Jewellery & Watch News
Winner of the GPHH 2019 “Travel Time” Prize for it’s exceptional second time zone indicator, the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemispheres Retrograde watch returns in stainless steel but with a stunning new blue guilloche dial.
First introduced to us in 2017 at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie Genève (SIHH) event, the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemispheres Retrograde was an easy solution for individuals juggling their life between two time zones. The design was originally released in a luxurious 18 carat rose gold case and white dial and then shortly after issued in stainless steel with a smooth and striking black centrepiece dial. Now, as part of their Geneva Watch Days 2021 releases, the luxury watch brand has reissued the aesthetic in stainless steel but with an all-new blue guilloche dial, serving as a reminder of the great artistic intricacies of the past while exhibiting some of today’s greatest contemporary complications. Let’s take a tour of this new blue dial and the complications that call it home.
The dial
If you’re someone new to the world of horology, then a quick glance at the dial of the new Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemispheres Retrograde Steel watch may have you feeling a little overwhelmed. But don’t worry, this abundance of complications is actually incredibly easy to read once you know how. Let’s start at the centre where three hands join together to deliver three separate timekeeping functions. The two silvered javelin-shaped hands remain classically designed for the hours and minutes while the third hand, painted in a dark navy blue and tipped with a red crescent moon points to the date on the retrograde archway that curves across the bottom half of the dial.
Now onto the subsidiary dials of the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemispheres Retrograde watch. At 12 o’clock, a blue grained dial presents a 12 hour scale in white for telling the second time zone and next to it, a two-toned blue and white counter is a day/night indicator for that time zone. Meanwhile, the bottom subsidiary dial at 6 o’clock provides a running count of the seconds and within it, a matching day/night indicator is dressed in blue and white, this time coinciding with the time of day as the local time displayed at the centre.
The movement
It’s not only its choice of complications that has allowed the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemispheres Retrograde watch to become a prize-winner, but the automatic winding movement responsible for powering them is a work of art in itself. The PF317 calibre features a module developed alongside Agenhor which allows for both the retrograde date indications and the multiple time zone which consequently can be set to the minute by a dedicated crown at 2 o’clock. When you pull out the crown, the module disengages entirely from the movement meaning you can independently adjust the second time zone to the nearest minute. When the crown is pushed back in, the module re-engages with the movement and works simultaneously with the chosen interval. The PF317 automatic winding movement also boasts two barrels coupled in series to provide a solid power reserve of 50 hours.
The case & strap
Other than its breathtakingly beautiful new blue guilloche centrepiece, the new Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemispheres Retrograde watch retains all the same characteristics as its previous steel counterparts including a 42.8mm stainless steel case, downturned lugs and iconic stepped bezel. Sapphire crystal glass is used to protect the dial and allow for the movement to be displayed through the exhibition case back, the former being treated with a layer of anti-reflective coating. The Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemispheres Retrograde is also water resistant to 30 metres and secures to the wrist by a sophisticated blue alligator leather strap and a stainless steel folding buckle.
If you’d like to learn more about the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemispheres Retrograde Steel watch and order your own, head over to the C W Sellors website here or call our team of luxury watch specialists on 01335 453453.
Specifications: Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemispheres Retrograde Steel Watch (PFC901-1020001-300182)
- Case Size: 42.8mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Bezel: Fixed, stepped
- Glass: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Case Back: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 30 metres
- Movement: Calibre PF317 automatic winding
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, retrograde date, second time zone, day/night indication
- Power Reserve: 50 hours
- Jewels: 28
- Frequency: 28,800vph
- Dial: Blue guilloche with opaline snailed counters, silver appliques and javelin-shaped luminescent hands
- Strap: Blue alligator leather
- Buckle: Folding
- RRP: £16,000
