Parmigiani Fleurier

Unveiled during SIHH, the Parmigiani Fleurier Pershing Tourbillon Abyss features a light weight titanium middle case, with a rose gold bezel and dynamometric screw-down crown (a patented mechanism which prevents overwinding).

Powering the Pershing Tourbillon Abyss is caliber PF 510, an in-house manufactured hand-wound 30-second tourbillon movement. It beats at 3Hz (or 21,600 vph) and thanks to two series-coupled power barrels, it has a huge one-week power reserve (168-hours). It has consists of 237 total components, 30 of which are jewels. The bridges feature Côtes de Genève decoration and are hand-chamfered.

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This year at SIHH Parmigiani Fleurier introduced three musical themed timepieces with intricately decorated marquetry dials. “Marquetry work” is ancient process that involves cutting out and assembling veneers — wooden veneers in this case — on a flat surface. The result is unique wooden veneer dial, with rich colors and a look that compliments the musical theme perfectly.

Parmigiani created two Tonda Tourbillons, the British “Wooodrock” version (pictured below) and American “Woodstock” version (pictured above), each with a unique musically themed wood veneer dial. They also created a new 15 days clock, the Clock 15 Days Blue Note which also features a musically themed marquetry dial.

“Each marquetry dial is the result of 10 days work and comprises more than fifty pieces of dyed wood. These have been designed, cut and then assembled with such meticulous care that the resulting dial appears perfectly flat to the naked eye.”

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When did you start in watchmaking?

I started in 1975. At a time of crisis for watchmaking, a very dark time. Everyone was trying to discourage me from taking that path at the time. Watchmaking was completely devastated in Switzerland. There had been a tremendous crisis. My beginnings were very difficult but I really believed in what I was doing and went against the tide. And it wasn’t a bed of roses. I started my activity at the time in the region where I was born…and the economy was completely devastated at the time. The only watchmaker that had remained active at the time was Piaget, at the time, all the others had had to close down. And they managed to weather the storm and not disappear. And even that was an inspiration to me because Piaget being a high-end luxury brand, I thought that if they had succeeded there was still some hope and that I was on the right track.

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Founded by Michel Parmigiani in 1996, and located in Fleurier, Switzerland — Parmgiani Fleurier is a rare brand; a true watch manufacture that has only been in existence for 16 years. Most of the brands who manufacture their movements in-house, have been around for over a century. Furthermore, while a watchmaker only needs to make one complete caliber in-house in order to call themselves a manufacture, Parmigiani, actually makes movements for all of their timepieces in-house. In fact, through their company, Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, they supply many of their competitors with essential watch components. They may be young, but they are a truly integrated manufacturer, capable of producing timepieces from start to finish.

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As a follow-up to the Bugatti Type 370 that was introduced in 2007, Parmigiani Fleurier introduced the Bugatti Super Sport in white gold three years later. Now, for 2012, the Fleurier based manufacture has launched two new variations of their popular Bugatti Super Sport: one in rose gold (shown above) and one in titanium (shown below).

See close-ups of the Bugatti Super Sport in white gold here. Click here to read about the launch, which took place at Pebble Beach earlier this month. Here is a link to an original photo gallery of the White Gold Pargmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Super Sport taken in 2011.

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Parmigiani Fleurier, located in Fleurier, Switzerland - was founded by Michel Parmigiani in 1996. As a tribute to 1950, Michel's birth year, a special 60 piece numbered edition timepiece was created and revealed at SIHH 2012 - the Parmigiani Tonda 1950 Edition Spéciale.

The dial is exquisite, revealing glimpses of the mechanical gear trains through its circular grille. You can even see a portion balance wheel as it oscillates. The grille is produced using a unique finishing process which includes lithography, molding and electroplating. Indexes are diamond polished and applied to the dial. Delta-shaped hour and minute hands feature luminescent treatment. A dial at 6 o'clock displays the seconds.

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One of the more interesting timepieces revealed by Parmigiani Fleurier at SIHH this year was the Transforma Rivages Chronograph Carbon and Titanium. It is a watch that can transform from: a watch, to pocket a watch and to a table clock. Push pins on the lower lugs allow the case to be detached for use as pocket watch or table clock.

The case is 43 mm by 12.8 mm and is made of carbon and titanium. Functions include hours, minutes, small seconds, day indication and chronograph. The movement is a self-winding in-house caliber PF334. The case back is engraved with "Special edition 100" and the individual number. The dial is in graphite with a circular satin finish, world map decoration and carbon counters with a thin diamond-polished flange. Luminescent Delta-shaped hands. Carbon-stamped black calfskin strap with titanium folding clasp.

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