The Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemisphères Rétrograde Now in Steel

Designed in 1996, the Toric is Parmigiani Fleurier’s dress watch. The model staged a comeback a few months ago with the Toric Chronometer and the smart Toric Hemisphères Rétrograde. The latter features a second time zone indication that can be adjusted to the minute via an additional crown. Unlike the vast majority of travel watches, the Toric allows for the adjustment of two time zones – even for places with a half-hour or quarter-hour differences from the full-hour times set from GMT. A new steel version of this watch is now available.

Originally available in pink gold, the model was awarded in the ‘Travel Watch’ category at GPHG 2017 (the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève – the Oscars of watchmaking). It is now offered in a steel version. The black opaline dial features pink gold indices. It is paired with javelin-shaped hands coated with luminescent material. The second time zone is shown by rhodium-plated hands in the 12 o’clock sub-dial. Next to it is the corresponding day/night indication. The local time day/night indication is displayed at 6 o’clock coaxially with the small seconds. The retrograde date is indicated by the crescent-tipped hand.

The steel case is 42.8mm in diameter and sits with a nice presence on the wrist. As with all Toric watches, it features a stepped bezel that alternates gadroons and knurling (an artisanal technique that consists in creating notches in the metal with a wheel). It is impeccably made, quintessentially classic, yet with a little twist of eccentricity with its two crowns. The first one is used to wind the watch, set the local time and the date. The second one to adjust the second time zone independently, disengaging it from the base movement.

Turning the watch over, the first thing to catch your eye is the off-centred sapphire crystal revealing the PF317 calibre. It is based on an automatic movement operating at 4 Hz. Its two barrels coupled in series provide a uniform power distribution over 50 hours of power reserve. The ‘complication’ module has been developed with Agenhor. It allows for the practical multiple time zone and retrograde date indications. As always with Parmigiani Fleurier, it is superbly finished with Geneva stripes and bevelled bridges. The gold rotor is guilloché and emblazoned with the PF initials.

The Parmigiani Toric Hemisphères Rétrograde is worn on a black alligator strap with a steel folding buckle. Price is set at CHF 18,500 (compared to CHF 29,500 for the pink gold version). For more information, please visit www.parmigianifleurier.com.