As my avid readers know, I am a big fan of Parmigiani Fleurier‘s Tonda model. I personally own the Tonda 1950 Clarity, the Tonda 1950 Galaxy and the Tonda Métropolitaine. I love that you don’t see these pieces very often. Now there is a new model in the watch family celebrating the lunar calendar in all its glory. The moon has always played an important part in my life, I cut my hair according to the moon phase and full moon deeply affects my sleeping habit and emotions.
Two years after it first appeared, Parmigiani Fleurier is updating the aesthetic of the Tonda 1950 Lune with a model featuring a slate dial and a second design with round diamonds on the bezel. Both showcase the poetry of the «lunar calendar» complication which illuminates their dial with a new layout. Behind this harmony, it is easy to forget the sheer mechanical complexity required to create an ultra-thin self-winding movement which comprises so many time indications. The Tonda 1950 Lune is both a technical and beautiful tour de force.
Tonda 1950 Lune with Slate Dial – CHF 29.000
With a rose gold case matched with a slate colour dial, this Tonda 1950 Lune is the epitome of the classic elegant watch. The lunar calendar, displaying the two hemispheres, is located at 10 o’clock instead of its previous position at 12 o’clock. This offset layout balances the date at 3 o’clock, the logo at 1 o’clock, and the small seconds window at 6 o’clock. All of the time indications are structured to create a pleasingly harmonious dial. The alligator strap is available in black for men.
Tonda 1950 Lune with Diamonds – CHF 37.000
On the other hand, the Tonda 1950 Lune with diamonds features a rose gold case, a mother of pearl dial, a beautiful complement to the light which plays across the precious stones – a combination which cannot fail to enthral. Additional touches adorn the piece, such as the moon at 10 o’clock which is set in the middle of a starry sky, and the gold outline around the date window at 4 o’clock. Lastly, the dial has been made smaller to accommodate a slightly broader bezel, allowing larger diamonds to be set within it, offering exceptional sparkle and brilliance, unlike any other.
The alligator strap is available in ficelle, red and indigo for women.
The calibre PF708
The Tonda 1950 Lune owes its slender proportions to its calibre, the PF708, a mechanism combining precision and reliability with automatic winding thanks to its platinum micro-rotor. Its elements have been carefully arranged on the main plate to ensure the various time indications are harmoniously displayed. As is standard practice at Parmigiani Fleurier, and one of its hallmarks, it boasts hand-applied finishes and bevelled bridges. Its sublime structure is complemented by «Côtes de Genève» decoration.
ABOUT PARMIGIANI FLEURIER
Taking its name from its founder, watchmaker and restorer Michel Parmigiani, the fine watchmaking brand was founded in 1996 in Fleurier, in the Swiss valley of Val-de-Travers. With its own watchmaking centre ensuring its independence, the brand has both full control over the production process and unique creative freedom. For over twenty years, the Parmigiani Fleurier signature has resided within timepieces that command the utmost respect, in harmony with watchmaking traditions. They are the labour of a lifetime – that of Michel Parmigiani, the talented individuals who assist him, and the special relationship between the Manufacture and the masterpieces of the past, enabling it to invent a bold future.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Parmigiani Fleurier
A big thank you to my hosts Gabriel Cohen, UBS Wealth Management, and Natascha Lander, UBS Chief Investment Office, Wealth Management.
