Review: new Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Steel

The Tonda PF is a new collection of timepieces within the Tonda family, featuring Parmigiani Fleurier’s most distinctive complications from the outset. This includes the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor, a slim, pared-down, high-end two-hander with platinum micro-rotor.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Steel

The Case and Dial

The Tonda PF Micro-Rotor measures 40 mm in diameter and comes in a warm grey, matte guilloché dial. By using the ultra thin movement, the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor measures a mere 7.8 mm on the wrist. The slim size helps in reducing the weight of the full bracelet timepiece, and makes for a more comfortable timepiece.

The stainless steel case is fit with an integrated lug bracelet and a fluted bezel. The case finish is a mix of brushed and polished surfaces and an open caseback. On the dial side, a date window is located at the 6 o’clock position, marked by applied hour markers. The rhodium plated appliques sit beneath an anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass and is paired with a set of delta shaped hands.

The overall design of the case is rather simple, with a priority on thinness. This can be seen from the thinness of the hands, and the tight hand stack. Tight tolerances help further reduce the thickness of the watch.

The bracelet uses a 3 joint link configuration, with a tapered design from the end link of the watch. A screw fitted caseback secures the movement for a 100m water resistance rating.

The Movement

The watch uses Parmigiani Fleurier’s PF703. This ultra-slim, 3 mm thick caliber is selfwinding thanks to a solid platinum micro-rotor. This diminutive oscillating weight is integrated inside the movement’s structure rather than lying on top of it which helps reduce thickness compared to the more common center rotor configuration. This is the same movement developed by sister brand Vaucher Manufacture – Seed VMF 5401/32 variant and used in the Parmigiani Tonda Micro Rotor.

The movement beats at 21,600 A/h and has 48 hours power reserve.

Concluding thoughts

Parmigiani’s offering is well designed and executed and provides a subtle alternative to the crowded steel bracelet watch category. The thinness of the watch and the utility of a simple time only haute horologerie bracelet watch makes for a highly versatile stealth wealth timepiece. This segment popularized by the two-handed ultra thin models of Genta lineage has seen a resurgence in the past few years. Considering how unattainable these pieces have become of late, consumers have turned to alternatives.

A close competitor with a steel bracelet, time-only, micro rotor movement is the Czapek Passage De Drake which retails at CHF18’570. The Parmigiani Tonda PF micro rotor retails at CHF 21’000.