BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Parmigiani Fleurier’s watches are captivating pieces that fit everyone. From watch enthusiasts to royalty, the watches from Michel Parmigiani’s company offer unique designs and a chance to buy into an alternative name from the most common brands. Their Tonda watches are the most versatile, they come in all kinds of sizes and complications from the most complex watches Parmigiani Fleurier makes down to one of the simplest and smallest models, which is what we’re looking at today.
The new Tonda PF 36mm Automatic Stone Blue is a classy and restrained watch designed for anyone to enjoy. Parmigiani Fleurier says that the colour palette of legendary architect Antoine Le Corbusier inspired the ‘stone blue’ colour for this watch. The dial is quite something, with that stone blue colour being left mostly unobscured by the small markers and the partial skeleton hands. Very clean indeed.
The stainless steel case measures 36.0mm x 8.6mm and features a knurled bezel made from 950 platinum, strangely, just like another watch we featured recently. The water resistance of this model is 100m, meaning it’s perfect to wear everywhere, and a brushed/polished bracelet delivers comfort and a level of attraction. Having handled Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tonda watches before, I’m sure this watch will feel solid and sturdy in the hand. I like the unique lug design which stretches them up the sides of the case so they almost look like aeroplane wings.
Inside the case is the self-winding calibre PF770, a manufacture movement featuring a 4Hz beat rate and 60-hour power reserve. As one would expect from Parmigiani Fleurier, there’s plenty of high-quality finishing on the movement, with côtes de Genève striping and the 22k partial skeleton rotor being the things to draw your eye the most.
The new Tonda PF 36mm Automatic Stone Blue watch could be the perfect classy but functional daily watch for someone who’s looking to get a high-end Swiss watch that isn’t from a large-scale manufacturer. The retail price of this watch is $22,600.
