Franck Muller Launches Exclusive Solana Timepiece

If you’ve ever wanted to have your Solana wallet on your wrist while showing your wealth, Swiss watchmaker Franck Muller is making that a reality. The watch market is stepping into the Web3 ecosystem with a Solana-inspired, limited-edition series of watches that contain an embedded unique QR code to directly link to the user’s Solana address. The company’s Solana-inspired watch collection is limited to 1,111 units, priced at 20,000 Swiss francs (around $24,300).

While the watches feature a unique design that could appeal to Solana ecosystem participants, their launch comes at a time when flaunting crypto-related wealth is becoming more precarious. The cryptocurrency industry has experienced numerous physical attacks this year, including a notable case involving the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of a prominent crypto platform. They were targeted in a daytime attempted kidnapping that was filmed and shared on social media. Luckily, that kidnapping attempt failed, but a similar incident in the same city resulted in the abduction of a crypto millionaire’s father, who was later rescued—though not without severe consequences.

Earlier this year, the co-founder of hardware wallet maker Ledger, David Balland, along with his wife, was kidnapped from their home, facing similar threats. Fortunately, the couple was rescued by authorities, and a ransom that had been paid out was seized. Many other similar attacks have been reported in recent months.

Franck Muller is positioning the collection as a “phygital” (physical-digital) symbol of identity and ownership in the crypto age. While the watch is indeed a piece of crypto culture, it may also be a collectible that some investors might prefer to keep discreet.