The Franck Muller Group, the Swiss luxury watch mini-conglomerate, has acquired majority control of the German luxury watch brand Martin Braun, purchasing 52 percent. The transaction, capping three months of negotiations, was confirmed to JCK by Miguel Payró, the group's chief financial officer. Martin Braun, best known for its award-winning complication watches with astronomical themes, produces about 1,000 handcrafted watches annually. It recently moved its watchmaking facility from near Pforzheim, Germany, to Porrentruy, Switzerland, in order to use the “Swiss made” label on its watches. It also has produced its own watch movement. Watchmaker Martin Braun will continue to oversee the brand bearing his name. The U.S. operation, located in Austin, Texas, will remain the same but be integrated into the Franck Muller USA operation. “We intend to change nothing, except to provid