The New Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Rose Gold Sandstone

Parmigiani Fleurier’s CEO, Guido Terreni, is the figure behind the release of the Tonda PF in 2021, a refined interpretation of the luxury sports watch characterised by understatement, elegance and fine craftsmanship. Since day one, Terreni has brought his Italian flair to the table, emphasising the collection’s “sartorial attention to detail” manifested in subtle textures, finishes and colours. Ready for the long summer days and nights, Parmigiani releases a stylish edition of its Tonda PF Sport Chronograph in rose gold, featuring warm Mediterranean-inspired sandstone counters (without a date window!) and a tuff-coloured rubber strap.

Envisioned as the brand’s replacement for the Tonda GT collection, the Tonda PF Sport was introduced in 2023. While it borrows heavily from Tonda PF design cues, it is endowed with a sportier, more resilient character.  A handsome “weekend watch”, the new Tonda PF Sport Chronograph in rose gold features the signature knurled bezel of the Tonda PF but is not crafted in platinum and has fewer incisions (160 compared to 225), giving the watch a bolder personality.

The gorgeous teardrop-shaped lugs and chronograph pushers reference the Tonda PF, but the dimensions of the case – 42mm x 12.9mm – are deliberately sporty (not to be confused with the inaugural 42mm Tonda PF Chronograph or the new, more compact 40mm Tonda PF Chronograph without date). Combined with an enlarged screw-down crown for better grip, the case is decorated with alternating brushed and polished finishes and is water-resistant to 100 metres.

Adapting to the changing seasons, the more classic two-tone versions of the Tonda PF Sport Chronograph in rose gold and stainless steel have been joined by editions featuring blue, grey, and arctic blue counters, as well as an avant-garde Ultra-Cermet model released earlier this year. With the exception of the Ultra-Cermet references, all the PF Sport Chronographs feature panda-style dials with light-coloured backgrounds and contrasting counters.

Instead of the classic barleycorn motif of the Tonda PF, the PF Sport features a clou triangulaire or triangular nail guilloché motif. The silvery guilloché background hosts three slightly recessed sub-dials in a subtle yet warm sandstone colour matching the peripheral minutes/seconds track. The short, hand-applied rose gold indices are treated with black Super-LumiNova, matching the luminescent tips of the gold openworked delta-shaped hour and minute hands. A novelty that will please many fans of PF is the absence of a date window, formerly positioned at 4:30 on the dial. The only branding visible on the dial is the elegant rose gold oval PF cartouche, applied at 12 o’clock.

All Tonda PF Sports models are fitted with rubber straps, but as you can imagine, a lot of thought has gone into their design to create a “sartorial” rubber strap that looks infinitely more elegant than conventional mould-injected straps. In keeping with the warm summer spirit of the watch, the colour chosen for the strap is tufo, or tuff – the porous, pale rock formed by volcanic ash that abounds in Mediterranean landscapes. The high-grade rubber has a woven textile surface similar to Cordura, but, like refined alligator leather straps, it is hand-finished with saddle-style stitching and fitted with a rose gold folding clasp.

While the overall mood of this watch conveys a breezy, summery vibe with light, off-white tones, it’s easy to forget that it’s a very competent high-frequency chronograph powered by the automatic calibre PF070. Made in-house, in collaboration with sister company Vaucher Manufacture, the movement has a modern, relatively compact 30.6mm construction with a thickness of 6.95mm. Fitted with a column wheel, a vertical clutch and a one-piece reset hammer, it beats at a high frequency of 5Hz and delivers a robust 65-hour power reserve. Chronometer-certified by COSC, the movement is beautifully hand-finished and features a solid 22k rose gold rotor.

The Tonda PF Sport Chronograph retails for CHF 49,000. More information at parmigiani.com.