Boasting a 42mm stainless steel case, rich burgundy dial and a complete Chinese calendar complication, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Calendar watch becomes the brand’s latest must-have design from their vast portfolio of luxury sports watches and makes history as the world’s most complete and precise Chinese calendar watch.
The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF watch collection has become a flagship for the Swiss brand since its launch in 2021. Straight off the bat, the series dedicated itself to premium manufacture electing refined, slender cases, integrated bracelets, openwork hands and intricate guilloche dials. So far, the collection has introduced a classic two-hander Tonda PF Micro-Rotor, a Tonda PF chronograph, a split seconds chronograph, a Tonda PF Skeleton watch, a Tonda PF Annual Calendar and a rare GMT Rattrapante model. From that list alone, you can tell Michel Parmigiani, the founder of Parmigiani Fleurier, is not scared of elaborate complications so it is no surprise he becomes the first to master a Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Calendar watch, Xiali translating to “Chinese Traditional Complete Calendar”.
While most of the world celebrated the New Year a month ago, China are celebrating it right now. That’s because the Chinese calendar has 12 or 13 lunar months per year and is typically around 20 to 50 days behind the Gregorian calendar. The Chinese calendar derives from the synchronisation of solar and lunar calendars and their additional thirteenth month allows the two cycles to coincide every three years. The Gregorian calendar also names each month and numbers the year while the Chinese calendar does the opposite. The names of the years are on a 60 year cycle before being repeated while the date, days and months will vary depending on astronomical observations. Because of all these factors, creating a complete perpetual Chinese calendar watch was thought to be impossible and yet, Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tonda PF Xiali Calendar watch is the closest the luxury watch world has ever come.
Before we get any further, let’s start by decoding the dial of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Calendar watch. If you can read traditional Chinese characters, this will go much more smoothly for you. If you can’t, then don’t worry, we’ve got you. There are four subsidiary dials in total on the rich burgundy coloured dial; the first one at 12 o’clock displays the year as well as the corresponding animal and element – for example 2023 is marked as the Year of the Water Rabbit. Meanwhile, the counter at 3 o’clock shows the day number which displays between 1-29 or 1-30. In the middle, there is an additional rounded aperture to mark whether it is a long or short month. The subsidiary dial at 6 o’clock is a classic moon phase indicator with a gorgeous blue aventurine sky and the 9 o’clock counter shows the month number from 1 to 12 with an extra aperture indicating whether the thirteenth month is being featured. A final calendar feature is included on the very edge of the dial’s circumference to show the 24 solar terms.
Presenting this mass of complication functions is a familiar dial style to previous Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF watches. The new Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Calendar watch elects a gorgeous barleycorn guilloche dial is a deep red colour adorned with 18ct gold rhodium plated hardware. The hour and minute hands are beautifully skeletonised, the seconds hand is kept straight and simple and the hour markers are faceted. The applied oval PF emblem also still remains but finds a new home at the 1:30 position. The case of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Calendar watch is also familiar, promising a diameter of 42mm and a height of 12.2mm crafted from polished and satin-brushed stainless steel. The bezel is engineered from a single piece of platinum and finely knurled and fixed into place. There’s also sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective treatment, a screw in crown and a screwed down exhibition case back warranting a 100 metre water resistant rating.
Powering the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Calendar watch is another new in-house automatic winding movement from the Swiss watch manufacturer. The Calibre PF008 delivers the Chinese calendar complication and is mechanically programmed to cover a period of 12 years via a cam system as long as the watch does not stop. If it does, the day and month indications can be adjusted using a rapid corrector in the caseband. By the end of the 12 year period, the watch has to be reset. As aforementioned, you can admire the movement through the case back of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Calendar watch where you can spot some of the 353 components, 42 jewels, Côtes de Genève finishings and 22ct pink gold rotor. The Calibre PF008 also boasts a 54 hour power reserve.
A work of art in every right, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Calendar watch is definitely one for serious collectors. It is not a limited edition and retails at £54,360. If you’d like to learn more and secure one of the designs for yourself, head over to the Jura Watches website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
Specifications:
- Case Size: 42mm x 12.2mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Bezel: Fixed, 950 platinum
- Glass: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
- Crown: Screw in
- Case Back: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Movement: Calibre PF008, in-house automatic winding
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, Chinese calendar with moon phase indicator mechanically programmed for a period of 12 years
- Power Reserve: 54 hours
- Jewels: 42
- Frequency: 28,800vph
- Dial: Barleycorn guilloche in dark red with 18ct gold rhodium-plated hands and appliques
- Strap: Integrated stainless steel bracelet
- Buckle: Folding
- Limited: No
- RRP: £54,360
- Reference: PFH982-1022301-100182
