Sculpture or Timepiece? The Parmigiani Tonda PF Skeleton

An interweaving of metal and open sky mechanisms, a mechanical wonder in all it’s glory. That’s how we’d describe the new Tonda PF Skeleton.

Parmigiani Fleurier brought a number of timepieces to the floors of Watches & Wonders, with a few limited expressions such as the Toric Quantieme Perpetuel in Platinum and Rose Gold. It’s an elegant piece that fits right into Parmigiani’s vision of private luxury. But the real head turning piece has to be the skeletonised Tonda.

Limited to just 50 pieces the stainless steel slate green Tonda PF Skeleton is almost more sculpture than timepiece. Also available in platinum and 18 carat rose gold the Tonda uses a PF 777 calibre that weaves its way in and out of the openwork face, with 187 satin-finished and polished steel components as well as 29 jewels. Despite holes in everything, no corners are cut, and the hands are 18ct gold and rhodium-plated.

Flipping the watch over you can peek through the sapphire crystal at The openworked barrel and slow breathing mainspring. Above it is the polished and sand blasted 22ct white gold oscillating weight proudly emblazoned with the Parmigiani Fleurier signature. All of this is encapsulated within a 40mm case with a thickness of just 8.5 mm. It has a power reserve of 60 hours and is water resistant to 100 meters.

It’s mesmerising to see in constant motion. Of course legibility is always an issue with skeletonisation so Parmigiani ensured that the indexes and openworked hands seemed to be weightlessly floating above the rest of the dial.

Parmigiani’s CEO Guido Terreni said in his opening statement “Each detail is refined to serve a singular purpose: to stir emotions that are deep, enduring, and profoundly personal. A celebration of time, lived with intention.”