In the last months, I began consistently navigating through the Frank Muller official site. I must say that the watch house continuously surprises me with its horological marvels. And not only with its marvels, but with its prices, as well. Therefore, being in love with the watch beauties, I decided to take a look at some imitations, with the aim of finding some reliable sources.
Two pieces grabbed my attention: Casablanca and Vanguard Yachting Blue models. Both have an attractive design at first sight and the decision was really puzzling to me. So, I made deep research on both of them and made my choice. In this article, I’ll talk about them in detail, so maybe you find it useful if you have the same dilemma.
Casablanca Franck Muller replica Watch
Honestly, I had no big expectations with Casablanca replica watches. Simply because I’m aware that many replica factories swipe the original design and it’s highly likely to get a replica that looks totally different from the genuine model. I found an imitation on the AAAReplica store. The pictures o the website were looking good, but I didn’t trust them. Do you? If your answer is yes, then I suggest you think twice. Most pictures on the websites undergo photoshop improvements, which means that they don’t correspond to reality, in most cases. That is why I ask for additional pictures.
I was surprised to see how great these looked. The customer care representatives sent me a couple of pictures from all angles possible. In addition, I got a piece of detailed information about all the replica watch specifications. Here is what I know about it…
Detailed specifications
The size of the replica watch is 17mm thick. From top to bottom, it measures 43,4 mm and weighs 101 grams. I was curious to know the genuine measurements and I found on the office Muller website that these are identical to the replica versions. What a nice surprise, considering that most replica factories produce errors in dimensions and measurements.
I spotted a pretty shiny case with a great finish. All glowy and homogenous. The replica case reproduces extremely well the genuine Cintree Curvex silhouette.
Observing the dial, which interested me the most, I could notice how well it was manufactured. Thanks to the original design, it wasn’t difficult to make a beautiful replica. However, not all replica factories can do that with expertise and high craftsmanship. This replica comes with extremely similar-looking numbers of varying sizes, accurately applied on the white dial. At its top, the dial shows the date through a slender and accurate window. The days of the week as well as the month index are integrated into gold-rimmed subdials.
You can easily adjust the month, day, and date with the help of the pushbuttons on the right and left edges of the case.
Another gold accent is seen on the hands of the replica watch. These look even more expressive due to the effective luminous coating, making them stand out from the whole picture.
Tourbillon
Another unexpected feature present in this copy is the tourbillon. If you are familiar with the replica hobby, you probably know that replica factories usually avoid integrating this complication into fake watches. This is because the feature is pretty intricate and its integration can seriously affect the overall functioning. Therefore, manufacturers simply skip it. But, not with this watch. Here, I can clearly see an open-heart dial that simulates accurately the tourbillon presence. As a result, the dial looks highly dynamic and vivid, due to the rapidly whirling timing wheel.
Leather strap
As you can see in the pictures, the fake watch comes with a reddish-brown leather strap, making the entire picture highly formal and elegant. I’m in love with elegant watches. The band has a specific grain pattern and a complex texture, making it looks old and formal. As far as I understood from the customer care assistants, the leather strap remains remarkably sturdy even with continuous use. The buckle of the copy features a gold coating, blending well with the strap color motif. I could spot a pretty accurate brand name engraving on it, and I’m curious to see it in reality.
Disadvantages
I’m not sure whether this replica watch is water-resistant. Most probably, not. I’m prone to thinking that the strap won’t resist much if interacting with water, so you better avoid it, in case you plan to have such a watch. Possibly, it is water-resistant if wearing it in rain or when washing hands. But, no more than that.
Another shortcoming (which is not a factual shortcoming) is the hardened mineral glass, instead of the sapphire. I wish I saw sapphire on it. However, hardened mineral glass is a pretty resistant material and it’s not inferior to hesalite. Maybe, my desire for sapphire crystal is just a simple caprice.
As far as I understood from the chat we had with the customer support representatives, the push buttons of the cheap version of this replica watches are made of plastic. Now I wonder why manufacturers opted for plastic when they could have used steel instead. I don’t know the answer, but I really hope that more expensive replicas come with, at least, 316 steel buttons.
Overall replica watch appeal
The watch has something appealing in it, without any doubt. But, I can’t figure out exactly what is it about. It may be the alluring circle of those large numbers on the dial. Or maybe, those sunken charming subdials. Or maybe, all together. I suppose this watch is for the sophisticated segment of clientele. It looks exquisite, unconventional, and serious. At the same time, it has a playful charisma due to the extraordinary hour markers design.
Overall, the replica looks pretty attractive and accurate. Except for the minor shortcomings I mentioned before, the design work is made pretty professionally. I was curious to know bout the movement of this watch. It is a Chinese automatic movement showing an average of 4 seconds per day, according to the tests that the customer care assistants performed. If this is true, it only makes me happy. If the plastic push buttons (for the cheap version) don’t bother you much, the imitation totally justifies its price.
Franck Muller Vanguard Yachting Blue Replica Watch
The second replica watch attracting me was the Vanguard in black carbon outlook. I know, Muller watches are specific, and not all watch enthusiasts can understand their design. But, this one, along with the previous model, is worth considering.
During my discussion with the AAAReplica customer support assistants, we talked a lot bout the model. I found out that the copy they sell is a high-quality one.
From a dimensional point of view, it is also identical to the genuine version, as the Casablanca is. The case design is a bit confusing. On one hand, it can look too big, considering its 44*54mm case. On the other hand, it seems to fit perfectly the wrist because the design is arc-shaped and lies ergonomically on the wrist. You don’t need to worry about thickness. It is pretty decent and doesn’t look overpowering at all.
Specific details
The main love-hate feature of this Muller watch consists of its exaggerated dial design. It conveys a powerful personality to the watch. Its generous Arabic hour numerals with silver edged touch almost the whole dial surface. The central hour and minute hands emit green light in the dark, just like the small squares next to the hour numerals. In contrast, the center is white and has no luminous coating.
Under close inspection, I can still spot some divergencies with the genuine model. Even though these are not critical, the Arabic markers’ proportions and corners are manufactured a bit differently. It doesn’t bother me a lot, truly speaking, because such an intricate and specific design must be difficult to imitate at 100%.
Movement
Unlike the previous model with a Chinese inner system, I found out that this replica runs on a Japanese Miyota 9015 automatic movement. It made me smile a little, as I have particular respect for Miyota constructions. Following my long talk with the assistants, they told me that the replica runs for approximately 3 sec per day, which sounds pretty promising.
Overall appeal
Honestly speaking, the more I look at this watch, the more I like it. It has a specific nautical vibe and the central rose adorning the dial is a hypnotic detail making you forget all the other models you’ve been considering. If comparing it with the previous Casablanca model, I can spot more expressive modernism in it, making it more versatile for all types of styles.
In fact, among all the VANGUARD family, Yachting is the most preferable for me. The Anchor Skeleton models are too intricate for my taste, while the Crazy Hours seem too flamboyant. But this does not mean that my tastes are the verdict for Muller watches. So, you can inspect them and see if they seem appealing to you.
Final verdict
I finally decided which one to have. Before sharing the verdict, I must say that only by looking at the design aspect, it is hard to make a decision. Both of them attract me in their own way. While the Casablanca is dressier and more elegant, the Yachting is more powerful and daring. And I like all these characteristics.
So, my decision did not rely on design. I took into consideration the technical aspects of both watches. Honestly, I opted for the MIYOTA movement, therefore, for the Yachting replica. I have nothing against the Chinese movement of the Casablanca, as my previous replicas showed a pretty reliable resistance and precision. However, the Miyota is more secure for me and its service (just in case) is less stressful.