Photos by Jacob Witkin
When Parmigiani Fleurier was founded in the mid-1990s, a Toric model was the first wristwatch that marked the brand’s debut. As with many inaugural watches, key Toric design details – notably the decorative fluted double bezel, prominent lugs, ornate dials and/or flanges, and javelin-style hands – established much of the brand’s overall aesthetic. Like many of us getting up there in age, a makeover is sometimes the best way to get out of a style rut. Fast-forward to 2021, and under the helm of then-new CEO Guido Terreni, Parmigiani Fleurier presented a new and improved Tonda collection, nipped, tucked, and injected with a type of youth serum that would make a cosmetician incredibly wealthy. This fresh Tonda PF range, with its abbreviated name, new silhouette, minimalist dials, and sleek new bracelet, was well received by the watch enthusiast community. In 2024, Parmigiani Fleuerier is applying the same radical revamp it did to its sporty Tonda to its Toric dress watch range, offering a split-seconds chronograph and time-only variants. We went hands-on with a pair of the latter, the new-for-2024 Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde watches in both variations.
My first impression of the watches is that they’re both very pretty; their calm color palettes work as neutrals in that they complement a stylish wardrobe well without having to lean on the more obvious choices of black, navy, or brown. “Sartorially sophisticated” is the thought that came to my mind when I pictured who would buy these watches. Similar to a well-dressed person who adheres to the quality over quantity approach, the watches don’t rely on overt flashiness, but rather on a slew of small yet thoughtful details that signal that there’s something special going on here without any one thing that screams it.
The case of the watches, seen here on my colleague Jake’s 6.5-inch wrist, measure 40.6mm in diameter and 8.8mm thick. In the metal, they wear larger than expected. The shorter lugs that curve gently down mitigate some of that amplitude in terms of wearing experience, but a few millimeters tighter diameter-wise (let’s say 38mm-ish) might have resulted in an even more versatile size. It’s interesting to note that the Toric dress watch is larger than the sporty Tonda PF, which measures 40mm in diameter and 7.8mm thick — I would have thought it would be the other way around. Then again, maybe the more generous dimensions define the “masculine elegance” tagline peppered throughout the Toric Petite Seconde’s marketing materials. The polished cases are offered in platinum or rose gold. While rose gold isn’t my favorite precious metal, I admit the Toric looks handsome dressed in it.
The knurled bezel remains — it wouldn’t really be a Toric watch without it — but its execution is much more subtle than in the past. In fact, in person, the fluting is even subtler than it appears in photographs. It adds a touch of visual interest without taking over the entire look. The crown is also fluted, and decorated with the brand’s oval logo.
The dials of the Toric Petite Seconde are where the brand truly flexes its new-found restraint — note the lack of text or anything else that’s superfluous. What we get is a pair of hands at the center for the hour and minutes, a sunken subdial at 6 o’clock for the namesake small seconds, a dozen small indices, and again, the abbreviated PF logo just under 12 o’clock. Gone are the flamboyant javelin hands, replaced by streamlined alpha hands, and standing in for the once ubiquitous numerals (either Roman or Arabic) are small applied gold indices that bend to follow the drop at the outer edge of the dial. The dials — Grey Celadon for the platinum version and Sand Gold for the rose gold one — are grain-finished using an old-school technique comprised of hand-applying a special paste to the surfaces. I can confirm that the finishing looks spectacular in person.
Another stunner on the Toric Petite Seconde watches is the movement that powers them, which thankfully is visible through the sapphire caseback. The brand-new Caliber PF780 manual-winding movement is crafted from 18k rose gold, beats at 5 Hz, and supplies 60 hours of power reserve via twin barrels. Its architecture comprises three large bridges with only the regulating organ and the two barrels visible. I’m not quite sure why Parmigiani Fleuerier opted to go with the sharpness of a right angle at the center of the movement, which, frankly, is quite jarring in the midst of all the curviness. That aside, the new argyle-like Côtes de Fleurier decoration of the bridges is quite beautiful and creates a subtle glittery effect, while the decorated bridges contrast nicely with the sandblasted plate below. As with all gold movements by Parmigiani Fleuerier, Caliber PF780 includes Michel Parmigiani’s signature, wedged between the barrels.
The nubuck-treated alligator straps are also fantastic; they’re supple and comfortable, and their colors (Sand Gold for the platinum and Grey Celadon for the rose gold) complement the rest of the watch flawlessly. Even the stitching was given much thought whereby Parmigiani Fleuerier chose to go with punto a mano, a go-to technique of Neapolitan tailoring that results in durability yet flexibility. The pin buckle (in platinum or rose gold, naturally) was also a deliberate choice as, according to Guido Terrenim, the blade of a deployant clasp would obstruct the view of the gorgeous movement.
All in all, I would say the Toric revamp was a highly successful one. It’s the type of transformation that doesn’t abandon its design roots entirely but is more than ready to step out to show off its new-found style like an eager participant in a television makeover show. The Parmigiani Toric Petite Seconde in rose gold (PFC940-2010001-300181-EN) is priced at $48,400 USD while the platinum version (PFC940-2010004-300181-EN) is priced at $55,900 USD. Yes, that is expensive. However, the brand has never been shy to admit that its watches aren’t for everyone but rather created for those who know what they like and are ready to pay the price to own one. For more information about the Toric Petite Seconde watches, please visit the Parmigiani website.
