SIHH 2014: Touching The Senses with the Parmigiani Toric Résonance 3

The roots of Parmigiani as a brand are in the restoration of complicated watches and clocks from horological history. This remains the passion of founder Michel Parmigiani, who even now, despite the success of the brand, still finds the time to devote himself to the type of restoration projects from which his horological passion came from.

For him, history contains a wealth of ingredients for a new future. Not merely a slave to the past, he has used what he has come across in his restoration work as stepping stones to inspire new watches. A great example of this is, is the new Tonda Metro collection, taking cues from watches watches long forgotten, yet never comes across as a homage or even retro. Parmigiani dictates its own rules when it comes to watches and that becomes especially clear with the new Parmigiani that was recently introduced.

Parmigiani Fleurier greets the press at SIHH 2014
Parmigiani Fleurier greets the press at SIHH 2014

A quick glance at the Toric Résonance 3 reveals nothing untoward as it looks like a relatively uncomplicated watch. One then notices the larger than normal date, and this prompts closer examination. What Parmigiani calls a large date is a bit of an understatement, since it is actually so large that the numerals themselves on many Panerai watches are probably about the same size. An exaggeration on my part perhaps, but this has to be about the largest date I have seen in awhile, and proportional so as well, as it occupies a larger than normal space on the dial.

Big dates are more difficult to implement since the large disc on which the date-numerals are printed, require proportionally more energy to move. For Parmigiani this was no reason not to take it even a step further. The large date also consists of a single window that shows both digits. Although this is not uncommon anymore these days, for example Daniel Roth already did this with his Datomax, but never on this massive size!

Parmigiani Toric Résonance 3
Parmigiani Toric Résonance 3

Added as a feature to this large date, the Toric Résonance 3  has an instant date jump. Coupled to an ingenious system builds up enough power during the day, the power is released to move the ultra-thin cut date discs at midnight. In the world of car-racing, a common saying goes that “you are as fast as your brakes”, meaning that speed means nothing unless you can control. The same goes for this large date; getting it to move is only worth the trouble when you can stop it in the right position! Being so large, even the smallest misalignment will stand out.  A special cam and lever system ensures the precision of the jump.

Toric Resonance 3With the large date, one would almost forget that the Toric Résonance 3 has more in store aside from the large date. The name of course, gives a clue to the complication it holds: a minute repeater. The combination of a large date and a minute repeater is a rare one, mainly because both complications require a lot of energy to function properly and are a formidable challenge for any watchmaker. Parmigiani made the minute repeater not only a joy for the ears, but also for the eyes. The metal bars that serve as gongs for the minute repeater are positioned in such a way that they form a star-shape around the movement, making this minute repeater also a visual delight!

Toric Resonance 3 movementAlso, by all means not the only visual delight the Toric Résonance 3 has to offer, there is also the wildly attractive Toric case that seems to combine substance and elegance like no other watch case. The dial however is the true attraction. It is clean and white, yet so full of details that it is almost mesmerizing. The reason for this is the pattern of the hand-engraved guilloché that decorates the inside of the dial. It gives the dial a sense of luxury, turning the plain white in something more substantial. Parmigiani knows to balance the design of the dial by separating the large date from the rest of the dial by it’s company name. With this they have also created a shape at the lower part of the dial that recalls of the Eye of Horus, the ancient Egyptian symbol that refers to the six senses. No doubt a fitting design then, as the senses will be very much touched by this new Toric Résonance 3.

Martin Green
Eclectic taste in Haute Horlogerie, passion for diamond set watches, loves the classics

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