The “dress watch”, in theory, should be as easy to execute as it is to categorise. It is in the name: a timepiece to suit “dressy” occasions where the attire requires at least three pieces of clothing. A watch that qualifies to accompany such a dress code should be slim enough to slide under a sleeve, clean in design so as not to distract from the ensemble, cased in a precious metal, and affixed to a strap, by tradition made from leather but satin is acceptable.

But as menswear evolved, so have the rules that put the formal in formal wear and the accessories that accompany them. If limited-edition sneakers and boutonnieres the size of melons are now acceptable red carpet vestments, then big, burly tool watches or diamond mines masquerading as timepieces can also technically be counted as dress watches.

But Parmigiani Fleurier is having none of that.

When the brand launched its reimagined Toric collection at Watches & Wonders Geneva (WWG) 2024 , it was a proud declaration of what it thinks a dress watch should be: elegant, and, more importantly, restrained. This approach aligns seamlessly with a broader trend in fashion — what some call “quiet luxury,” or, to borrow a punchier but slightly grating term from the aughts, “stealth wealth.” In the fashion world, this meant the disavowal of loud branding (or any branding at all) and the pursuit of beige-adjacent hues that melt gently into clean silhouettes. In other words, this was a type of luxury that was felt rather than seen, and exactly what the new Toric Petite Seconde and Split Second Chronograph exemplify. As we reported in April, these are the first two models in this reimagined Toric collection.

“Fine watchmaking always goes beyond what is practical, as seen here
in the gold plates and bridges of the PF361-SLIM calibre”

CLASSIC ADJACENT

“In crafting the new Toric collection, we drew upon the rich horological culture and expertise of Parmigiani Fleurier to redefine the essence of the men’s dress watch,” says CEO Guido Terreni. “This collection embodies a spirit of freedom and sophistication that reflects the evolution of the modern man’s wardrobe.”

Indeed, the very first Toric — the Memory Time from 1996— certainly qualifies for a dress watch with its 36mm diameter, classically styled dial, and black alligator strap. But its double-stepped knurled bezel, jumping hour display, and javelin- shaped hands still made it a rather striking watch. As founder Michel Parmigiani’s introductory watch to his new brand, this approach served the nascent Parmigiani Fleurier well then. There was certainly nothing like it in 1996. The new Toric, by contrast, distils the original’s Roman architecture-inspired DNA into a much purer and more restrained expression, capturing the essence of the design while embracing a more understated elegance.

There is a lot to get into with this story, even if the Toric collection only has two models but we must begin with a few notes about structure, as we sometimes do. First, as usual, the cover watch itself has its specifications and details listed in the Cover Watch story, which is self-explanatory. Nevertheless, we open this more expansive narrative with a look at the Toric Chronograph Rattrapante, otherwise known as a split-second chronograph, and follow up with the two time-only models. This story also makes room for an unrelated watch from Parmigiani Fleurier, the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante, and you can find that off in its own dedicated area.

Obviously, the connection between the two models is in that rattrapante function, which requires a more in-depth explanation. It is certainly true that the manufacture calibre PF 361 that powers the Chronograph Rattrapante is not new, having debuted in 2016 for the brand’s 20th anniversary, but the split-second complication is rare enough that we wanted to shine a spotlight on it. In fact, the split- second version of the chronograph is one area that we did not cover in our chronograph special in 2023 (issue #70) so we need a bit of space for an abbreviated explainer here. There is also the matter of names because the version of the calibre here is PF361-SLIM, implying small differences with the original.

HEAVYWEIGHT APPEAL

With all that said, it should be noted that the Chronograph Rattrapante and the Petite Second models are both in the Toric collection so commonalities are to be expected. As such, we will be making points about dials and cases in the later second part of the narrative, which deals with the Petite Seconde models. To begin though, let us get the easy points out of the way because we have written about the Toric collection on multiple occasions since the launch, not including our conversation with Terreni on this subject (in large part). While all the watches are handsome, they are defined by how they feel, both to the touch and on the wrist. Commensurate with that, the Toric is all about precious metals, with gold dials, gold hands, gold and platinum cases, gold indexes and gold movements. In the midst of all that resplendence, there are also gold pin buckles and crowns.

While this magazine has made the case that there is nothing like the Toric available from any brand – the key words there being ‘brand’ and ‘available’ – we also acknowledged that the Toric now looks very much like the Tonda PF. Analysing the Tonda PF model in this story, it is clear that they are from the same family. Terreni agrees but points out that the family in question is called Parmigiani Fleurier.

“The Toric has a Parmigiani Fleurier look to it (not a Tonda PF one) because you start (on a new style for a brand’s watches) from a vision…you start from the first collection that you want to work on. For Parmigiani Fleurier, this was (the Tonda PF), a sports chic watch, which is easier to do because we have to follow certain rules, such as the inclusion of an integrated bracelet (and a template existed, with the Tonda GT Sport). As a result, we played with the nuances and the finishings and the construction of the dial… What you see in the Tonda PF (from 2020) are the beginnings (in terms of the brand’s direction).” Terreni told us at WWG.

“It is about consistency really, which you can clearly see now in both the Tonda PF and the Toric. For a lot of brands, you can see two collections with little in common, because one is more contemporary and the other has been in the collection for 50 years or more. Brand identity and brand style that you recognize while playing with the aesthetic codes of the brand is very important to me. I think that the Tonda PF and the Toric are an expression of one style in two different categories of watches. One is a sports watch that has to be versatile and practical. The other is more dressy, but has to still use the same codes, which are subtlety and elegance. There is refinement for the finishing and freshness in the colours.”

DOUBLE TIME

The above will suffice to introduce the Toric, briefly, as will the images here. On the matter of the Toric Chronograph Rattrapante, it too can be thought of as a springboard of sorts. As noted, this is a gold movement that has been in service with the brand for close to 10 years now, at one time also with the grand date display. Despite this apparent familiarity, we discovered in the course of researching the aforementioned chronograph story that there is some confusion amongst casual watch enthusiasts. Let us use the description of the split-second chronograph as author and educator B. Humbert gives it in his book The Chronograph: Its Mechanism and Repair.

“The term ‘split-second’ was originally coined because of the fact that split, or double, readings may be taken, not because of the accuracy of the timing.” Donald de Carle, in his book Complicated Watches and Their Repair, gives an even more succinct description: “The split-second chronograph is so called because the (chronograph) second hands divide or split.”

Humbert notes that the split-second chronograph features twin sweep seconds hands superimposed. These appear, at rest, to be just one hand; even when the chronograph is activated, both hands move together and look for all the world like there is just one hand. It is only when the split-second button is activated that there is a change: one hand stops moving while the other continues around the dial. This is how the watch tracks more than one elapsed time and this explains another name for the complication: the double chronograph. The short story of it is that a chronograph tracks and records elapsed time, on-demand. Therefore, the split-second chronograph keeps track of two readings, also on-demand.

CLASS ACT

Now, a watch as magnificent as the Toric Chronograph Rattrapante makes it easy to think of the split-second chronograph as twice the timer the chronograph is, in every way. Most of the grand houses of fine watchmaking consider the split-second chronograph a high complication, with plenty of contemporary watchmakers reserving the highest praise for it, including Francois-Paul Journe and Anthony de Haas (of A. Lange & Söhne).

Humbert, de Carle and other luminaries offer a measured take, noting that the movement for the split-second chronograph is certainly more complex but what makes it challenging to construct and repair is how delicate it is. This suits the character of Parmigiani Fleurier to a tee; the complication even hides its true nature, appearing like a standard chronograph to the casual observer. Right from the start of his tenure at the brand, Terreni has described Parmigiani Fleurier as a brand with a gentle soul and the Toric Chronograph Rattrapante is the apotheosis of this idea.

This also speaks to the aforementioned use of gold for the calibre PF361-SLIM because this new Toric collection is the perfect home for this movement. Distinguished from the standard PF361 movement by its thickness (7.35mm vs 8.4mm), gold bridges and plates here are ideal for a classic high-end watch from a watchmaker with an idiosyncratic vision of such a watch. The manufacture notes that gold provides structural rigidity while admittedly also posing challenges dues to its malleability compared with steel and brass. That Parmigiani Fleurier opted for gold over base metals is presented as a bold decision that involved extra hours of effort to compensate for the properties of 18k rose gold. That is always a nice touch when it comes to fine watchmaking – going beyond what is merely necessary and practical.

It should be noted here that Parmigiani Fleurier is a class act in terms of its manufacturing capabilities. Just consider the fact that Vaucher (see below and also our numerous stories on the Fleurier-based watchmaker) collaborated with TAG Heuer in 2024 to produce nothing less than a split-second chronograph. This one is an automatic and famously takes an ultra-contemporary approach, with bridges and plates in titanium. Vaucher is well-known for such sturdy – dare we say avant-garde – approaches to the split-second chronograph that can be found within the cases of some of the biggest names. We mention this here because Parmigiani Fleurier could have decided on any direction it pleased for calibre PF361- SLIM and it reserved the most luxurious option for itself. Again, there is nothing like it from any brand (when one adds in the dial and casemaking touches detailed below).

The Toric Chronograph Rattrapante is a limited edition of 30 so it will be difficult to acquire but it is not completely unattainable. In a slight digression, we recommend a very different sort of rattrapante for those who miss the boat on this stupendous Toric, the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante (see the section on this for more). For now though, it is about time to introduce the Toric Petite Seconde, which covers the essential information about the new collection.

“In crafting the new Toric collection, we drew upon the rich horological culture and expertise of Parmigiani Fleurier to redefine the essence of the men’s dress watch”

– CEO Guido Terreni

A HIS-TORIC RELEASE

The Toric Petite Seconde is 40.6mm wide and available in two versions: platinum or rose gold. The platinum model pairs a Celadon Grey dial with a matte sand-colored strap, while the rose gold variant offers the reverse: a Sand Gold dial matched with a Celadon Grey strap. Rather than relying on high-contrast pairings, these watches explore the interplay of complementary tones, creating a balanced and graceful aesthetic. And with an overall height of just 8.8mm, the watch is sure to glide effortlessly under a cuff.

The bezel remains fluted, but gone are the numerals, minute tracks, javelin hands, and brand name — features that once defined previous Toric models. In their place are sleek baton indices, sword-shaped hands, and a discreet brand logo, leaving much of the dial refreshingly uncluttered. But make no mistake, this largely empty dial is a masterclass in artistry and a showcase of the brand’s in-house know-how.

The industry as a whole has come to approach the term “in- house” with a kind of reverence that seems to imply that any watch worth waitlisting for had better have been made by the brand selling it. If not entirely, then at the very least, the movement.

The perception is understandable. A brand that crafts its watches with little external help signals that it has the requisite technical capability and expertise to do so. And since in-house movements are unique to the brand, they can be distinguished from competitors who rely on third-party movements, adding to the watch’s allure and value. Being able to tell consumers about the decades-long journey it took to develop a particular process or horological curiosity also makes for a deliciously emotional story.

But arguably the biggest benefit for a brand to spend the time and resources to become a true manufacture is freedom. Freedom to create features, complications, and decorative styles that best suit their philosophy, goals, and standards. So, it says something about what Parmigiani values that it has five facilities in its Watchmaking Centre, split between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Fleurier. And it is thanks to two of these — Quadrance & Habillage, and Les Artisans Boitiers (LAB), its dial and case making outfits — that the new Toric Petite Seconde looks so darn good.

Quadrance & Habillage was established in 2005, and it is there that artisans work alongside high-tech machinery to produce any kind of dial you can imagine. Specially calibrated machines take care of processes like the production of dial plates, surface treatment of the plates, and chemical dyeing but human hands take over after for more delicate procedures, covering everything from guilloche, sandblasting, satin-finishing, snailing, graining, and more.

DIAL P FOR PASSION

For the new Toric collection, Parmigiani revived the ancient art of grenage. Like many types of decoration, grenage was just another clever way of hiding imperfections on dials that have suffered from age or rust. Abraham-Louis Breguet invented this technique as a way to prevent rust from forming on his marine chronometers. Michel Parmigiani, who spent the first half of his career restoring many of such timepieces (including Breguet’s), became intimately familiar with the method himself.

The process begins with mixing tartar cream, finely ground sea salt, and silver, using a glass pestle. After demineralised water is added, the paste is spread across the dial’s surface with a horn spoon and worked on with circular motions, rubbing it in all directions using specialised brushes. Due to silver’s photosensitivity, the artisan must work in dim light. A stiff brush is used first to impart the colour of lead, then a softer and finer brush is substituted to achieve a denser, whiter grain.

At this point, experience and skill are paramount as hand pressure is applied in continuous movements until resistance is felt, revealing silver particles that stick to the surface, giving the technique its name — grene being the French word for “grain”. Rather than a highly polished surface to catch the light, this matte dial does well to serve the Toric’s sartorial ethos.

The dials themselves are made from gold — white for the platinum model and pink for the rose gold — and further details add to their minimalist beauty. The hours are applied tiny faceted rectangles that have been polished for contrast against the grainy dial. The brand logo is placed in the now familiar oval cartouche, and a polished bevel on the periphery acts as a chapter ring. You will also notice that the dial has a cheve design, which means it dips abruptly at the edges to meet the inner sides of the case. On that note…

Housed in the same building as Quadrance & Habillage is the Les Artisans Boiters, which Parmigiani Fleurier acquired in 2000. Like the dial-makers, the case craftspeople use a combination of tech-assisted methods and handcrafts to make its cases, with the Toric’s sleek case and signature knurled bezel not being an exception.

All the cases are designed using CAD software before being crafted from various metals in CNC machines. However, it takes trained eyes and hands to spot imperfections, clean, and polish each case to perfection. Even the often-overlooked case middles receive the same level of attention. The quality of the dials and cases produced at these two facilities is so exceptional that no fewer than 18 other watch brands have chosen them as their trusted partners.

HEART OF GOLD

While the case and dial embody restraint, the movement has the audacious aim of offering barely contained opulence. For one, the movement is crafted from 18k rose gold — a rarity in watchmaking. Beyond the obvious factors of cost and availability, it takes a certain amount of masochism to construct movements from a metal as soft as gold. As mentioned earlier, rigidity and resistance to wear are required — qualities traditionally provided by metals like brass and steel — meaning that ensuring a gold movement’s structural integrity demands exceptional care and expertise.

The payoff, of course, is prestige and stunning beauty. The entirely new calibre PF780 is a hand-wound movement that eschews the skeletonisation of the Toric Chronograph Rattrapante for two bridges that act as architectural elements. With only the two barrels and balance visible through this structure, the overall design is decidedly modern, with the eye drawn to the unusual “Cotes de Fleurier” guilloche pattern — an interpretation of the classic Cotes de Geneve.

Each incision is performed using an antique cam-operated guilloche machine, a deliberate choice that honours traditional artisanry over modern electronic tools. The finishing also imbues the bridges with a fabric-like texture, another nod to sartorial elegance. The mainplate is subtly sandblasted, creating a complementary matte finish that enhances the movement’s depth and complexity. The movement runs at 4Hz and comes with a power reserve of 60 hours.

TAILOR-MADE

For a collection that claims to bring back the apotheosis of dress watch elegance, it is evident that the straps have been approached with the same stylistic brio. Each alligator strap is an exercise in precision and craftsmanship, not unlike the process of tailoring a bespoke suit, with every piece made entirely by hand.

Some tasks, like padding the leather tongue’s edges, are beyond the capabilities of machines, but others, like sewing, are undertaken manually for no other reason than to celebrate tradition. It takes 20 minutes compared with a machine’s three, but that is the price the brand is willing to pay in service of preserving heritage.

Worth noting is how the stitching itself draws inspiration from the art of Neapolitan tailoring (and likely Terreni’s own Italian roots), known as “punto a mano”. This style of tailoring was created in protest to stiff English fittings, and favours soft, flowing lines — a consistent throughline for the new Toric’s identity. On the visible side, a tiny, 1mm stitch alternates with a larger 4mm gap, while the reverse side follows an opposite sequence. This unconventional pattern, executed at the specific request of Parmigiani Fleurier, was apparently a first for the contracted strap manufacturer. The strap itself comprises six carefully shaped and glued layers, each executed by hand, and requiring a full two days per strap.

Even here, subtlety is key. Rather than the usual gloss of alligator leather, the straps are given a nubuck treatment to deliver a velvety texture. This effect is achieved through light abrasion — essentially sanding — applied with just the right amount of pressure, a delicate balance honed through years of practice. The result? A strap that feels as luxurious as it looks, with every step — amounting to some 20 manual operations — telling a story of dexterity and dedication.

Continues Terreni: “We aimed to break free from traditional constraints, creating a watch that embodies a nuanced, serene, and versatile elegance, meticulously crafted to resonate with the refined essence of today’s discerning individual.” Long live the dress watch.

TONDA PF GMT RATTRAPANTE

Parmigiani Fleurier has something of a tradition when it comes to the Rattrapante, which you will certainly recall from the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante and the GMT Rattrapante (opposite). Well, all these watches have something in common but it is not the complication, of course. Our favourite happens to be the GMT Rattrapante, possibly because we are partial to dual timers of all sorts. Something about knowing the time at two locations, one of which is clear only to the wearer, is exciting. Parmigiani Fleurier recognised this sentiment and came up with a value- add that heightens the discretion value: two overlapping hour hands that separate on demand to track time in two different zones. That is where the Rattrapante bit comes in for this Tonda PF model.

Here is a brief primer on the GMT Rattrapante from our own story on it in 2022: This is a fuss-free two-time zone watch, with the additional function of being on-demand. Using the pusher at 8 o’clock moves the white gold hour hand forward by one hour, while revealing a second hour hand in red gold. This red gold hand will remain tied to home time while the white gold hand now indicates local time; using the pusher at 3 o’clock gets the white gold hand gliding across the dial to once again take its position over the red gold hand, where both then move forward as normal. This is perfect for those who only want their complications in their faces when they want to use them. In practice, or practical terms, we think this works best when trying to manage times in two countries or time zones for short periods, from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.

While it seemed a bit naughty at launch at that time, with the Minute Rattrapante still a year in the future, the GMT Rattrapante too speaks precisely to the brand’s preference for classical restraint. We are quite hopeful that we will see a version of this model in the Toric collection as it makes a good fit.

PHOTOGRAPHY CHING@GREENPLASTICSOLDIERS
STYLING GREGORY WOO

This article first appeared on WOW’s Festive Issue #76

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