Parmigiani Fleurier has unveiled two new limited-edition wristwatches inspired by antique pocketwatches from a collection owned by Parmigiani Fleurier’s parent, the Sandoz Foundation. Both wristwatches are part of Parmigiani’s Toric collection.
The pocket watches that inspired the new wristwatches are on view in New York at the well-known vintage-jewellery and Russian-art gallery À La Vielle Russie. They are part of an exhibition called “Mechanical Wonders,” featuring 50 pieces from the Sandoz Collection, and running till November 26th.
Many of the pieces are usually on view at the famous Musée d’Horlogerie in Le Locle, Switzerland.
Parmigiani Toric Parm Ovale
The first new wristwatch has unusual telescopic hands that get longer or shorter as they rotate around the oval dial. It is modelled on a pocketwatch from the early 19th century designed by famed British watchmakers Vardon & Stedmann.
This unique piece was designed with telescoping hands that shortened near 3 and 9 o’clock and lengthened at 12 and 6 o’clock to remain exactly the same distance from the bezel of the oval shaped piece., also oval, with similar hands. The new watch will retail at $95,000. There will be 30 pieces in rose gold and 30 in white gold.
The Toric Ovale is the first wristwatch to feature the telescoping hands complication, which is powered by Parmigiani Fleuerier’s existing Calibre 111 with 269 components and an 8 day power reserve.
Parmigiani Toric Parm Heure Passant
The other new watch, a minute repeater with a serpentine cathedral chime shows the time by means of an arc-shaped aperture on the upper half of the watch face.
The numeral designating the hour traverses the arc, moving along a 60-minute scale as it does so. The watch was modelled on an engraved, minute-repeater pocketwatch made sometime between 1800 and 1840.
