Nicholas Rudaz on Guiding Franck Muller’s Legacy with Elegance and Tactics
- Ashok Soman
- Apr 28
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 29
Franck Muller CEO Nicholas Rudaz extols the collaboration between his business and Sincere Fine Watches.
Brand CEOs frequently must personify the ethos of the organizations they oversee. This can be difficult as most C-suite executives lack the expertise of watchmakers or engineers, who possess technical understanding, experience in industrial or artisanal production, and a passion for the craft. However, horological expertise is not particularly advantageous in the post of CEO, which often necessitates business acumen and charisma. This is particularly apparent in a brand like Franck Muller, where the master watchmaker is not at the helm, so to speak. Nicholas Rudaz possesses the ideal demeanor for the leading position here.
Rudaz is a prominent watch brand that we usually encounter many times annually and is willing to allocate some time for the media. Frequent readers will be well-acquainted with him and his communicative style; prominent Franck Muller collectors will be even more familiar with the individual. Nonetheless, when we conversed on his visit to Singapore late last year, we can always be astonished, as we were to learn that he formerly worked as a bartender at the Sydney Opera House.
Rudaz has navigated an extraordinary path from his initial experiences in hospitality to heading one of the globe's most esteemed contemporary watchmaking brands. Franck Muller is a favored brand of this magazine, traditionally due to its frequent appearances on covers and its consistent support throughout the years. Rudaz is relatively new to the CEO position, having assumed the role in 2021, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of WOW.
Rudaz was born in Switzerland and reared in England, suggesting that his varied background likely impacted his professional development. In the early 1990s, at the age of 20, Rudaz was employed as a bartender at the noted Sydney establishment in Australia. This experience beyond mere employment; it was a developmental phase that refined his interpersonal abilities and enhanced his comprehension of luxury service. In a reflection on this period, Rudaz stated to Harper’s Bazaar Australia/New Zealand, “Engaging in luxury hospitality involves marketing a dream, which parallels our endeavors in watchmaking.”
This phrase succinctly encapsulates a theme that Rudaz frequently emphasizes, most pertinent during his recent visit to unveil the Vanguard Damascus Steel Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition, commemorating the 70th year of Sincere Fine Watches. Rudaz expresses that crafting timepieces is an art form, while marketing them constitutes a distinct art form. This is an excellent homage to Sincere Fine Watches, which inaugurated the first mono-brand Franck Muller store in the Asia Pacific region in Singapore in 1992. Franck Muller had created his brand the preceding year, and Sincere had recently become the exclusive distributor in Southeast Asia.
Our narrative commences in 2007, with Rudaz's foray into haute horlogerie upon his appointment as a director at Franck Muller. Throughout the years, he advanced inside the corporate hierarchy, ultimately achieving the position of CEO. Under his stewardship, Franck Muller has persistently advanced the frontiers of horology with innovations like the Aeternitas Mega 4 and the new Long Island Evolution Master Jumper, further enhancing the brand's stature as the Master of Complications. Accompanying these timepieces in honoring Sincere Fine Watches’ anniversary is the world’s inaugural watch with movement components made from Damascus steel.
Rudaz observes that Franck Muller has previously utilized Damascus steel, albeit solely for casings, in relation to the watch in question. We remember these as the Vanguard Damas watches, and Rudaz often referred to the new timepiece similarly, despite this not being the actual nomenclature for the 28-piece Platinum Jubilee Edition. This has been modified in the subsequent interview.
On a further note about Damas and Damascus steel, what Franck Muller has done here is to use two steel alloys in one, shall we say, ingot; this accounts for the two distinct grains seen in the metal of the case and the movement. Rudaz explained that the pattern emerges after a chemical treatment (an acid bath) causes a surface reaction in the two different types of steel (316L and 304L), and this is consistent with other reports on the subject. As you may already know, true historical Damascus steel is not extant because no one knows how exactly to recreate it. Everything that looks and even functions like preserved examples is an approximation.
With that said, we invite you to read on for Rudaz’s point of view on the watch and Franck Muller’s many years working alongside Sincere Fine Watches n this region.
Welcome back to Singapore! Discuss the milestone you are commemorating and the Vanguard Damascus Steel Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition.
This is a significant milestone, marking the remarkable 70th anniversary of Sincere. We have shared 32 of those years, growing together collaboratively and achieving numerous milestones collectively. I am delighted to commemorate this particular occasion with the exquisite Vanguard Damascus Steel Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition. It possesses a seven-day power reserve and, at 43mm, is an optimal size for the domestic market. It is exclusively available in the Asia Pacific area. This is the inaugural application of Damascus steel in the movement, although it has been utilized in our cases previously. Damascus steel possesses exceptional hardness and strength, rendering its application in watch movements particularly challenging. Due to the distinct patterns of each Damascus steel piece, this edition has 28 unique timepieces. We required around one year to proficiently utilize Damascus steel in this manner, and the watchmakers undoubtedly necessitated specialized instruments to manipulate and embellish the material (the bridges and plates are skeletonized and exhibit distinct beveling and chamfering).
This watch symbolizes the union of Sincere and Frank Muller, illustrated by the amalgamation of several materials, including distinct steel alloys and the rose gold of the case middle and crown. The relationship between Sincere and Franck Muller represents a harmonious duality, akin to Yin and Yang, as exemplified by the complex amalgamation of materials in each Vanguard Damascus Steel Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition.
Elucidate further regarding the partnership, please. It is an intriguing narrative that extends across three decades, as you observed.
Indeed, there are numerous factors to consider when selling a watch. We are Franck Muller, specializing in the design and production of exquisite timepieces. Our efficacy is contingent upon the agent, our collaborator in each respective country. We have seen mutual growth with Sincere throughout the years, navigating both challenges and successes together. Sincere exhibits remarkable creativity, akin to our own creative abilities. As I stated, the art of marketing a watch is a skill that Sincere has expertly perfected. I liken it to bread and butter; one without the other is suboptimal.
Over the years, we have established a recognized track record due to several commonalities between us. Both companies are family-owned, and Sincere excels at promoting our ideals in the market, as they closely align with Sincere's own principles. They have excelled in catering to watch collectors and connoisseurs, dedicating time to educate their clientele, which is appreciated. Acquiring knowledge about watches over the Internet or social media can be beneficial, if the material is accurate; nonetheless, it is a whole other experience to engage in a personal visit to a well-appointed shop.
This serves as an excellent transition to inquire about the presence of Damascus steel in this context.
Firstly, why not? Secondly, due to our shared history of numerous milestones, we have created tourbillons, the Cintree Curvex, and gem-set components. It was fitting for us to elaborate on the new material we introduced in 2023. This was a novelty for us, and we were all quite enthusiastic about this exceptional new substance. We advanced it farther by incorporating it into the movement. I believe it is suitable for the current market conditions, as we prefer to limit the production of tourbillons at this time.
It is also a highly creative opportunity for young watchmakers to engage with a novel material. There has been a significant tendency in the market favoring new materials, making it a logical progression.
Thus, it was not an exceptional request from the market, correct?
Sincere excels at conveying market information to us in Geneva, and we value the feedback and insights into the local market. Certainly, they engage with watch collectors daily. Occasionally, they provide us with significant information; however, in the instance of the Vanguard Damascus Steel Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition, we did not react to market demands. The watch emerged from our desire for creativity and innovation in horology. Creativity, complexity, and design are our foremost priorities. As we lack shareholders, we are not compelled to pursue quarterly margins. The essence of Franck Muller is deeply ingrained in the Watchland production and the brand's identity. A significant number of our team collaborated with him prior to his retirement in 2002, and we all hold those experiences in high regard.
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