By Dhananjay Pathak
Having been around since 1996, Parmigiani Fleurier can easily be considered as a relatively new brand from a horological standpoint. But at the same it time, it is worth admiring as to how the brand has grown remarkably through all the years of existence and has gone ahead to become a well-known name in the world of Haute Horology. Parmigiani watches are an amalgam of exceptional craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology, and the brands 2018 SIHH release the redesigned Kalpa collection is certainly a testament to this. These new watches feature a recognizable and familiar looking Tonneau-shaped case of the original Kalpa collection, but the main highlight of these watches are the movements, which have been designed in a shape similar to that of the case in order to make for a perfect fit.
The 2018 Parmigiani Fleurier Kalpa collection comprises of 3 watches; The Kalpa Hebdomadaire, The Kalphagraphe Chronometre and the Kalpa Chronor, and as all of them feature a similar looking case let us get that out of the way first. The distinctive looking Tonneau-shaped case was perhaps one of the most striking details of the original Kalpa collection back in 2011 and the new 2018 Kalpa collection builds on it by keeping the original silhouette intact, but at the same featuring bolder and more modern curves enhancing the overall visual appeal of the watch. The case is made out of 18k gold and has been immaculately finished giving the watch a warm and elegant look. Small but thoughtful details such as the angle at which the teardrop-shaped curve to meet the wrist have been taken care of in order to ensure that the watch sits perfectly on the wrist. And though I do agree that the tonneau case shape might not be to everyone’s taste, it certainly is a refreshing departure from the myriad of circular shaped cases one comes across on a daily basis. On that note, let us now have a brief look at what the different models in this new collection have to offer individually.
THE PARMIGIANI FLEURIER KALPA HEBDOMADAIRE
Let us begin by looking at the simplest looking watch out of the lot, the Parmigiani Kalpa Hebdomadaire.
The dial on this watch has been neatly laid out and easy to read. The hour markers are these rose gold plated applied indices which have been placed on the outer periphery of the dial that has an intricate guilloche finish and also houses the power reserve indicator at 12. The gold tone of the markers and the handset matches the color of the case and provides a nice contrast against the black dial. Moving inwards, there is a recessed circular section which has the minute markers printed in white along with a date window at 12 and a subsidiary second’s dial at 6 which has also been slightly recessed giving a sense of depth to the dial.
But what makes this watch truly special is the hand-wound calibre PF110 that powers this watch. This movement was the developed by Michel Parmigiani in 1998 and was the first watch movement by the brand designed to fit the shape of the case and the very same movement is being used in the Kalpa Hebdomadaire to pay a tribute to the history of the Kalpa. The movement is beautifully decorated using Côtes de Genève, perlage and beveling on the bridges and sits perfectly inside the 42.3mm tall and 35.1mm wide case.
THE PARMIGIANI FLEURIER KALPAGRAPHE CHRONOMÈTRE
Now, moving on to the more complex and cutting-edge Parmigiani Kalpa Kalpagraphe Chronometre.
Being a chronograph, this watch comes in a rather large 48.2mm tall and 40.9mm wide case. Once again the hour markers have been presented on the outer periphery of the dial, but this time around the guilloche pattern has been replaced by concentric lines. The blue color of the dial provides a nice contrast to the gold case as well as the hour markers and the handset. And even though this is a chronograph, Parmigiani have still managed to keep the dial quite legible and balanced. The sub-dial at 3 and 9 captures the minutes and hours respectively, and then there’s the signature half second dial at 6 which balances out the date at 12.
The movement powering this watch is the calibre PF362 which happens to be Parmigiani’s first shaped integrated column wheel based chronograph movement. The movement is COSC certified, operates at a frequency of 5 Hz and as per the brand incorporates several state of the art technological developments that increase its reliability. It offers a power reserve of 65 hours and is beautifully decorated in typical Parmigiani fashion, including a solid 18k gold rotor with a barley grain guilloche motif. The movement can be seen in all its glory through the sapphire crystal exhibition case back.
THE PARMIGIANI FLEURIER KALPA CHRONOR
Finally to conclude, let us look at last and the most expensive watch from the collection, the Parmigiani Fleurier Kalpa Chronor.
This watch is technically and aesthetically similar to the Kalpagraphe Chronometre with a few key differences. The dial on this watch has been rendered in black color and has the same guilloche finish as seen on the Kalpa Hebdomadaire. The chronograph sub-dials on this watch have the same color tone as that of the case and provides an excellent contrast to the black dial.
But, what sets this watch truly apart is the 18k solid gold PF365 movement that powers this watch. Although, this is technically similar to the calibre PF362, most of what meets the eye (including the 22k gold rotor, plates, and bridges) on this movement is made out of solid gold. The movement has been beautifully decorated and has a warm hue to it courtesy of the solid gold construction, and can obviously be ogled at from the sapphire crystal case back.
These new Parmigiani watches might not be the most practical offerings for us watch enthusiasts, but that should not stop us from appreciating what they bring to the table in terms of design and cutting-edge technology. All the models would come mated to a Hermes black alligator strap and as we do not have the prices on these as yet, we would update this space as and when we receive the required information. parmigiani.com
