Franck Muller is a brand that doesn't get a lot of attention in today's steel sport watch-centric consumer mindset.

And we think that's a damn shame.

Muller the man and Muller the brand have brought a lot to the world of modern horology, and his colorful, mid-1990s/early-2000s tonneau-shaped dress watch collection perfectly exhibits a design language that walks a fine line between classical and whimsical.

This particular piece, a chronograph Reference 96.01, is simply something that you simply would not expect from the brand.

Produced in the mid 1990s to celebrate the brands sponsorship of a McLaren F1 GTR that ran in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, this piece had design language from mid-century chronographs in mind — something that we feel they certainly achieved — with a very Franck Muller twist...

It features a nearly perfectly sized and traditionally proportioned 37mm steel case with a stepped bezel, a sapphire crystal, a signed crown, and barrel pushers. Inside however, it houses a standout orange dial with luminous 'Arabic' indices, recessed black subsidiary registers framed by silver rings, a matching black outer minute track, and a manually wound Lemania Calibre 1873 chronograph movement.

Despite their under-the-radar profile, Franck Muller timepieces are still some of the best in the world of dressy complications. This piece, however, is a brilliant display of the brands ability to flex more traditional watchmaking that appeals to a larger audience.

Give this one a whirl and see what we mean!