In 2015, the Parmigiani Fleurier watchmaking centre presented an ultra-thin tourbillon, a technological feat resulting from two years of research and development. Its 3.4-mm-thick calibre made it the thinnest self-winding flying tourbillon in the world. In 2017, the spotlight was back on the Tonda 1950 Tourbillon, which was unveiled in a version with an Abyss blue dial and a white gold case.

FEATURES OF AN ULTRA-THIN CALIBRE

The calibre PF517 owes its thinness to a micro-rotor made from 950 platinum and a precise arrangement of the movement components. The flying tourbillon, the barrel and the micro-rotor are arranged on the same main plate, which means there are no successive levels to increase the thickness, and the time display is kept central – a rarity for an ultra-thin tourbillon. Flush with the surface, the flying tourbillon offers the wearer a truly captivating spectacle.

THE QUEST FOR PERFECT CHRONOMETRY

Parmigiani Fleurier has developed two technical improvements to optimise the chronometry of the calibre PF517.

An incredibly lightweight titanium tourbillon cage (0.255 grams)

• Its very low weight and inertia enable rotational movement with no loss of torque. The tourbillon's efficiency is increased, thus improving the timepiece's chronometry. The tourbillon cage completes one rotation every 60 seconds to allow the minutes to be measured.

A variable inertia balance instead of a screw balance

• This innovation enables the tourbillon cage to be designed with a sleek shape. This, in turn, leads to improved aerodynamics and better overall stability in the tourbillon's operation.

DESIGN: AN ORIGINAL, SEDUCTIVE APPROACH

With its streamlined middle and clean lines, the Tonda 1950 Tourbillon is the result of a quest for the simplicity and elegance that embody the brand's fundamental aesthetic codes.

The tourbillon, located at 07:08, refers to the time of Michel Parmigiani's birth in Val-de-Travers, Switzerland. The decoration on the movement bridges features the same oblique orientation as a series of Côtes de Genève stripes, in a circular arc design – a highly complex decorative technique mastered by the brand's craftsmen.

With its signature Abyss blue dial decorated with Côtes de Genève, the new Tonda 1950 Tourbillon with a white gold case marries delicacy with technical virtuosity.