One and a half Gregorian years after launching the Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar, Parmigiani Fleurier revisits its groundbreaking world premiere in a limited series of three gem-set models. In line with the intention of the original Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar to respect the Muslim community’s adherence to dress codes that counsel men against wearing gold ornaments, the three new Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar models are housed in platinum cases, and gold is not used for any of the movement components.
The new models come in cases set either with diamonds, rubies or emeralds, with the exact shade of rubies and emeralds selected specifically to pay tribute to the national colors of the countries in the Middle East region. Each gem-set variation of the Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar is limited to 10 pieces only, a true horological exclusivity.
When it debuted in Rabi Al-Akhar, the fourth month of the Islamic calendar, in the Hijri year 1441, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar was the first wristwatch to feature its unique eponymous complication. Perpetual calendars are sophisticated watch mechanisms that can keep track of various calendrical irregularities such as the fluctuating number of days in a month, displaying the date accurately despite these irregularities.
Traditionally considered one of the most prestigious watchmaking complications, and featuring among the three horological functions that constitute a Grande Complication, the perpetual calendar is almost without exception configured to represent the Gregorian system.
Creating the automatic in-house PF009 caliber of the Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar was therefore a drastic departure from watchmaking convention. It required a completely reworked calendar mechanism that was only possible to develop through the extensive experience and skill of master watchmaker, restorer, historian and brand founder Michel Parmigiani. The basis of the PF009 calibre was drawn from a Parmigiani Fleurier table clock launched in 2011, which was itself based on an antique pocket watch with an Arabic calendar display that was personally restored by Michel Parmigiani.
In 2020, the watch industry recognized the exceptional work performed in creating the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar, with a panel of watch experts at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) judging it to be the top watch in the category of Calendar and Astronomy timepieces that year.
