house in Genthod, Geneva, alongside Vartan Sirmakes in 1991. In a relatively short period, Franck Muller earned the moniker "Master of Complications," distinguishing itself through remarkable technical ingenuity and a flair for the avant-garde. The manufacture operates independently, producing its complex mechanisms entirely in-house. This commitment to innovation has yielded groundbreaking creations that have left a significant mark on Swiss watchmaking history.



Among Franck Muller's notable achievements are the Revolution 3, credited as the first triple-axis tourbillon, and the Aeternitas Mega, often cited as the world's most complicated wristwatch. These complex timepieces underscore the brand's technical prowess and its willingness to push the established boundaries of mechanical watchmaking. With an impressive portfolio boasting over 50 world premieres and patents, Franck Muller has consistently captured the attention of watch enthusiasts and collectors globally, building a reputation for both mechanical substance and distinctive design language, often characterized by the Cintrée Curvex case shape, though this collaboration explores the newer Vanguard form.

Partnering with Franck Muller for this project is JISBAR, a French artist born in 1989. His work is firmly rooted in the pop street art movement, characterized by a dynamic blending of art historical references with the energy of contemporary pop culture. JISBAR reinterprets masterpieces from artists like Botticelli, da Vinci, and Michelangelo, filtering them through a modern lens infused with elements from fashion, luxury branding, music, and sports. This approach deconstructs familiar icons and rebuilds them within a visually dense and colorful framework.

JISBAR's style is immediately recognizable, marked by instinctive brushwork, intricate graphic details, bold typography, and a layered composition that invites viewers to decode the various references embedded within. His process creates a dialogue between classical art and present-day visual codes. Having exhibited in prominent galleries and art fairs across international hubs like New York, Venice, Singapore, Geneva, and Dubai, JISBAR has established himself as a significant figure on the contemporary art scene, continually exploring new mediums through digital art and unique collaborations like this one with Franck Muller.

At the heart of this collaboration lies the Franck Muller Crazy Hours complication, a mechanism that fundamentally challenges the conventional way we read time. Instead of numerals arranged sequentially around the dial, the Crazy Hours features them in a seemingly random order. The hour hand jumps instantaneously to the correct numeral upon the change of the hour, while the minute hand follows a traditional 60-minute path. This playful and unpredictable display transforms the act of checking the time into a moment of surprise and engagement, perfectly aligning with the disruptive spirit shared by both the watchmaker and the artist.



The partnership developed from JISBAR's long-standing admiration for Franck Muller's unconventional approach. "This collaboration is the realization of years of work and reflection," JISBAR stated, expressing his fascination with a brand that, like him, "seeks to break conventions and push the boundaries of creation." Nicholas Rudaz, CEO of Franck Muller Geneva, echoed this sentiment, noting how JISBAR "revisits the dial and numerals of one of FRANCK MULLER's boldest and most emblematic collections, infusing it with his visual universe while preserving the conceptual essence of this extraordinary complication."

This project marks a notable debut: the integration of the Crazy Hours complication within the Vanguard V43 case. The Vanguard line represents a more modern, sporty aesthetic within the Franck Muller catalogue, often featuring integrated straps and bold lines. The V43 tonneau-shaped case provides a substantial yet ergonomic frame for the artistic explosion happening on the dial, anchoring the vibrant artwork within a structure of advanced materials and precise engineering.

The dial itself becomes a miniature canvas under JISBAR's interpretation. Each numeral is not merely printed but reimagined, infused with the artist's signature style. Bright, contrasting colors clash and coexist, forms are outlined in bold black, and patterns fill the spaces, reminiscent of graffiti art and pop iconography. The numbers themselves, though jumbled per the Crazy Hours concept, burst with individuality, rendered in a style that feels hand-drawn and intensely energetic. This artistic treatment transforms the time-telling instrument into a piece of wearable dynamic art.

Visually, the watches present a striking juxtaposition. The meticulously crafted Vanguard case, with its defined curves and polished or brushed surfaces depending on the material, houses a dial that seems almost unrestrained. The numerals leap out, rendered in multiple colors like vibrant blues, yellows, pinks, and greens, often layered with patterns or symbols associated with JISBAR's work. The background of the dial appears dark, allowing the colorful, non-sequential numbers and the uniquely shaped hands to command full attention. The overall effect is one of controlled chaos – the mechanical precision of the jumping hour finding its match in the artistic freedom expressed across the dial.

The Franck Muller x JISBAR Vanguard Crazy Hours is offered in five distinct versions, each presenting a unique material personality: Carbon, Steel, Titanium, Black Titanium, and 18k Rose Gold. Every version is strictly limited to 50 numbered pieces, underscoring the exclusivity of the collaboration. The choice of these materials reflects a spectrum from stealthy high-tech (Carbon, Black Titanium) to classic sporty (Steel, Titanium) and luxurious (Rose Gold), ensuring a variation that resonates with different tastes while consistently complementing JISBAR's visual palette.



Driving the chaotic dance of the hour hand is the MVD 2800-CHRS automatic movement. This calibre is specifically engineered for the Crazy Hours function, featuring disordered jumping hours alongside minutes and seconds indication. It operates with bidirectional winding, ensuring efficient power generation, and provides a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. Comprising 201 components, the movement beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), a standard for modern precision.

Franck Muller ensures that the mechanical heart is as finely executed as the watch's exterior. The movement decoration includes traditional high-watchmaking finishes applied meticulously to various parts. Côtes de Genève stripes adorn the bridges, rotor plate, and additional plate. Perlage (circular graining) is applied to the mainplate. Key components like the additional-plate springs and rotor plate feature careful beveling, while sinks and bridge bevels receive diamond polishing. Sunray brushing enhances the bridges, rotor segment, bearing cage, and barrel cover, complemented by circular satin brushing on the wheels, snailing on the ratchets, and satin brushing on the additional-plate springs.

The case, identified by the reference V 43 CH JISBAR LTD, measures within the Vanguard 43 specifications (precise dimensions beyond the 'V43' identifier are not provided but imply a case width around 43mm). It offers water resistance up to 30 meters, suitable for everyday wear but not aquatic activities. A sapphire crystal protects the intricate dial, ensuring scratch resistance and clarity. The case surfaces, like the 18k rose gold example, are hand-polished, highlighting the curves and lines of the Vanguard design.

The dial's depth and vibrancy are achieved through a painstaking process involving the application of 25 layers of lacquer. This technique builds up the color and detail, giving the artwork a richness and durability befitting a luxury timepiece. It allows for the complex interplay of colors and fine details characteristic of JISBAR's style to be rendered accurately on a miniature scale.

Completing the watch is a high-quality alligator strap, chosen to complement the case material and dial aesthetics. The strap is secured by a buckle crafted from the same material as the case – for instance, the 18k rose gold version features a matching 18k rose gold buckle, ensuring design coherence throughout the piece. The crown offers two positions: the first for winding the automatic movement and the second for setting the time.



A unique aspect of this collaboration extends beyond the watch itself. JISBAR has created five original artworks on linen canvas, one corresponding to each of the five watch finishes. This establishes a direct dialogue between the timepiece and a larger piece of art. JISBAR explains, "The watch inspires my artwork, and my artwork inspires the watch, creating a unique artistic dialogue." This symbiosis deepens the connection between the horological object and the artistic expression.

Ownership of a Crazy Hours x JISBAR timepiece involves becoming the custodian of a fragment of this artistic dialogue. For each of the five limited series, the corresponding original artwork created by JISBAR will be hand-enhanced by the artist himself. Subsequently, each canvas will be fragmented into 50 unique pieces. Every collector purchasing one of the watches will receive one of these numbered, signed, and authenticated fragments, integrated into the watch's presentation box. This innovative approach blends watch collecting with art acquisition in a tangible way.

Even the presentation box is conceived as part of the artistic experience. Its design mirrors the aesthetics of the dial, featuring a graphic patchwork that reflects the watch's visual identity. This creates a cohesive presentation, reinforcing the inseparable link forged between Franck Muller's mechanical ingenuity and JISBAR's explosive chromatic world, making the unboxing itself a part of the artistic encounter.

The official unveiling of the Franck Muller x JISBAR collaboration took place during the World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie (WPHH) in Geneva, the historical heartland of the manufacture. This event brought together global distributors and international press, offering them an immersive experience within Franck Muller's creative universe. The limited-edition watches were showcased alongside reproductions of JISBAR's five original linen canvases created for the project.

A highlight of the presentation was an exclusive live performance by JISBAR. The artist intervened directly on each of the five canvas reproductions displayed, adding unique details and hand-painted touches in real-time. Following this enhancement, these canvases were destined for fragmentation into the 50 individually signed pieces for collectors, vividly demonstrating the fusion of watchmaking and live art central to this collaboration's philosophy.



This project represents a shared commitment by both Franck Muller and JISBAR to challenge norms and explore the fertile ground where haute horlogerie meets contemporary art. The Crazy Hours complication inherently disrupts temporal conventions, while JISBAR's art deconstructs and reimagines visual history. Together, they have produced a collection that embodies this spirit of creative rebellion and reinterpretation.

The Franck Muller x JISBAR Vanguard Crazy Hours collection is released in five limited editions: Carbon, Steel, Titanium, Black Titanium, and 18k Rose Gold, with only 50 numbered examples produced for each finish. Specific pricing details and availability information are typically managed through Franck Muller's official boutiques and authorized retail partners worldwide. Prospective collectors would need to inquire through these channels for purchasing information regarding these highly exclusive pieces.

Case: Vanguard V43 case available in Carbon, Steel, Titanium, Black Titanium, or 18k Rose Gold. Features hand-polished finish (on 18k RG example), sapphire crystal, and water resistance up to 30 meters.

Movement: MVD 2800-CHRS automatic movement with bidirectional winding. Features disordered jumping hours (Crazy Hours), minutes, seconds. 42-hour power reserve, 201 components, Ø 26.2 mm diameter, 5.6 mm thickness, 28,800 vph frequency. Extensively decorated with Côtes de Genève, Perlage, beveling, polishing, brushing, and snailing.

Dial: Features Franck Muller's Crazy Hours numerals reimagined by artist JISBAR in a pop-street art style. Constructed with 25 layers of lacquer.

Strap: Alligator strap paired with a buckle made from the corresponding case material (e.g., 18k rose gold buckle for the rose gold case).

Reference Number: V 43 CH JISBAR LTD

Notes: Limited edition collaboration (50 pieces per material) merging Franck Muller's Crazy Hours complication with JISBAR's contemporary art. Marks the first time the Crazy Hours appears in a Vanguard V43 case. Each watch includes a unique, authenticated fragment of a JISBAR artwork.