Among all its distinctive watch families, Parmigiani’s Tonda models are most renowned for their understated elegance and most firmly ensconced in the “dress watch” rather than the “sport watch” category. This year, the Fleurier-based manufacture introduces a new evolution of the Tonda designed to tread the mythical line between special-occasion luxury and sporty, everyday active wear. Here is what you should know about the new Tonda GT.
To create the look of the Tonda GT — and to distinguish it from both its parent family and the rest of the Parmigiani line — the company turned for the first time in its history to an outside designer, Dino Modolo. The result is a new aesthetic that follows the “golden ratio” principles adhered to by brand founder Michel Parmigiani and takes much of its inspiration from the case of the GPHG-award-winning Tonda Chronor model from 2017. Notable updates include the gently curving lugs; the ergonomically sculpted bracelet with brushed and polished finishes; the fluted bezel reminiscent of those on Parmigiani’s Toric models; and the “clou triangulaire” guilloché motif on the dials, which also finds visual expression in the rubber straps of two of the three models released for the collection’s debut.
The flagship of the Tonda GT trio is indisputably the Tondagraph GT, whose 42-mm stainless steel case houses the automatic PF043 caliber. Though its name implies that it’s a chronograph, the watch is actually something more special and rare, offering the uncommon horological combo of a chronograph and an annual calendar. The dial displays the time on the hallmark Delta-shaped hands with black luminescent coating, the date in a large aperture at 12 o’clock, the running seconds and the month in a multipurpose subdial at 3 o’clock, and chronograph minutes and hours, respectively, on subdials at 9 and 6 o’clock. The calendar indications (date and month) are delineated in bright orange to contrast with the dial.
Inside the 100-meter water-resistant case with a screw-down crown, the movement is visible behind a sapphire window in the back. Possessing a 45-hour power reserve, it also boasts the array of high-horology finishes (such as côtes de Genève) that are common to Parmigiani. The Tondagraph GT, a limited edition of 200 pieces, will retail for $18,500 on an integrated rubber strap and for $19,500 on a bracelet.
Alongside the Tondagraph are two time-and-date models, the Tonda GT Black and the Tonda GT Rose Gold Blue, both with guilloché dials, small seconds at 6 o’clock, and big date displays at 12 o’clock. Both cases match the 42-mm dimensions of their more complicated sibling, and ensure a 100-meter water resistance with their screw-down crown.
The cases contain another self-winding movement, Parmigiani’s in-house Caliber PF044, which boasts the same embellishments and 45-hour power reserve as the PF043. The Tonda GT Black is available on both a bracelet and a black rubber strap (priced at $13,500 and $14,500, respectively, and limited to 250 pieces); the GT Rose Gold Blue comes on a dial-matching blue rubber strap, priced at $24,900, or on a rose-gold bracelet, priced at $49,500. The rose-gold timepiece is limited to 150 pieces.
Click here for more new 2020 timepieces from Parmigiani Fleurier.
May I have one p l e a s e ? Anyone ?