Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux (Inc. Video)
Now you see it, now you don’t: an on-demand flyback chronograph whose hands magically vanish when not in use preserves the Tonda PF’s serene demeanour.
Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tonda PF collection adds another notch on its belt of “hidden complications” with the launch of the Chronograph Mystérieux. Following in the footsteps of the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante and the Minute Rattrapante, this third complication is a monopusher chronograph. By reimagining the chronograph in the refined, pure aesthetic language of the Tonda PF collection, Parmigiani Fleurier has created a magical game of hide-and-seek with a chronograph that vanishes when not in use, an unforgettable, magical way to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Parmigiani Fleurier unveiled its first hidden complication in 2022 with the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante, the world’s first GMT watch with an on-demand rattrapante hand. Using two superimposed hands, the rhodium-plated hand indicates local time and advances in one-hour jumps, while the rose gold hand pops out on demand to display home time. Once the second time zone reading is no longer relevant, the gold hand returns to its hideout underneath the rhodium-plated hand. The 2023 Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante extended this concept of hidden complications by superimposing hands for on-demand minute countdowns, adjustable in 1- or 5-minute increments via the left-side pusher. Building on the appeal of these deceptively simple-looking, user-friendly innovations that reveal their complexity only when activated, Parmigiani Fleurier is back for round three.
Upping the ante, Parmigiani has embarked upon a far more complex project with its new integrated chronograph movement developed for the Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux. The brief was to create a chronograph that materialises only when it is called upon. Since most chronographs display their readings on fragmented dials with a profusion of sub-dials and hands, the complexity in creating a chronograph without disrupting the dial’s serenity was extraordinarily high. With no existing construction in the brand’s archive permitting an alternation between deployment and disappearance, the PF053 calibre was conceived exclusively for the watch.
Housed in a 40mm stainless steel case with a platinum knurled bezel, a thickness of 13mm, and the hallmark traits of the Tonda PF family, the watch, at first glance, looks like a three-hand Tonda with a refined, uncluttered Mineral Blue grain d’orge guilloché dial, applied gold indices and openworked gold delta hands. The only giveaway that there might be something else going on is the presence of a polished teardrop-shaped pusher at 7:30 on the left side of the case. And this is where the magic begins.
Triggering the monopusher produces three orchestrated sequences. Deployment commences with a single press of the monopusher, as the three rhodium-plated hands, formerly indicating civil time, flyback instantaneously to become the chronograph hands. In their place, the two rose gold hands emerge from hiding and indicate the time. With no traditional sub-dials, no busy scales or tracks, the chronograph can perform its measurements across the entire dial.
To stop the chronograph, a second press freezes the three hands, indicating the elapsed hours, minutes and seconds. A third press marks the withdrawal of the chronograph function, forcing the rhodium-plated hour and minute hands to align precisely with and sit atop the rose gold hands, which vanish from sight, restoring the dial to its original purity. Meanwhile, the rhodium-plated seconds hand, which performs the dual function of civilian seconds and chronograph seconds, resumes its natural course.
As any watchmaker will confess, an integrated chronograph is one of the most demanding constructions to pull off. The PF053 calibre was conceived to perform a disappearing act, enabling the chronograph indications to vanish at rest and awakening them on demand. This incredible kinematic feature, activated by a single pusher, required an unprecedented architectural approach to ensure energy management and smooth mechanical transitions. Comprised of 362 components, some of which can be admired on the caseback, the integrated column-wheel chronograph movement measures 32.4 x 6.8mm, beats at 28,800vph and delivers a robust 60-hour power reserve. Decorated to Parmigiani’s high standards, the 22k rose gold rotor displays sandblasted and polished surfaces, and the openworked bridges reveal satin-finished surfaces and hand-bevelled angles.
With all this sophisticated magic, it’s easy to forget that the Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux is also a luxury sports watch with an integrated steel bracelet and 100m water-resistance. The price is CHF 36,900. Please consult parmigiani.com for more information.
