BY JOVAN K
It has been a few years since Guido Terreni took the reins at Parmigiani Fleurier and shifted the focus toward the Tonda PF, a move that effectively streamlined the brand into the heavy hitter of the integrated bracelet world it is today. While the 2021 launch gave us the split seconds and the high beat steel versions to establish the DNA of the collection, this new rose gold Tonda PF Chronograph 40mm Ref. PFC917-2020001-200182 feels like the brand is finally comfortable enough to let the design speak for itself without needing to rely on the novelty of a new silhouette. It is an interesting time for Parmigiani because they have managed to find a niche that sits somewhere between the industrial sportiness of an Overseas and the delicate finishing of a Laurent Ferrier, and bringing gold into the mix for the smaller 40mm case size suggests they know exactly who their audience is.
The case measures 40mm x 12.72mm on the wrist, which is a set of proportions that feels more substantial in precious metal than it does in steel because of that unmistakable gold heft. You still get the knurled bezel that has become the calling card of the PF line along with those teardrop shaped pushers that integrate so smoothly into the side of the case that they almost look like part of the lugs from certain angles. It is rated to 100 meters of water resistance and features a screw down crown, so while it looks like a piece of jewelry in 18k rose gold, the construction is still rugged enough to handle a weekend by the water without you having to baby it too much.
Parmigiani Fleurier has opted for a mineral blue shade for the dial that works quite well against the rose gold case, and the entire surface is covered in their signature hand guilloché barleycorn pattern which catches the light in a way that makes the dial look deeper than it actually is. There is no luminous material to be found anywhere on the face, which might annoy some people who want total utility, but it fits the direction of a watch that is clearly meant to be a refined object first and a tool second.
The PF070 in-house self-winding calibre runs at 5Hz, holds a 65 hour power reserve, COSC-certified and the column wheel with vertical clutch combination gives the chronograph a smooth engagement that you can actually feel when you press the pushers. A skeletonised 22k rose gold rotor sits visible through the sapphire caseback, and at 6.95mm thick across 288 components, this is genuinely capable movement work rather than just a dressed-up base calibre.
The watch comes fitted to an integrated 18k rose gold bracelet with alternating brushed and polished links along with a folding clasp, and pricing lands at CHF 70,000/EUR 79.000, which places it firmly into heavyweight territory against more established names in this segment.
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