New generation Kalpa

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Kalpa Chronor - Parmigiani Fleurier
At SIHH 2018, Parmigiani Fleurier unveiled three new Kalpas, and the world’s first automatic integrated chronograph movement made of solid gold.

Just twenty years ago, Michel Parmigiani, who founded the eponymous brand in 1996, designed his first in-house movement in an innovative tonneau shape. The hand-wound calibre PF110 was powered by two series-mounted barrels, and provided a power reserve of 8 days, which was tracked by a unique semi-circular display on the dial. Shortly after that, the Kalpa (originally named the Ionica) was born, its barrel-shaped case reflecting the 1998 PF110 calibre inside.

Aesthetic rebirth

Since then, the Kalpa collection has spearheaded the Fleurier manufacture’s production, with models including the Hebdomadaire, Kalpagraphe Chronomètre, and the Piccola and Kalparisma for women. At this year’s SIHH, the Kalpa is back in force, with the new Kalparisma Nova Galaxy watches for women and, for men, the new Kalpa Chronor, Kalpagraphe Chronomètre and Hebdomadaire, each equipped with a new tonneau movement designed entirely in-house. The iconic design of the collection has been revised and updated, while retaining the equilibrium of the original proportions defined by Michel Parmigiani. The updated barrel-shaped case is more dynamic, with more dramatic curves, a larger crown and the distinctive “water drop” integrated lugs, which have been resized and repositioned for a better fit. In the quest for greater legibility, the delta hands have been resized and coated with luminescent material, and the date display, which was previously part of the small seconds counter, has been given its own separate display at 12 o’clock.

Kalpa nouvelle génération

Kalpa Chronor

The new Kalpa Chronor in hand-polished 18 karat rose gold represents a first: at its heart is the world’s first self-winding automatic integrated chronograph movement in solid gold, entirely developed and manufactured in-house by Parmigiani Fleurier’s watch division. The PF365 is not a modular chronograph movement – everything is incorporated into a single mainplate. It features a column wheel, vertical clutch and variable inertia balance wheel supported by a lateral bridge. The COSC-certified movement has a 65-hour power reserve, allowing for precise measurements down to one-tenth of a second thanks to its 36,000 vph frequency. It offers hours, minutes and small seconds functions, plus a chronograph with tachymeter and a date window, with the number 1 in red. The barleycorn guilloché design on the 22K rotor, visible through the case back, is complemented by the braid guillochage on the black gold dial surround, azured gold counters and in opaline centre. A black alligator Hermès strap (the saddlemaker became a partner of the Parmigiani Fleurier watch division in 2006), completes this 50-piece limited edition, which sells for 85,000 Swiss francs.

Kalpa nouvelle génération

Kalpagraphe Chronomètre

The new PF362 calibre driving the Kalpagraphe Chronomètre in 18K rose gold has the same technical specifications as the PF365 inside the Kalpa Chronor, but only the guilloché rotor is made of gold. The blue dial has a similar architecture and, in terms of its decoration, the dial surround features radial guillochage, and the azured counters are the same colour as the dial, whose PVD-treated centre has an opaline finish. The price of this watch is 35,000 Swiss francs.

Kalpa nouvelle génération

 

Kalpa Hebdomadaire

Presented in a polished 18K rose gold case, which is smaller (42.3 x 32.1 mm) than the 48.2 x 40.4 mm of the first two models, the Kalpa Hebdomadaire plays tribute to Parmigiani Fleurier’s short history by incorporating the manually wound historic PF110 movement, which drives hours, minutes, small seconds, and a date and week ("hebdomadaire" in French) indicator above the power reserve. Like the other new Kalpa models, the refined movement finish can be seen through a generous sapphire caseback, and the black dial is enhanced by guillochage and opaline finishes. The Kalpa Hebdomadaire, which also comes with a Hermès alligator strap, is priced at 32,500 Swiss francs.

Kalpa nouvelle génération

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