Parmigiani Fleurier unveiled at Watches and Wonders a new watch equipped with an entirely unique complication conceived from the previous Tonda PF GMT.
This is the new Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante, inside of which is enclosed a function that, in keeping with the style and philosophy of the house, at first glance appears hidden.
The rattrapante function according to Parmgiani
Usually when we hear the word “rattrapante” we think of an iconic chronograph function found on some watches.
The split-seconds chronograph, which arose from the need to detect two events that begin simultaneously but end at different times, represents one of the highest evolutions of this type of complication.
Parmigiani in 2022 decided to reinterpret this function by applying it not to a chronograph but to a GMT. Through the use of this complication Parmigiani managed to create a watch with a dual time zone that is easy and immediate to use.
This year, at Watches and Wonders 2023, the maison presents a world premiere of yet another reinterpretation of the rattrapante function that comes to life inside the new Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante.
Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante
What may appear on the surface to be a very ordinary time-only watch, in fact contains within it an innovation in terms of complication combined with high simplicity of use.
With this model, Parmgiani, as claimed by CEO Guido Terreni, wanted to reinterpret what is the quintessential function of diver watches, which is the measurement of a fraction of time through the use of the rotating bezel.
Despite not having a bezel and not being a diver, the new Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante packs this useful time-counting function, visible only when activated, directly inside its movement resulting in an absolute innovation.
In this case the rattrapante complication, instead of “splitting” the seconds hand as in chronographs, allows the minute hand to be split. To better understand its use and operation, one must begin by considering the hands and dial of the watch.
First of all, there are 3 different hands: the hour hand and two overlapping minute hands, one of which is rhodium-plated gold (indicating real time) that goes to hide the rattrapant pink gold minute hand visible only when it is active.
In the image above, as the function is operated to measure a time lapse, the rose gold hand that is normally hidden by the rhodium-plated gold hand can be observed
By means of the pusher located at 8 o’clock on the 40 mm diameter steel case, it is possible to operate the hidden hand (the one in rose gold) by making it jump by 5 minuites each time the pusher is pressed and consequently separate it from the hand indicating the minutes of the real time.
To give a practical example that is easy to understand and of everyday use, let’s say it is 1:00 p.m., lunchtime, and so what better time than now to make a pasta dish?
Once the water for cooking the pasta has reached boiling point, say 1:20 p.m., all that remains is to throw in the pasta and time 10 minutes for it to be cooked.
At this point, with our Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante on the wrist, a timer can be started by simply pressing the button on the case at 8 o’clock and jumping the rose gold hand until 1:30 pm. When the rhodium-plated minute hand has reached the rose gold hand, the pasta will be ready to be drained.
Looking at the case, however, we can see another button at 10 o’clock.
Unlike the first pusher, this one is capable of greater precision in that the jumps of the hand will no longer be 5 min but only one minute, allowing for greater precision of the time frame to be timed.
We can therefore say that the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante encapsulates within it a function that could very well be fulfilled by the rotating bezel of a diver. However, the Parmigiani Minute Rattrappante does so in a singular and poetic way.
To imagine that this function is carried out entirely by the movement and that it is completely hidden if not operated, I find it truly ingenious and in the style of the house that has always aimed at creating useful but discreet complications.
On the winding crown located on the case at 3 o’clock you can see a rose gold pusher that allows the rose gold hand to be brought back into position (if it is split off from the rhodium-plated hand at that time), similar to the rattrapante function of chronographs.
The sand gray dial with Grain d’Orge guilloché finish features hand-applied 18k rhodium-plated gold hour markers and the house logo at the top.
Inside the 10.7 mm thick case beats the manufacture caliber PF052, which provides 48 hours of power reserve.
This self-winding movement with rose gold micro-rotor and high-end finishing can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back.
Complementing the case design are a knurled platinum bezel and a polished and satin-finished steel bracelet.
Price
The new Parmigiani Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante will be sold at a list price of CHF 28,000 corresponding to about EUR 28,000.
To learn more about Parmigiani visit their official website.
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