Parmigiani Fleurier introduces a new Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar
A horological masterpiece, now in a stainless steel case with a vivid Viridian green dial.
Parmigiani Fleurier (PF) – a prestigious luxury Swiss timepiece brand – has introduced the Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar in a stainless steel case with a vivid Viridian green dial. Parmigiani Fleurier was founded by Michel Parmigiani in 1996 in Val-de-Travers, a municipality in the canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Michel Parmigiani is a reputed watchmaker and master restorer of antique timepieces. Parmigiani Fleurier is headquartered in Fleurier, Switzerland, and is presently owned by the Sandoz Family Foundation. Guido Terreni is the CEO since January 2021.
History and Design
The genesis of the Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar goes back to 2011, when Michel Parmigiani created the Hijri Calendar Table Clock. This was inspired by a pocket watch featuring an Arabic calendar which he had restored. After the Hijri Calendar Table Clock, Parmigiani Fleurier created the award-winning Hijri Perpetual Calander, which won the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) innovation Prize in 2020. The Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar followed this model “in a platinum case with a fresh design language and simpler dial.”
In the brand’s own words:
“The Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar is a horological expression of the Tabular Islamic calendar which was developed by Muslim scholars and astronomers in the 8th century. This system makes it possible for historians to convert Islamic dates to Gregorian dates and also makes the Hijri Perpetual Calendar possible. The first year of the Hijri calendar corresponds to the year 622 CE and is marked by the Prophet Muhammad’s Hijrah (Arabic for “migration”) from Mecca to Medina in modern-day Saudi Arabia.”
“The lunar Hijri calendar is based on the cycles of the moon in comparison to the solar Gregorian calendar and lunisolar Chinese Xiali calendar. This makes for a 30-year cycle with each year consisting of 12 months that are 29 or 30 days long. In each 30-year cycle there are 19 common years consisting of 354 days and 11 abundant years consisting of 355 days.”
Dial and Hijri Calendar Functions
The Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar has a Viridian green dial that “is hand finished with a Grain d’Orge guilloche.”
The applied hour-markers at 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 11 and the skeletonized delta hour and minute hands are crafted in 18k gold and rhodium plated.
The centre-second hand and calendar-hands of the three subdials at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock are crafted in steel and rhodium plated.
The precision moonphase at the 6 o’clock subdial is crafted in blue aventurine.
The Parmigiani Fleurier logo is located between the hour-markers at 1 and 2.
Subdial at 12 o’clock: This subdial shows the 30-year cycle of the Hijri calendar. The standard or common 354-day years are in white, and the abundant 355-day years are in beige. A cycle comprises of 19 common years and 11 abundant years.
Subdial at 3 o’clock: This subdial “indicates the numbered months of the year with the ninth month of Ramadan highlighted in bright red.” The first month begins at 12 o’clock.
Subdial at 9 o’clock: This subdial “shows the days of the month with an aperture indicating whether it is a 30-day abundant month or a 29-day common month.” The aperture is placed between the centre of the subdial and its 12 o’clock position. A 29-day month is indicated by a white aperture, and a 30-day month is indicated by a beige aperture. “When the current month lasts for 30 days, a small disc displaying the golden color of the number 30 appears in the window.”
Subdial at 6 o’clock: The upper part of the subdial shows the phases of the moon as seen in the Northern Hemisphere, and the lower part, the phases of the moon as seen in the Southern Hemisphere.
“Watchmaking should be a window onto the history, culture and philosophy of the peoples who have shaped our perception of time.” Michel Parmigiani, Founder of Parmigiani Fleurier and Master Restorer.
Calibre
The Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar is powered by automatic calibre PF009. Its functions are hours, minutes, seconds, Hijri perpetual calendar and precision moon phase. It consists of 310 parts, has 32 jewels, beats at a frequency of 28,800 Vph or 4 Hz and has a power reserve of 48 hours. The calibre has an overall diameter of 33.8 mm and a thickness of 5.7 mm.
It is thoroughly well-finished with Côtes de Genève, perlage and beveled bridges. Its “skeletonized rotor is chiseled from platinum with a polished and sandblasted finish.” It is visible via a sapphire caseback.
Case and Bracelet
The Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar’s case is crafted in stainless steel “with alternating satin and polished finishes.” Furthermore, “its signature fluted bezel is in 950 platinum and it is paired with a matching stainless-steel bracelet with folding clasp.”
Its case has a diameter of 42 mm and thickness of 11.2 mm. It has a screwed-in crown with a diameter of 6 mm. The Parmigiani Fleurier logo is engraved on the crown. On the dial side, there is an ARunic anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and on the caseback side, sapphire glass. On the caseback side, the individual serial number of each timepiece, along with “PARMIGIANI FLEURIER” are engraved. The case is water resistant to 100 m.
Its bracelet is crafted in “polished and satin-finished stainless steel.” It has a stainless steel folding clasp.
Concluding Thoughts
The Perpetual Calendar is one of three main grand complications, along with the Tourbillon and Minute Repeater. Most perpetual calendars are based on the Gregorian calendar. Parmigiani Fleurier’s ability to create an Islamic Hijri perpetual calendar (and the conventional Gregorian and Chinese Xiali calendars) shows how special they are as a watchmaker. The Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar is unique in the world of grand complications and perpetual calendars. For the collector who appreciates grand complications and calendar functions, this timepiece is a superb addition to their collection.
Availability and Pricing
Name: Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar
Reference: Stainless Steel: PFH983-1020001-100182
Price: Swiss Franc (CHF): 62,500.00
Website: https://www.parmigiani.com/
Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in News
