Parmigiani

Hello all, It's nice to see Parmigiani Fleurier enjoying a bump in interest across the watch community and market. I enjoy the occasional post from fellow WPS members presenting and discussing their own pieces. My interest in their watches has of late foc...  

...ancient ziggurats or Mayan temples. They look incredibly well built.

Hope you’ll thoroughly enjoy this latest entry, and thanks again for sharing with the community!😉🥂

Among the finer examples in the latter category are minute repeaters and tourbillons. Nothing remarkable here until we consider just how idiosyncratic PF's versions are. There's little else like them around. Then there are the watches that have caught my ... 

An Ionica or a simple Toric would be my choice, but there are many fine examples from this time period.

I really would love to add a early Toric when possible. Just missed a very nice one a few weeks ago . Hope to get a new change in the future

I'm far from expert in these things, so that was pure chance. Hope things work out for you, because these are rare little beauties.

... I'd like to thank you for taking the time to write this very informative post. Great watch, of course. Is the PC movement in-house?

Yes, both the base movement and PC (PF332) were produced 'in house.' In the case of Parmigiani Fleurier, this meant that they were built, tested and finished by Vaucher, which at the time operated under direct line management at PF. Around the same time (... 

... For taking the time to answer. Really good info.

Very happy for you. Enjoy it!

I think these early Toric/Ionica pieces have an outstanding purity of design. They are flawless executions of Michel Parmigiani‘s vision of what his watches should be like. In this sense you could compare them to FPJ‘s first iterations of the Octo RDM, Re... 

1. MP worked for two years to build LUC’s first movement, the famous 1.96. His original intention was to use it in his own watches that were to follow. The Sandoz Foundation stepped in and offered him the resources to go do his own, so PF was born in 1996... 

I wasn’t aware that the Basica came to be after the Toric/Torus. Seems like an outlier to me, in terms of design. I never saw one in the metal so I can’t comment on the overall quality.

I was always convinced that PF belongs to the very best and your Toric is a great example!

I've just received an email from PF to advise that the year of production of this watch was 2003-2004, and not 2002 that I might have mentioned elsewhere.

Absolutely love PF. From the case construction, movement finishing and sheer artistry these watches are a feast for the eyes and a joy to experience. I bagged a Pantographe lately and am still mesmerized by it! I’ve also lusted after a Toric...so who know... 

Good luck with your lookout for a nice Toric. To me they're the beating heart of PF and what makes them so distinctive.

Thank you for this very interesting and inspiring post. I feel that Parmigiani becomes more and more interesting for us collectors. The PC you show looks amazing. May I ask what’s the case size? 39mm or 40mm? Do you also have a wristshot for us? Best Thom... 

Its movement is self-winding calibre PF 332 running at 28,800 Hz. It has 50 hours of power reserve, and 32 jewels. The sapphire cabochon corresponds to the heat-blued retrograde month hand, and the night sky plate in the moon phase window. I've stopped ta...