The Critic's Choice

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Reinventing Simplicity - Parmigiani Fleurier
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Another familiar name pops up among the most-nominated brands of GPHG 2022

As we get nearer and nearer to the zero hour of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awards ceremony, the excitement is building up. Who will take home the prizes for the 15 competition categories? Who will receive the Aiguille d’Or? Will we see a watch take home the Audacity prize this year? Who will be honoured with the discretionary Special Jury Prize?

I’m not one to encourage or endorse any sort of unofficial gambling activity, but if I had to don my bookmaker’s flat cap and start taking bets, I’d probably give short odds on the brands that received the most nominations. That seems like a logical place to start, doesn’t it? That said, the fact of having multiple nominations doesn’t necessarily mean a win is guaranteed. Think about all those films that were heavily favoured at the Oscars but still went home empty-handed. The Color Purple (Steven Spielberg, 1985) had 11 nominations and zero wins. Martin Scorsese’s 2002 historical epic Gangs of New York — 10 nominations, zero wins. Same thing for the Coen Brothers’ 2010 remake of classic Western True Grit, nominee in 10 categories and winner of none. 

The Critic's Choice

That’s the thing about democracy, it can be a bit hit and miss. In general, though, we can (and should) count on the democratic voting process to produce results that can be justified before an educated and discerning public. There are three brands this year that have received five nominations each. We talked about one of them last week and now we turn to another — Parmigiani Fleurier. 

I’ve said before that Parmigiani Fleurier should be placed alongside some of the best watchmaking brands in the world, given their mastery of the mechanical arts. For whatever reason, their work has suffered from an almost criminal lack of recognition, known primarily among hardcore enthusiasts and industry insiders. This has started to change recently, in no small part thanks to the new Tonda PF collection that is quickly becoming the brand’s flagship creation. As a matter of fact, all five of Parmigiani Fleurier’s GPHG nominations this year are from the Tonda PF collection, attesting to the appeal of this contemporary and sleek reinterpretation of Parmigiani’s design codes. 

The Critic's Choice

You can have two guesses as to my favourite watch among the five Parmigiani Fleurier finalists at this year’s GPHG. Usually I’d give you three guesses, but I think the answer’s pretty obvious this time — it’s the Tonda PF Automatic in 36mm with invisible-set baguette-cut diamond indices. It’s competing in the Ladies’ category, but I think we all realise that this watch is versatile enough to grace any wrist, and has a timeless design that would look perfectly at home in any context. Despite being paired with a bracelet, which most people would associate with the sports watch aesthetic, the Tonda PF Automatic carries itself with elegance and style.

Proof of the Tonda PF’s versatility comes in the Men’s category, where the most practical difference between the Tonda PF Micro Rotor and the Tonda PF Automatic is an increase in case diameter by 4mm. Not all watch designs can handle even this slight change in dimensions with as much ease as the Tonda PF, and this made me think about the actual effect of having so many watches from the same collection entered in different GPHG categories. It shows that you just can’t pigeonhole the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF; it works in such a variety of categories and situations.

The Critic's Choice

The Men’s Complication category is where we find the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante, one of the hits of this year’s Watches and Wonders. With the simple yet well-conceived addition of a hidden hand indicating a second time zone, the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante brings new everyday utility to one of watchmaking’s most practical functions.

The Critic's Choice

What I particularly appreciate about the Tonda PF Flying Tourbillon in the Tourbillon category of this year’s GPHG is that its elevated position in the pyramid of horological prestige doesn’t translate to an increase in decoration or ostentation. Instead, it is balanced with a sobriety and almost minimalist approach which puts more focus on the starring mechanism.

The Critic's Choice

Lastly, in the Chronograph category, the Tonda PF Chronographe Steel speaks to that elusive line between complication and simplicity. Its design language of pure forms and sophisticated textures puts Parmigiani Fleurier in strong standing to present one of the most historic and beautiful complications in watchmaking. With a steady track record of recognition at the GPHG, we look forward to seeing Parmigiani Fleurier reaffirm its horological prowess on the evening of Thursday, 10 November 2022.

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