The following informations show the scandals occuring in the swiss watch industry and the theft and using of Aisan components in genuine Franck Muller watches.
According to today's Tribune de Geneve newspaper, Franck Muller Watchland has confirmed the arrest on November 10th of two of its employees, one of them identified as the uncle of Mr. Franck Muller himself. He had been laid off by the company on August 29th due to reorganization of the firm, after the departure of Mr. Muller.
At this gentleman's house in Genthod, the Neuchatel police found great quantities of spare parts and partially assembled Franck Muller watches.in addition, confidential technical plans for new watches were also found.
The firm has expressed its shock and surprise at this development. The uncle of Franck Muller had access to all areas of Watchland for the past eight years.
More information to follow.
The large office of Mr. Franck Muller, in Genthod, is empty. The rays of the racks are strewn with some curios and other photographs that l? Horloger left. On l? Une d? Elles, it takes the installation beside Johnny Hallyday. But for the remainder, plus any document or computer n? Encombre its work table. Two forgotten coffee cups have simply recalled that for several months l? Endroit s? Est transformed into occasional room of conferences. A strong image of the divorce between Franck Muller and Vartan Sirmakes, its associate. Since nearly nine months, the famous clock and watch maker deserted Watchland, the vast property which is the stronghold of the watches which bear its name. The revelations of the Platform of Geneva, these last days, l? Ont thorough to leave the dumbness in which it is terrait. It gives its version of the facts (see below). It does not want to guarantee any more what occurs to Genthod, it feels betrayed, it has d? Ailleurs deposited felt sorry for in June against its associate for unfair management.
This last denies in block, ensures that the company is better than well, and also deposited to him felt sorry for, counters Franck Muller of course, for slandering and request of the damages. Without forgetting proceedings brought in front of a guardian court, always against its associate. The conflict beats its full with, in addition, l? Arrestation of l? Oncle of Franck Muller within the framework of l? Affaire Jaquet (see our editions d? Hier). But behind this surging divorce, there is nearly 500 employees who are destabilized. And of the customers who are dcontenancs by l? Affaire. For a long time, the watches Franck Muller were the symbol d? Une fulgurating success. Aujourd? Hui, at the time when the two founders of the group return themselves the minutes of their "lawsuit", the movement loses its precision. With each one its truth.
Tour of Mullers WAtchland
Posted By: Jeff
Date: 11-21 06:23
We were at the opening of Watchland three years ago. It was big "to do"
with a huge orchestra, tons of people and lots of fancy wine and food to show folks the new working factory that Muller had opened. Top notch party and topnotch facility.
My wife and I went as journalists and pretty much wandered about with no supervision.
We were amazed at how clean the watchmkakers benches were. We jokingly commented that perhaps NO WORK was done there! It was THAT clean. EACH table and workspace and watchmakers bench that we saw had nary a spot, a tool or a part on them. Sterile. The floors were buffed to a high polish with no tracks or evidence of anyone walking on them.
We went up and down the elevators in the two "back castles" (they were modeled on the estate up front that served as the showroom) and no one tried to stop us.
It was amazing.
One wonders... Jeff
Not a translation, just a precis: F. Muller was a senior Franck Muller Watchland employee, who was entrusted with the keys to various key areas within the business and was responsible for the stock of parts. During the restructuring of FM Watchland suspicions were raised when he would not account properly for the inventory.
In his and another watchmaker's house they found a large number of genuine and counterfeit FM parts, including cases with FM reference numbers, plus watches in a partially constructed state. They feel it is certain that some have been sold on the market as genuine.
The investigation is under the direction of the same magistrate who is invetigating the Jaquet Droz affair. Some 'fake' Franck Muller watches were discovered at Jaquet in the course of their inquiries, some using genuine parts and some using asian fakes.
They are continuing the inquiry to determine whether other employees have participated and have interviewed Franck Muller himself three times. He is remaining silent in public, but it is reported that he feels the image of the marque he created is in danger.
High school level French 40 years ago, so sorry for any mistakes.
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