“It’s a way to be impeccably informal.” Parmigiani Fleurier CEO Guido Terreni describes the design ethos behind the Tonda PF collection, the latest luxury watch lineup from the independent Swiss watchmaker, as such. In this special video interview, Ariel Adams of aBlogtoWatch and Mr. Terreni converse about the four watches that comprise the Tonda PF collection: the Micro-Rotor, the Chronograph, the Annual Calendar, and the vaunted Split-Seconds Chronograph with a solid gold 5Hz operating mechanical movement — as well as the history of the brand and its founder, Michel Parmigiani.
The debut of these watches comes as the brand celebrates its 25th anniversary and is but a small glimpse into the future that Terreni envisions for the company. The Tonda PF is a sophisticated daily wear collection that embodies a variety of traditional design elements and handcrafted techniques for which the house of Parmigiani Fleurier is celebrated, one of which is the hand-engraved grain d’Orge guilloché dial found on each of the watches (save for the limited-edition Split-Seconds Chronograph, which sports a luxurious sandblasted platinum dial). Another signature Parmigiani feature is the hand-turned fluted bezel that is rendered in either platinum or matching rose gold, depending on the reference. Along with a shared case shape and integrated bracelet design, the four watches that comprise the Tonda PF collection excel in these subtle, unpretentious, yet highly refined details.
The entry into the Tonda PF collection is the thin and elegant Tonda PF Micro-Rotor, available in both stainless steel and rose gold. As its name suggests, the watch utilizes a slim platinum micro-rotor to power the movement while maintaining a svelte 7.8mm overall case thickness. Next up is the 42mm Tonda PF Chronograph, which contains an integrated column-wheel chronograph movement that operates at a high-beat frequency of 36,000 vph and features an open-worked rotor in 22k gold. This same rotor is found in the 42mm-wide Tonda PF Annual Calendar, a reimagining of the brand’s annual calendar complication with moonphase indicator and retrograde date display. And finally, there is the Tonda PF Split-Seconds Chronograph, limited to 25 pieces in honor of the 25th anniversary of Parmigiani Fleurier. The watch measures in at 42mm and is a stunning display of solid platinum construction from case to bracelet to dial, all housing a gorgeous open-worked split-second chronograph movement with the mainplate and bridges rendered in 18k rose gold.
According to Mr. Terreni, each watch in the Tonda PF collection expresses a different emotion, from the versatility and simplicity of the Micro-Rotor to the understated elegance of the Split-Seconds Chronograph. Combined, they represent the remarkable breadth of Parmigiani Fleurier’s technical and artistic prowess in blending traditional details with contemporary execution. And despite their impressive specifications, the watches remain surprisingly restrained in their presentation. Ostentatious displays of wealth, these are not; for Terreni, these are watches made for their owners, and no one else.
Click through to the video to view the rest of the conversation between Adams and Terreni. For more information on all of the watches discussed, visit aBlogtoWatch as well as the Parmigiani Fleurier website at www.parmigiani.com.
Sponsored Posts are a form of advertising that allows sponsors to share useful news, messages, and offers to aBlogtoWatch readers in a way traditional display advertising is often not best suited to. All Sponsored Posts are subject to editorial guidelines with the intent that they offer readers useful news, promotions, or stories. The viewpoints and opinions expressed in Sponsored Posts are those of the advertiser and not necessarily those of aBlogtoWatch or its writers.
