Franck Muller’s New Vanguard ‘Men in Blue’ Watch Is Dedicated to the Indian Cricket Team

The ICC Cricket World Cup is one of the most prestigious tournaments in international cricket organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The tournament typically follows a round-robin format in the initial stages, wherein all participating teams play against each other. The top teams then advance to the knockout stage, which includes quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. The first Men's Cricket World Cup took place in 1975 in England, and for the 2023 edition, India is the sole host country for the very first time. Celebrating Indian cricket and the country’s year of Independence, 1947, Franck Muller has launched the 47-piece limited-edition Vanguard Slim 'Men In Blue' watch, in collaboration with Biren Vaidya, Managing Director, Rose The Watch Bar, Mumbai, a watch retailer.

Cricket enjoys immense importance in India, both culturally and socially. In other words, cricket is not just a sport in India, but it's also a cultural phenomenon. The game has become deeply ingrained in the Indian way of life, with matches often serving as communal events that bring people together, irrespective of their background. The sport has a massive following and matches, especially those involving the Indian national team, garner widespread attention across the country. Iconic moments in Indian cricket history, such as winning the Cricket World Cup in 1983 and 2011, are cherished by all Indians.

These victories are not just sporting achievements but also moments of national pride. ‘Men in Blue’ is a colloquial term that is often used to refer to the Indian national cricket team. The nickname comes from the blue jerseys that the team wears during limited-overs cricket matches, including One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

The new VanguardTM Slim ‘Men In Blue’ Special Edition comes in a 41 mm stainless steel case, which gets the signature tonneau shape. The stainless steel crown rests at 3 o’clock. Keeping the timepiece India-centric, the dial gets a blue sunray finish, resembling the colour of the Indian cricket team jersey. The hour markers get Devnagri markings with 3D embossing. On the outer periphery of the dial is a minute track also sporting Devnagri script. The dial has hour and minute hands that are truncated at the tip.

Powering the watch is the automatic Calibre 2250 with a power reserve of 48 hours. Turning the watch over showcases the closed stainless steel caseback with the embossing of ‘Rose’, the company with which the Manufacturer has collaborated, the number of the watch out of 47, and the words, ‘Men In Blue’. The watch offers two strap options — a Sky Blue Gummy alligator strap and an additional Black Gummy alligator strap with blue stitching. What’s more, the watch comes in a sky blue box that matches the dial colour. This limited edition timepiece is exclusively available at Rose The Watch Bar, Mumbai.