Parmigiani Fleurier has unveiled the Tonda PF Xiali Calendar, the watchmaker’s first-ever timepiece to incorporate the traditional and complete Chinese calendar. Despite the Maison having experience in crafting timepieces that embodied the Gregorian and Islamic calendars, the Chinese Calendar amalgamates and synchronizes elements of both lunar and solar calendars, making it an extremely complex design to tackle.
Housed in a 42mm stainless steel case with a platinum 950 knurled bezel, the dial is doused in an Imperial Red hue and guilloché patterned finish. The hour-markers are surrounded by the 24 solar terms that symbolize different phases of the agricultural calendar. Through the sapphire crystal open caseback, this unique time-teller reveals the PF008 Calibre in a Côtes de Genève finish with beveled bridges, as well as a 22-carat, rose gold skeletonized oscillating weight.
Configured at the 12 o’clock mark is a three-leveled subdial that indicates the name of the year, along with its associated zodiac animal and element. The 9 o’clock subdial marks the 12 months in Chinese characters, while the 3 o’clock subdial tells the number of the day and whether it’s a long or short date. Rounding off at the 6 o’clock mark is a subdial with moon phase indication.
Priced at $63,500 USD, the Tonda PF Xiali Calendar is available for purchase at Parmigiani Fleurier’s official website, as well as select authorized retailers.
Elsewhere in watches, Zenith brings the DEFY A3690 back in a boutique-exclusive release.
