Parmigiani Fleurier has showcased an extraordinary trilogy of calendar watches crafted from the finest platinum at Watches and Wonders 2023. Celebrating cultures, civilizations, and the art of watchmaking, at the heart of the three horological masterpieces is the universal concept of the calendar. Parmigiani Fleurier’s founder, Michel Parmigiani, once said, “The calendar is an eminently fascinating watchmaking complication, as it really is the mirror of civilizations.” The platinum trilogy with Gregorian, Islamic, and Chinese calendars has been released in a strictly limited edition of three box sets, offering a unique opportunity to three collectors to acquire the trifecta of extremely complicated calendar watches.
The three platinum calendar watches are based on Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tonda calendar timepieces and are mechanically identical to them. The watches are made from 950 platinum. They feature solid gold hour markers and hands on a sandblasted platinum dial.
The Tonda PF Gregorian Calendar watch is a mechanical marvel thanks to its complex calendar movement. The day of the week, the month, and the phases of the moon are shown respectively at 9, 3, and 6 o’clock on the dial, while the oval PF logo is applied at 12 o’clock. It is powered by the in-house automatic calibre PF339 that offers 50 hours of power reserve. The moon phase mechanism only requires correcting once every 122 years, while the annual calendar needs adjustment once a year.
The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar is a celebration of the rich cultural legacy of the Islamic world. The Hijri or Islamic lunar calendar consists of twelve months of 29 or 30 days – depending on the moon phase – and is used to pinpoint the days for Islamic holidays. Therefore, the automatic in-house PF009 caliber required a completely reworked calendar mechanism. It is inspired by a Parmigiani Fleurier table clock launched in 2011, which was itself based on an antique pocket watch with an Arabic calendar display that was personally restored by Michel Parmigiani. On the dial side, the hours, minutes, and dates are rendered in Arabic numerals, while the name and length of the months are in Arabic calligraphy. Furthermore, the ninth month is even marked in green on the counter at 3 o’clock.
The Chinese calendar watch is an iteration of the Tonda PF Xiali Calendar which was introduced in January this year and is claimed to be the world’s most complete and most precise Chinese calendar. It’s a horological masterpiece. The Chinese lunisolar is derived from the combination of solar and lunar calendars, which are calculated separately and then synchronized using an extra lunar or intercalary month. Unlike the Gregorian calendar which gives each month a name and each year a number, the Chinese calendar names the lunar years but numbers the months. The names of the years are repeated on a 60-year cycle. The watch is powered by the calibre PF008, a new automatic in-house movement, which is mechanically programmed to cover a period of 12 years via a cam system. The trilogy of Parmigiani Fleurier’s calendar watches is the epitome of horological excellence, making it a perfect choice for collectors. The pricing has not been revealed.
