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[ The WATCH ]
Timepieces by Michel Parmigiani at Fleurier feature aesthetic and technical characteristics that form a connection with the great Swiss watchmaking tradition by Paolo De Vecchi
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ore than is the case for other manufacturers, Parmigiani Fleurier’s most recent creations are representative of the House’s production. The brand, which is based in the heart of Switzerland, was founded 20 years ago by Michel
Parmigiani. It makes watches with a classic feel and details that recall 19th-century pocket watches. Take, for example, the case (in an evocative pink shade of gold) with its finely knurled bezel and white grené dial, highlighted by stylised Arabic numerals and javelin-shaped hands. The distinctive aesthetics are matched by mechanical excellence, a constant in Fleurier production. The automatic movements are made according to strict manufacturing criteria, with a power reserve of at least 50 hours and operating at 28,800 vibrations an hour. These new watches both form part of the Toric collection, and although they are linked by their design, they have very different functional specifications. The Chronometre model carries simple hour, minute and central second markers, as well as the date, which is displayed in a window with eye-catching graphics, with two numbers and a central marker. In contrast, the Hémispherès Rétrograde is a complicated watch, although it offers clear, immediate legibility, with hours, minutes, small seconds and retrograde date. These are complemented by indicators for day, night and a second time zone. Both watches fasten with a luxurious alligator strap made by Hermès especially for Parmigiani Fleurier. www.parmigiani.com
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Creations in the new Toric collection by Parmigiani Fleurier - the Hémisphères Rétrograde (top) and the Chronometre (above, right), are watches with a classical appeal, and both feature an automatic movement and gold case. Above, left, details of the finely-knurled bezel and Hermès strap
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[ The WATCH ]
From restoration to production A master watchmaker who has inherited a traditional approach to timepiece manufacture, Michel Parmigiani (right) made his presence felt in the international market with a brand bearing his name in 1996. Before designing and personally following the production of watches at his manufacturing centre in Fleurier, Switzerland, in the Val de Travers among the Jura mountains, Michel Parmigiani spent many years practising the art and techniques of restoring old watches. This is a profession where talent, manual skills, education, brilliance, patience and dedication are qualities that combine to achieve spectacular results. It’s not surprising that the Sandoz Family Foundation entrusted him with its watch collection. The quality and number of models it includes make it one of the world’s most important collections, and its watches were all researched, catalogued and restored by Michel Parmigiani. These timekeeping instruments have often provided inspiration for his Fleurier brand - the limited series Ovale model, for example.
The hand-wound wristwatch, produced in a numbered limited edition of 50 examples by Parmigiani Fleurier, has hands that extend and retract to follow the shape of the case. It recalls an old pocket watch model (right) with telescopic hands, restored by Michel Parmigiani and part of the Sandoz Family Foundation collection
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Virtuous circle Since its renovation and extension, the Pisa Orologeria Flagship Store has also hosted exhibitions and presentations, some pretty leading-edge. This was the case with the Type 390, a special series created by Parmigiani Fleurier with Bugatti
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aving opened its doors in early 2016, the new Pisa Orologeria Flagship Store on Milan’s chic Via Verri is now a well-established edition to the horological scene, having quickly become a magnet for both classic and
edgier haute gamme watch enthusiasts and collectors. One of the most notable of the 40 or so brands stocked behind its gleaming windows is Parmigiani Fleurier, which ticks both classic and edgy boxes. However, the Flagship Store
Left from top: the presentation of the Type 390 at Pisa Orologeria; the Bugatti Type 390 high-performance
is not just a showcase where watch fans can come to browse and purchase, it
watch by Parmigiani Fleurier; master watch-maker
is also a gathering place of sorts and regularly hosts intriguing exhibitions. In
Michel Parmigiani with Chiara Pisa, general manager Pisa
2016, in fact, Mechanical Wonders give us a glimpse of a selection of some of the highlight pieces from the hugely important Sandoz Collection of antique watches, which were classified and restored by Michel Parmigiani and are the creative
Orologeria; The Mechanical Wonders exhibition at the Pisa Orologeria Flagship Store showcasing a selection of watches from the Sandoz Collection
spark behind the Parmigiani Fleurier manufacture’s fascinating creations. At the end of last year, Pisa Orologeria also hosted the Italian premiere of a new creation from the maison, born of a collaboration with elite car maker, Bugatti. Revealing the more high-tech, leading edge side of the brand’s soul, the Type 390 is a timepiece that encapsulates and embodies the extraordinary power and performance of the Bugatti Chiron in its design and functional elements. Its mechanical movement consists of a breathtaking 302 components while two series-mounted barrelsto deliver an 80-hour power reserve. There is also a tourbillon in there. The Type 390’s modular construction also means that “engine block”, to use a motoring metaphor, can be removed, race car-style, from its housing when it needs looking at. The case is moulded around the tubularshaped movement and is made from polished rose or white gold with large apertures in sapphire crystal revealing the sublime intricacies of the movement.
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