Franck Muller‘s watches never cease to amaze with their innovative complications and memorable designs. Despite being a relatively young company, the Swiss watchmaker has established itself as a dominant force in Haute Horlogerie thanks to their bold and complex mechanics, recognisable dial silhouette, and in-house manufacturing of the highest quality. However, this time, they surprised us with something miraculous. Franck Muller has teamed up with S.T. Dupont and created the first of its kind Master Lighter Franck Muller & S.T. Dupont, a luxury lighter that tells time.
The French luxury manufacturer S.T. Dupont, famous for the production of lighters, pens, and leather goods, has designed masterpieces for the crème de la crème of society, including Jackie Kennedy, Willian, and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales. In 1941, S.T. Dupont created the world’s first luxury lighter. S.T. Dupont’s first-ever collaboration was with no less than Pablo Picasso himself, who turned the precious lighters into canvases, personalising them with sketches in the lacquer.
Incidentally, lacquer is a signature material of both Franck Muller and S.T. Dupont. The former uses 20 layers of lacquer in the making of the dials, which are entirely in-house and manufactured at a factory located in Les Bois, in the Swiss Jura. The latter has learnt the art of lacquering from the Art Deco artist and sculptor Jean Dunand and has later developed their own authentic expertise and unique material composition. The Master Lighter unites Franck Muller’s haute horology and S.T. Dupont’s artistic craftsmanship, showcasing the best of both worlds. It is a luxury lighter with a double-sided watch. At the front, we see the iconic Frank Muller’s Long Island dial with its distinct arched numerals. The streamlined architecture of the numerals and arrows works beautifully with the sharp rectangular body of the lighter. The combination is a nod to the Art Deco movement that flourished in interwar Europe and turned modernism into fashion. Like Art Deco designs, the Master Lighter demonstrates sleek, unconditional elegance, symbolic of wealth and sophistication.
The backside of the Master Lighter is no less impressive, revealing the inner workings of Franck Muller’s Calibre FM 1740-LI-STD skeleton movement in all its glory. A second open-worked dial is featured, with a long pinion powering the hands on both dials. The technical marvel lies in the hand axis, which traverses the lighter, passing through the centre of the gas tank. The Master Lighter boasts a three-day power reserve. When you open the lid, this time-telling art piece makes the iconic S.T. Dupont’s “ping” sound and produces a twin soft flame. A dazzling sight! The Master Lighter collection is offered in four exceptional colour schemes, each limited to 88 pieces. Three variants come in stainless steel and sapphire crystal cases with various dials. The white model is a classic compatible with any style, boasting a lovely silver sunburst dial. The blue version’s dial is deeply inspiring, reminiscent of the celebrated Yves Klein’s blue. The colour dream model boasts Franck Muller’s signature colourful numerals, complemented by a skeleton movement in vividly coloured aluminium on the back. The fourth lighter’s case is black. An example of modern aesthetic, the black variant stands out with the carefully hand-painted Luminova numerals glowing in the dark.
The Master Lighter Franck Muller & S.T. Dupont was presented at the World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie (WPHH) 2024, Franck Muller’s very own watch fair, housed at the Grand Malagny estate overlooking the lake of Geneva, with a magnificent view of Mont Blanc. It is an exclusive event open to the first-rate experts of Fine Watchmaking and dedicated to the most outstanding timepieces of the brand. We do not doubt that the Master Lighter has turned heads at the fair. This remarkable creation stands as a symbol of the innovative spirit and artistic finesse inherent to both Franck Muller and S.T. Dupont, taking its rightful place in the realm of luxury collectables.
Article edited by Anastasia Fedosova