Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 – The world’s most complicated wristwatch

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Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 – The world’s most complicated wristwatch
by Kyle Stults on January 11, 2010

How Complicated? Complicated.

What to say about Franck Muller’s new Aeternitas Mega 4. How about ‘Wow’. I recall hearing some buzz about this watch on Twitter and Facebook late last year from several watch journalists who attended a live event in which this watch was unveiled (official FM release here). Not to mention it is about 5 years in the making But there is a bit more to the story that I need some help understanding. Can you help?

For starters – back in June 2009 I wrote about Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new Hybris Mechannica Grande Duometre Grande Sonnerie watch (26 complications) as the “New King of Complications.” In my article I listed IWC’s Il Destriero Scafusia (cir. 1993, 21 complications) and the Vacheron Constantin’s Tour de l’Ile (cir. 2005, 16 complications) as two watches that the JLC Hybris Mechannica Grande Sonnerie out-did. Easy enough. However I also listed the Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega as watches that the JLC bested, and here is where it gets a bit confusing – complicated, one might say – because the Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega article that I cited from the respectedHaute Horlogerie Journal was ostensibly referring to the Aeternitas Mega 4, but it was only noted as having 25 complications (and 1,500 parts). Now it seems the Aeternitas Mega 4 has 36 complications (still about 1,500 components). So how did it suddenly go from 25 to 36 with still the same number of parts? Am I missing something or perhaps just making this too complicated?

If only I had the knowledge and desire to find out. Instead I think I will just invite you to take a look at this watch and tell me it isn’t the most absurdly complicated, $2.7 million watch you have ever seen (note the 7 – yes 7 – pushers on the case!) – and leave it at that:

franck_muller_AeternitasMega4_Soldat

AeternitasMega4_Movment

I, for one, am quite impressed at this mechanical masterpiece.

Franck Muller did provide a list of all the 36 complications and also a graphic to point out most of these functions. I think they wanted to clearly lay the groundwork for claiming their “King of Complications.” If you click here you can see the full list and read the press release from Franck Muller in which it lays claim to the “world’s most complicated wristwatch.

Oh, and if you care to share some insight into the development of the Aeternitas 4 and how it came to be 36 complications not 25, please do tell!

Ivan Gopey

FM is very strange to count their complications. In his list of 36 can be found for example balance wheel with adjustment screws in gold, without index or balance wheel with adjustment screws in gold, without index. Therefore, if properly calculated the number of complications just might dry up to 25.

http://www.perpetuelle.com Perpetuelle

Interesting observation — I had not noticed that. You are right, it does seem a bit trivial they way they list some of the complications!
Thanks for reading my blog.
Kyle (Editor)

Therockpsf

That is just messed up! Who would buy a watch that cost 2.7 million and not even be able to know what all it does much less read the time. Watches are supposed to tell the time, not tell the weather, the temperature, the geographic location your in… What is this? The inspector gadget watch?!