There's no anniversary or important date to mark, yet Snoopy is still top dog in the world of ticking luxury.
Almost everyone has collaborated with the fond comic-strip beagle created by Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz. The sky's the limit when it comes to price category and style: Snoopy has teamed up with Marc Jacobs, Vera Bradley, Lacoste, Eastpak, Unique Vintage, Puma and Uniqlo…
And the list doesn't end there. Omega once seemed to be the only watchmaker who could use drawings of Snoopy in space. Well, unless you count the American watch manufacturer Timex, although that wasn't the company that launched the beagle in the affordable luxury segment. But that all changed this year.
On December 11, Snoopy debuted on the dial of a special version of the Franck Muller Crazy Hours by the miracle workers at the Bamford Watch Department. This is probably the world's most famous watch workshop, which has transformed customization into a distinct art form with a line that has long ceased to be dominated by Rolex.
When you look at the novelty from Bamford, you can see it was worth the effort. The original model does essentially define the shape and style, making it all the more interesting to see the final result. The Franck Muller Crazy Hours has numerals strewn around the dial in a seemingly chaotic manner, which isn't the only element that makes the watch look playful.
That's why the decision was taken not to go overboard with colors on the 25 pieces in the limited Franck Muller x BWD Crazy Hours Snoopy. The case is made of stainless steel with a matte black coating, complemented by a black fabric strap. Places on the dial are reserved for two Peanuts comic-strip characters:
Snoopy himself and his feathered friend Woodstock, who appears at 10 o'clock and 5 o'clock. Everything is transformed in the dark, when the wavy pattern applied around Snoopy with a Super-LumiNova coating begins to radiate in green concentric circles around the puppy. The hands in the shape of Snoopy's paws are another cute detail.
This is something you rarely see on a watch priced around USD 37, 000. The watch is equipped with the self-winding MVD FM 2800-CHR movement which has a 42-hour power reserve. It's housed in a typical Franck Muller barrel case measuring 39.6 × 11.8 mm.