If the spotlight of the yr 2021 for Parmigiani Fleurier has been the introduction of its assortment of luxurious sports activities watches, the Tonda PF, there was really one thing way more confidential however no much less fascinating occurring below the curtains. Certainly, this yr marks each the seventieth anniversary of Michel Parmigiani, Grasp watchmaker and founding father of the model and the Twenty fifth anniversary of the model he created in 1996. And due to this, Parmigiani Fleurier’s newly appointed CEO Guido Terreni determined that this deserved a particular endeavor, taking the form of a really particular undertaking… And the result’s this signature timepiece, named La Rose Carrée, a pocket watch that mixes each the previous of Michel as one of many world’s most celebrated grasp restorers, and the model’s experience in métiers d’artwork.
The story of La Rose Carrée really begins some a long time in the past, when within the late Nineteen Nineties, Michel Parmigiani acquired a grande sonnerie and minute repeater motion, created across the finish of the nineteenth century by well-known grand problems watchmaker Louis-Elisée Piguet. For over 20 years, this calibre remained in a drawer, awaiting restoration, a brand new life and subsequently, to be reborn. One has to keep in mind that, earlier than creating his eponymous model, Michel Parmigiani was already acknowledged as probably the greatest restorers of vintage and vital timepieces on the planet. With this undertaking, Parmigiani Fleurier renews with this wealthy heritage, and creates a powerful, fantastically executed one-off pocket watch to deal with this unimaginable motion, within the title of the Parmigiani Fleurier La Rose Carrée.
Whereas just lately appointed as CEO, Guido Terreni had the thought to rejoice the Twenty fifth anniversary of the manufacture and its founder’s seventieth anniversary by releasing a extremely particular timepiece that embodies everything of Parmigiani Fleurier’s craft and experience and Michel Parmigiani’s heritage. The Rose Carrée was born in lower than 12 months, bringing again to former glory a traditionally vital motion absolutely restored whereas preserving its authenticity. And since this excellent engine would require a treasure field to be displayed, the manufacture crafted a newly designed case, which is coated in translucent grand feu enamel, creating complicated shades of blue, adorned by a Rose Carrée or “squared rose” sample engraving that spans everything of this legacy motion.
On the coronary heart of the Parmigiani Fleurier La Rose Carrée is a motion made by Louis-Elisée Piguet, the calibre quantity 5802, made by the famed watchmaker across the finish of the nineteenth century. “We have been trusted with a motion that’s distinctive by its problems, by the variety of parts and by its high quality,” says Francis Rossignol, who works with Michel Parmigiani on the restoration workshop. The motion is a typical hand-wound calibre of the late nineteenth century, which was already distinctive by its nature, its high quality and principally its set of problems – a grande sonnerie mixed to a minute repeater.
Which means this calibre is ready to chime the variety of hours on the prime of each hour. At each quarter, it chimes the variety of quarters. And as a minute repeater, it chimes the variety of hours, quarters, and minutes on demand. However as an previous motion, it required to be rejuvenated, and coincidentally, it has been redecorated with a particular sample on the bridges.
The second process was to create a house for this motion. A brand new case was created with a double-hunter profile, made in 18k white and measuring 64mm in diameter. Then, the 2 covers of the case have been engraved by the expert arms of Eddy Jaquet with a motif known as “Rose Carrée.” In typical PF type, the sample follows the Golden Spiral, a mathematical spinoff of the Golden Ratio, which is seen in all places in nature from timber, vegetation, and seashells – and in lots of watches created by Michel. As soon as the engraving was obtained, three to 4 layers of blue grand feu enamel have been meticulously utilized by inventive enameller Vanessa Lecci. Each covers are symmetrical and contextually engraved.
Opening one facet of the quilt, one will uncover a broad, uncluttered dial fully product of black onyx. It reveals a pair of openworked, white gold arms crafted in a Delta form, and a small seconds subdial outlined in white gold. Opening the second hunter cowl reveals the motion whose floor has additionally been fully engraved, with the mainplate and the bridges now displaying a Rose Carrée sample. The crown, set with a blue sapphire, is sheltered by an engraved sq. bow with blue grand feu enamelling, connected to a novel square-link chain that has been designed in accordance with the Rose Carrée motif.
The Parmigiani Fleurier La Rose Carrée is an outstanding undertaking that’s, as you possibly can think about, a novel piece with a value that can stay confidential. An ideal technique to rejoice 25 years of high-end watchmaking at PF.
For extra particulars, please go to parmigiani.com.
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