When a watch brand debuts a new collection, expectations are high, and so it is with the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF — a collection that removes the words Parmigiani Fleurier from the dial. This is more than a little cheeky because the collection celebrates the 25th anniversary of the founding of Parmigiani Fleurier by Michel Parmigiani.
While some suppose that this is the work of newly installed Parmigiani Fleurier CEO Guido Terreni, one does not simply create a watch collection in less than a year. Given that the Parmigiani Tonda PF is a refined version of the Tonda GT — a classically sporty watch if you will — you might think of another watch, from the brand Terreni was formerly associated with…
To begin with, the Tonda PF consists of four distinct models, distinguished by complication: the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor; Tonda PF Chronograph; Tonda PF Annual Calendar; and the Tonda PF Split Seconds Chronograph. The Tonda PF Micro-Rotor is the mainstay here, being a two-hander with date, and it showcases the main characteristics that define the Tonda PF. We will have more to say on the collection, and the other watches in our final issue of WOW for 2021 later this year…
- READ MORE: Keeping It Real: Michel Parmigiani
The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor is certainly a mouthful, but the watch is a paragon of simplicity — timekeeping distilled into a beautiful dream you can wear. It even eschews a second hand, or any indication of the brutish passage of the seconds. People who celebrate time do not need to worry about the seconds; on the other hand, we might appreciate watching a second-hand twirl about the dial more than we would enjoy a date display.
We salute Parmigiani Fleurier though for the delicate balance they strike between the logo at 12 o’clock and the date window at 6 o’clock. On that note, the Parmigiani Tonda PF has quite an amazing dial, which reveals one of the touches that sets the Tonda PF collection apart from your typical watch collection. It is of course the human touch, because someone worked that Grain d’Orge guilloche personally.
Terreni once described the soul of Parmigiani Fleurier as delicate, and told us that he wanted to express that soul carefully and deliberately. A Parmigiani Fleurier is a pleasure for oneself, which even the press materials remind us, and the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor is an expression of this idea.
Take that knurled bezel, so clearly marking this as a Tonda. It is in platinum, not steel like the rest of the case and the bracelet, and gives the 40mm watch heft and class. It is also hand-knurled and polished, which immediately tells you all sorts of important information. We will let the watches whisper their secrets to you when you see them in person later this year. For now, a few details that we must include.
The in-house movement PF703 features a micro-rotor, which is how the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor comes by its name. It is also an ultra-thin movement, which explains why a micro-rotor was chosen, at 3mm thick. The watch is 7.8mm thick so it should theoretically fit under your sleeve, if need be.
The calibre is of course hand-finished to the level of bevelled bridges, which is only to be expected, and provides a power reserve of 48 hours. As for the case, it is water-resistant to 100 metres, and features a screw-down crown. The integrated bracelet and the case both share details that reveal all the human touches that went into the process of making them. Remember to look closely at whatever edges you can find, especially the tapering lines of the case middle. We will be paying close attention when we get the chance too.
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