Parmigiani Fleurier celebrates a decade-long partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival with a Tonda Metrographe limited edition – a watch that we introduced to you a few weeks ago. Today, right during the Festival, we had the chance to go hands-on with this bold, yet elegantly shaped chronograph, with a specific dial for this limited edition.
Parmigiani Fleurier first joined forces with the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2007, building the foundations of a unique alliance between the worlds of watchmaking and music. The Montreux Jazz Festival is a must-see: George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Lauryn Hill, Grace Jones, Erykah Badu… Just a few of the names who are set to perform at the 51st annual Montreux Jazz Festival. To celebrate 10 years of partnership, Parmigiani Fleurier is unveiling the Tonda Metrographe MJF Special Edition.
Sprung to life: who manufactures Hairsprings? An industry perspective on this key component whose production is still shrouded in secrecy – Barely one centimeter in diameter, the hairspring is the beating heart of a watch movement. It is a strategic component in several respects. Manufacturing hairsprings is a complex process and the whole Swiss watch industry has been relying on one supplier, Swatch Group’s Nivarox… at least, until very recently!
Traditionally speaking, Parmigiani has always reserved the Toric name for its most complex pieces, such as the Toric Quaestor Labyrinthe or the Toric Resonance 3. In 2017 however, we’re getting a different type of Toric timepiece. One that is more subdued, inherently less complex and altogether delightful. Meet the new Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Chronomètre, a contemporary interpretation of the first watch designed by Michel Parmigiani, which displays the time and date only. Of course, there are a few extra embellishments that make this watch more than just your standard three-hander with a date. This is Parmigiani after all. Read on to learn more.
The Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Aérolithe Performance is an automative-inspired watch, a specialty of the Fleurier-based brand, inspired by another mythical car of the no less mythical brand Bugatti. Mythical because this magnesium car (completely unusual back the days) remained at a prototype stage and lasted for a very short period. The watch we have today is much more concrete and has some desirable features and a bold design to offer. Here is the Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Aérolithe Performance.
The SIHH 2017 ended already a few weeks ago, and our own Xavier an Brice already shared their favorites of this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. In the mean time I’ve been busy, among others with a trip to the far north of Finland with Porsche and Porsche Design. While drifting on ice with a host of 911’s, I got to experience how perfectly both brands match, and I got a lot of hands-on time with the 1919 Chronograph that Porsche Design introduced at Baselworld last year. Later more about that, but now it’s time to list my top 10 watches from the SIHH.
The Toric Chronometre is the first watch designed by Michel Parmigiani and it is a watch that symbolizes both innovation and culture. Each release of the Toric Chronometre is unique and presents new features that defines and differentiates itself from the rest of the crowd.…
First one to pull the trigger was Xavier, with his Top 10 watches of the SIHH 2017. It was not fair to leave that task to him only, so I had to do the job too. Still, picking up my 10 favorite pieces of the Geneva-based fair was not easy. Not that there was not enough material this year – we’ve seen many interesting propositions, both dream-watches or more commercial offers – but it’s always difficult to set barriers. Whatever, here they are, my 10 favorite watches of the SIHH 2017 (plus a few special mentions, some watches or policies dear to my heat…)
The SIHH 2017 was my 19th attendance to the Geneva-based fair. What a pleasure to tour the inescapable Geneva Haute Horlogerie rendez-vous, which has been great vintage indeed! Here’s my top ten favorite watches, after over 2,000 pictures shot. These are presented without specific order, focusing on gents watches (no mention therefore of the magnificent jeweled watches from Cartier, Piaget or Van Cleef and Arpels). A tough choice but as we had to pick ten, here we go with my personal highlights…
If you read Monochrome on a regular basis, you should know that the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 is a favorite of ours. Reasons are simple: it is a superb watch, with a great design, both elegant and slightly original (it sets apart from the masses of dress watches, without being too original) and it features a great, technical and hand-finished movement. For this 2017 edition of the SIHH, the brand comes with a great gift: the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950, now in steel (good for the wallet), still with the same micro-rotor movement and its beautiful decoration (good for amateurs) and with a few updates. Overview.