Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Watch Review
Parmigiani Fleurier, a brand that has repeatedly shown its sensitivity to the desires of watch obsessives, has now enlarged its popular Tonda PF collection, offering both ‘date’ and ‘no date’ versions of its micro-rotor equipped references.
Image – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Ref. PFC914-1020021-100182
A watch with a date display
Over the years, I have met legions of watch fanatics and witnessed debates relating to designs, materials, finishing and complications. However, there is one topic that is guaranteed to polarise opinion, the presence or absence of a date display.
A function, seemingly so trivial, can provoke the fiercest discussions. On one hand, some horophiles argue the case for added functionality provided by a date display, while in the opposing corner of the ‘ring’, there is a fearsome bunch screaming ‘less is more’.
Last year, I attended the launch of a new watch from an unnamed brand. I immediately fell for the model’s design, case execution, finishing and technical specification. A column-wheel, vertical coupling, 5Hz frequency, variable-inertia balance, silicium technology, etc all united to form a cohesive whole and, in my opinion, made a compelling case for selection. And yet, whilst cradling said watch in my admiring hands, I witnessed a journalist berate the watch brand’s CEO because the new model had a date indication. In that moment, I realised just how impassioned some watch obsessives can be about the presence or absence of a seemingly simple date display.
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF collection – first unveiled in September 2021
In September 2021, just seven months after the arrival of its newly-appointed CEO, Guido Terreni, Parmigiani Fleurier unveiled a new collection of timepieces. At the time of its launch, the Tonda PF collection comprised an annual calendar, split-seconds chronograph, tri-compax chronograph and a two-hander with a self-winding movement incorporating a micro-rotor.
Image – Guido Terreni
This latter watch, the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor, was endowed with a date indication, positioned at 6 o’clock. Discreet, unobtrusive yet eminently legible, I’ve never had an issue with the small aperture positioned in the southern hemisphere of the dial. Moreover, Parmigiani Fleurier executed the date display correctly, upholding horological etiquette by presenting the numerals atop a disc, matching the dominant dial hue (grey).
Image – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Ref. PFC914-1020001-100182
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date – Watches & Wonders 2024
At Watches & Wonders 2024, Parmigiani Fleurier unveiled the new Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date, an addition to the existing Tonda PF collection, running alongside the aforementioned Tonda PF Micro-Rotor (with date display). Surprisingly, it is not the absence of the date aperture that immediately arrests one’s attention, but the colour of the new reference’s dial.
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date dial
Unlike the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor which features a grey-hued dial, the new ‘No date’ model comes in a bewitching shade termed ‘Golden Siena’. This unusual colour evokes thoughts of sun-kissed earth and represents a welcome departure from the mainstream shades offered by most watch brands. Then again, since his arrival at the Maison, Terreni has shown he doesn’t emulate others but charts his own course to excellence. For example, his inspired idea of combining steel with platinum delivers a subtle, comely contrast (see later) and showcases Terreni’s mastery of nuanced design.
Image – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Ref. PFC914-1020021-100182
Oscar Wilde once remarked ‘a fashion is merely a form of ugliness so absolutely unbearable that we have to alter it every six months!’ If you appraise the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor of 2021, it is not a product of fashion, but rather an exemplar of enduring style. It cleverly unites line, curve, texture and proportions to deliver lasting appeal. It is my belief that this model will continue to proffer eye-appeal for many decades to come.
Image – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Ref. PFC914-1020001-100182
Indeed, the new Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date does not abandon the tried and tested styling of the 2021 release but stays true to the inaugural design. Skeletonised delta-shaped hour and minute hands converse with neat, hand-applied indexes. The PF logo sits on high, elegant and restrained. The dial epidermis is enriched with a fine ‘Grain d’Orge’ hand-guilloché dial, while a smooth, recessed minute track frames the display and aids read-off.
Image – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Ref. PFC914-1020001-100182
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date case
This latest reference is housed in the same 40 mm polished and satin-finished steel case as its ‘with-date’ sibling, first seen in 2021. As stated earlier, the case is paired with a fluted platinum bezel, delivering a subtle, highly attractive contrast. The addition of noble metal imbues the watch with a soft white shimmer that appears more apparent in certain light conditions.
Image – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Ref. PFC914-1020021-100182
A notable attribute, common to all members of the Tonda PF family, is the congenial relationship between the watch and the wrist. Indeed, I’ve witnessed Mr Terreni place a PF model on his wrist and, with the bracelet open, rotate his arm clockwise and counterclockwise. Incredibly the watch doesn’t, as you may expect, rotate or fall off, but sits steadfastly in position. While I’m sure vigorous arm twirling would eventually displace the Tonda PF, the demonstration does serve to show that the elegant timepiece makes for a perfect, ergonomically optimised wrist companion.
Image – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Ref. PFC914-1020021-100182
The bracelet integrates within the case and the links taper as they approach the folding clasp. Each facet is silky smooth and distilled to a pure conclusion. To the rear of the watch, a pane of sapphire crystal affords sight of the self-winding PF703 movement.
Parmigiani Fleurier Caliber PF703
The bewitching exterior of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date is matched by the model’s extraordinary inner beauty. The Caliber PF703 is a devilishly handsome movement equipped with a micro-rotor, providing a neat means of harnessing energy from the natural motion of the wearer’s wrist, thereby energising the mainspring. Parmigiani Fleurier is one of the few Maisons with the necessary expertise to produce a timepiece endowed with a micro-rotor.
Image – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Ref. PFC914-1020021-100182
Unlike a conventional oscillating weight, the micro-rotor sits flush with the neighbouring bridges, mitigating movement thickness (3.06 mm in this instance). Furthermore, by equipping a watch with a micro-rotor, the wearer can enjoy unhindered views of the finely decorated movement.
And when it comes to movement decoration, the great finishing gods have certainly breathed upon by the Caliber PF703. The bridges are decorated with Côtes de Genève motif, the mainplate is adorned with perlage and the platinum micro-rotor is embellished with Grain d’Orge guilloché.
Futhermore, the movement is equipped with a variable-inertia balance and features four inertia weights positioned on the spokes of the balance wheel. This form of regulation is superior to the ubiquitous index-regulated balance, facilitating more precise adjustment of the rate. Moreover, should the watch be subjected to a shock, it is less likely to require remedial regulation.
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date – closing remarks
Date or no date? That is the question. Unfortunately for many watch companies, it is a question with no absolute answer. Most brands choose to put all their chips on red or black; however, Terreni and his team have hedged their bets, releasing ‘avec’ and ‘sans’ options. Choice should always be celebrated and for that reason alone, the Swiss marque should be applauded.
Whether you choose the grey date model or the Golden Siena No Date reference, you can be certain that the dial will be dressed in a finely textured motif, the case will be supremely refined and the movement will be executed to the highest order. It seems Parmigiani Fleurier is very adept at delivering certainty.
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date
- Reference: PFC914-1020021-100182
- Case: stainless steel with a platinum bezel, diameter 40 mm, height 7.8 mm, water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres), sapphire crystal to front, exhibition case back.
- Functions: hours, minutes
- Movement: Calibre PF703, self-winding movement, frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz), 29 jewels, power reserve 48 hours, 166 components.
- Bracelet: Polished and satin-finished stainless steel bracelet with steel folding clasp
- Price: CHF 23,500 including VAT (RRP as of 22.4.2024)