The Innovative Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante

Since 2021, Parmigiani Fleurier’s trajectory has focused almost exclusively on developing the Tonda PF collection, a refined, understated luxury sports watch family derived from the existing Tonda. For 2023, Parmigiani enhances its mission as a producer of innovative, intuitive, and user-friendly complications. Marking a world première, the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante takes a concept first seen on board the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante and now produces a watch with superimposed minute hands. Presented in a 40mm steel case, the in-house movement of the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante animates a unique split-minutes function.

Last year Parmigiani produced another world’s first with its Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante, an ingenious GMT with a rattrapante hand. Using two superimposed hour hands in different materials, one is used to indicate local time and advances in one-hour increments via a pusher and the second hand is used to indicate home time. When not in use, the local hour hand catches up (hence rattrapante) with the home time hand and hides it.

The Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante works on the same principle but applies the rattrapante to the minutes. The basic premise is to perform the function of a graduated bezel on a diver’s watch by displaying the minutes in five- and one-minute increments.

The gold rhodium-plated hour hand of this model is accompanied by two additional hands for the minutes; the rhodium-plated minute hand indicates real-time, while the 18k rose gold hand calculates the minutes on demand. Activating the rattrapante minute hand is straightforward: the pusher at 8 o’clock advances the hand by five minutes, and the pusher at 10 o’clock by one minute. The period of time to be measured will have elapsed when the rhodium-plated hand realigns with the 18k rose gold hand. Like a split-seconds function, the hand can be returned to its position via the gold pusher integrated into the crown.

Like all Tonda PF models, the brand’s “sartorial approach” to the habillage is reflected in a host of refined details. The 40mm stainless steel case has a thickness of 10.7mm and features the signature platinum hand-knurled bezel, teardrop-shaped lugs and pushers, and the integrated bracelet. Alternating satin-finished flanks with polished pushers and bevels are characteristic of the Tonda family. The case is water-resistant to 60m.

The elegant sand grey dial with its grain d’orge hand-guilloché decoration is deliberately minimalist. The only furnishings on the dial are the skeletonised, gold, delta-shaped hands, the hand-applied gold indices, and the gold oval PF cartouche at noon.

Not much information has been provided about the movement, but judging by the number – calibre PF052 – it shares features with calibre PF052 powering the GMT watch. The caseback reveals a 22k gold micro-rotor decorated with guilloché and Côtes de Genève on the bridges. Fitted with 271 components, the thickness of this automatic movement is 4.9mm, the frequency is 21,600vph/3Hz, and the power reserve is 48 hours.

Availability & Price

The Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante joins the permanent collection and retails for CHF 28,000. More information at Parmigiani.com.