The 2024 Watches & Wonders Geneva (WWG) edition featured an unprecedented number of not sporty, not sporty-chic, not integrated-bracelet, not steel watches. If you cannot remember as far as 2018, when there were dress watches everywhere, then this is an unprecedented event. When the fundamental segment of watchmaking was hot, and Nautilus-clones or Royal Oak-alikes had not taken over. It was true that a gold-plated timepiece with a slim case and a beautiful movement, but not a lot of complications, was considered a good expression of taste. Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde. This timepiece is so full of elegant details, that many go unnoticed.
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The Toric is hardly new; it is the name of Parmigiani Fleurier’s original collection and never left the collection. When the brand first appeared in 1996, its double Godroon bezel with its knurled bumps was what made it stand out. Not guilloché, which is a type of engraving, but ridged like the fudged sole of a dress shoe. The only difference is that the material being pressed is gold, not leather. Parmigiani has gone through many ups-and-downs in the last 28 years. But now, thanks to Tonda PF with its sartorial and lean design guidelines, it is back on track. The company is selling all the watches it can, which shows that there’s a lot of interest in the watchmaking industry. But instead of just sticking to a single collection, like so many brands do – instead of milking the Tonda PF – the brand decided to release the kind of watches Michel Parmigiani built this business for in the first place. No one had expected it until a couple of months ago.
This is an extremely strong statement, but please bear with me and have a look at this Toric Petite Seconde. Take a look at the dial. The dial is galvanized with pastel tones and finely-grained by hand. Its shape is “chevé”, meaning it is shaped like a pan, with a curved edge. The indices of the watch are short and follow the same curve. The hands are incredibly thin; incredibly slender. And then there are the “filet sauté”. This regrettable Gallicism is used to describe the thin wires that circle the dial and small seconds. There is also the signature knurled ring that gives the 8.8mm case its relief. What about the final detail? All the components and features above are in gold.
Turn the Toric over and you will see caliber PF780. This is a brand-new movement made specifically for the collection. The movement is hand-wound, slim and constructed according to a complex interpretation of symmetry. It will not be obvious but the bridges and mainplate are crafted out of solid rose gold and guilloché with a Côtes de Fleurier pattern. Parmigiani is a company that pays close attention to detail without shouting about it. This understatement speaks louder than any other statement. Since you’ve stayed with me so far, I can assure you that it is a joy to wear.
Movement: Rose gold calibre PF780 manual-winding with small seconds and 60-hour power reserves
Case: Rose gold 41.8mm; water resistant to 30m
Strap: Nubuck finish alligator leather
Price: SGD 75.160
This story was first seen on WOW’s Summer 2024 Issue.
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