A wearable art that also tells time

Some watches tell time. Some tell a story. Then there are others that combines timeless art, with time and then tell a story! The latest collaboration between Franck Muller and Dutch artist Loes Van Delft belongs firmly in the latter category, bringing together the expressive language of contemporary art with the precision of Haute Horlogerie.

Following the success of the Pjipje -- a playful, whimsical cartoon characted created by the artist -- men’s watch and the Skull watch, the partnership enters a new chapter with the first ladies’ timepiece created by Loes Van Delft and Franck Muller. Dubbed the Pjipje women’s watch, the creation translates the artist’s unmistakably playful universe into a watch designed around joy, individuality and feminine strength.

At its heart is an idea that feels distinctly contemporary: a watch need not simply be an object of precision but can also become a form of personal expression. Playful yet elegant, the Pjipje women’s watch transforms Van Delft’s artistic language into a wearable canvas, celebrating creativity and self-expression while retaining the distinctive watchmaking savoir-faire of Franck Muller.

The collection is offered in four variations, built around two vibrant colourways -- pink and blue. Each shade is interpreted in two distinct ways: one featuring a diamond-set dial that introduces an additional note of brilliance, and another without diamonds, allowing the graphic quality and colour of the artwork to take centre stage.

The sculptural steel case provides a polished counterpoint to the exuberance of the dial. Meticulously finished and, in its diamond-set interpretation, adorned with hand-set diamonds, the case frames Van Delft’s expressive artwork while highlighting the craftsmanship for which Franck Muller is known.

Yet it is the dial that remains the undisputed focal point. Conceived almost as a miniature canvas, it channels the bold, colourful and playful character of Van Delft’s artistic universe. Creating that effect is a painstaking process: no fewer than 30 layers of lacquer are applied to the dial, with approximately two hours of drying time between each layer. The result is a surface with remarkable depth, vivid colour and intricate detail.

That meticulous process also captures the essence of the collaboration itself. Van Delft brings an artistic vocabulary rooted in colour, character and playful expression, while Franck Muller translates that visual energy into the exacting world of Haute Horlogerie. Neither discipline overwhelms the other; instead, art and watchmaking find a shared language.

The Pjipje women’s watch is therefore more than an extension of an existing collaboration. It represents a meeting of two creative worlds, one that places individuality at its centre. With its bold colourways, sculptural case and intricately layered dial, it is a timepiece that refuses to be merely functional.