SIHH 2014: The Métro Collection by Parmigiani Fleurier

SIHH 2014: The Métro Collection by Parmigiani Fleurier

The Parmigiani Fleurier Métro collection is a range of men’s and women’s watches conceived for urbanites with a true metropolitan spirit. A city’s heart never stops beating, and the life found there is so full of potential and possibilities that any dream can become a reality.

 It is also an anonymous life, which can be either a blessing or a curse, and in the midst of the crowd, each man and woman is on an endless quest for a mark of exclusivity or dist inction. The Métrographe watch for men and the Métropolitaine for women are hard to describe but, as they adorn the wrists of busy city dwellers, they live and breathe every minute of the day.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Métro Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Métropolitaine black dial

A long, asymmetrical case

Both the men’s and women’s versions of this round steel timepiece are characterized by their long proportions, which confer elegance. The watch features a modern, urban design which is more refined than the brand’s other classics, and reminiscent of the Tonda 1950. The calibre 3000 movement and its housing have been designed with extreme precision to produce a slim, refined case middle.

The subtlety of the Métro collection – a slight imbalance which gives it its character – comes from the fact that the watch is asymmetrical: it has two different profiles. Its left-hand profile, which is devoid of a crown, is the classic, conventional side, and displays the brand’s iconic teardrop shape. By contrast, its right-hand profile features elongated lugs which extend to the crown, reaching around it to envelop the chronograph push-buttons on the men’s version. This asymmetry confers on the watch its subtly stylish identity; a touch of modernity that overturns conventions.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Métro Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Métropolitaine amarante dial

Dial aesthetics : contrasting effects
The aesthetics of the dial s in the Métro collection use the principle of contrasts to highlight a particular aspect of the piece. On the men’s Tonda Métrographe, the chronograph complication is underlined thanks to the highlighting of its minute and hour counters.

The grey counters, which sit on top of snailed discs, stand out against the white grained dial; on the black dial version they are outlined with Superluminova material which picks them out in the daytime and renders them luminous at night. The two counters form a slanted figure 8, a characteristic sign of the Parmigiani Fleurier brand.

On the Tonda Métropolitaine, feminine curves soften the piece’s modern lines. The straight outline of the case finds its contrast in the “flinqué” finishes on the dial, which take the form of undulating waves. The numerals and index are inlaid, standing out in rounded relief from a two-dimensional background characterised by straight lines.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Métropolitaine Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Métropolitaine mother-of-pearl dial

Straps and bracelets

The Métro collection sees Parmigiani Fleurier introduce a new concept featuring straps and bracelets in leather and steel. The grained calf leather with Hermès signature produces a very distinctive effect. Its edge is of a different colour and polished, giving it a perfectly smooth surface in contrast with the rest. For example, a caramel - coloured strap features a bright red edge; a black strap is edged in white; étoupe is twinned with a grey edge for a subtle contrast. Whether bold or less pronounced, the principle of contrasts is used to distinguish each of the straps, making them immediately recognisable and enhancing their aesthetic appeal.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Métrographe Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Métrographe black dial

Each version of the Tonda Métro, both men’s and women’s, is also available with a steel bracelet of remodeled design. In keeping with the spirit of the collection, the bracelets’ proportions have been redesigned to produce a slimmer, elongated and more st reamlined appearance for a more aesthetically pleasing case. The links which form the profile of the steel bracelet feature Parmigiani Fleurier’s iconic teardrop shape. Each l ink has unique dimensions, and is precisely calculated to ensure optimal ergonomics and perfect continuity between the case middle and the bracelet.