The 4 Top-Notch Movements from Parmigiani Fleurier that Prove this Indie’s Watchmaking Prowess

Established in 1996 by the esteemed master watchmaker and restorer Michel Parmigiani, Parmigiani Fleurier is the rare independent watch brand that crafts its movements, dials, cases, and all other components in-house.

However, alongside producing its own timepieces, the maison also provides components to other watch brands. Only a few other independent watch brands are capable of this feat, namely Chopard, Kari Voutilainen, and F.P.Journe. That is some distinguished company.

In recent years, Parmigiani has also enjoyed a surging interest from watch collectors and enthusiasts, owing to its delightful and intriguing novelties, particularly the Tonda PF collection, which has had nine of its models selected as finalists in the 2022 and 2023 GPHG competitions.

Over 27 years, Michel Parmigiani and his team have developed over 30 in-house movements. So, to showcase Parmigiani’s unparalleled watchmaking expertise, today, we are spotlighting four of the brand’s significant calibres, encompassing manually wound, automatic with a micro-rotor, perpetual calendar, and split-seconds chronograph movements.

The very first movement developed at Parmigiani Fleurier is the tonneau-shaped calibre PF110. A manually wound movement oscillating at 3Hz, the PF110 is beautifully decorated, featuring a “Côtes de Genève” pattern, beveled bridges, and circular graining, and boasts two barrels that offer an impressive eight days of power reserve, which is a remarkable feat even today.
 

Inspired by an English pocket watch from the 1800s with two retractable hands that Michel Parmigiani helped restore, the PF110 was adapted to create the calibre PF111 that powered the Pantographe model in the Ovale Collection, with the main difference between the two being an additional module on the PF111 for the Pantograph’s hands.
 

Why did the PF111 need a special module for the hands? Because the Ovale Pantograph’s hands are telescopic, meaning the hour and minute hands extend and retract as they rotate around the oval dial. It is an exotic and ingenious design!
 

While some brands enlist celebrity ambassadors, Parmigiani boasts a high-profile client that money cannot buy: King Charles III. The King acquired a Toric chronograph in a gold case during a visit to a Swiss resort in the early 2000s and has been spotted wearing this timepiece on many significant public occasions.
 

However, the Calibre PF361 movement inside the 2021 Tonda PF Split Seconds Chronograph featured here is an even higher-end chronograph than the one Charles sported because, while a chronograph is often deemed by watchmakers as more challenging than a tourbillon, a split-seconds chronograph elevates the complexity to a whole new level.
 

The PF361 is an integrated calibre with all elements affixed to the main plate, without using any modules, and includes two column wheels and a vertical clutch. Furthermore, the movement operates at 5Hz, an incredible feat that enhances the chronograph’s accuracy, meaning the Tonda PF Split Seconds Chronograph, powered by PF361, can time two separate events and measure them to the tenth of a second.
 

Flipping the watch over, we encounter a manual-wind movement with a spectacular bridge layout and splendid finishing. The bridges and plate are crafted from sublime 18K rose gold and feature an openworked design that offers a view inside the movement.

Finally, its two column wheels emerge as the main feature of the movement, springing to life with each chronograph operation. The movement’s finish is simply exquisite, with every bevel and internal angle meticulously hand finished.
 

To learn more about Parmigiani Fleurier, check out the brand’s website.