Vanguard Gravity Tourbillon

The Gravity tourbillon is deliberately oversized. Franck Muller enlarged the cage well beyond conventional proportion and mounted it at an angle, so that the balance and its bridge dominate the lower half of the dial rather than hiding in an aperture.

It is a manufacture calibre, and the enlarged cage is a genuine engineering choice rather than a styling one: a larger cage carries more inertia and demands more torque, which changes how the barrel and gear train have to be specified.

The Vanguard case is the modern evolution of the Cintree Curvex, with the curved flanks and applied numerals carried over but a heavier, more contemporary build. In rose gold with full pave across the bezel, flanks and lugs, it is unambiguous about what it is.

The half-moon pave section over twelve is the detail that finishes the dial. Numerals remain black-lacquered and legible against the setting, which is more difficult than it looks.

Setting uniformity is where these are judged. Stone matching across the curve of the Vanguard flank is not simple work.