Parmigiani Fleurier

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Parmigiani Fleurier SA
Type Privately held company
Industry Watchmaking
Founded 1976
Founder(s) Michel Parmigiani
Headquarters Fleurier, Switzerland
Products Wristwatches

Parmigiani Fleurier SA (French pronunciation: ​[paʁmiʒani flœʁje]) is a Swiss brand of luxury watchmakers founded in 1976 in Fleurier, Switzerland, by Michel Parmigiani. In 2006, Parmigiani produced the Bugatti 370, a driving watch based on the Bugatti Veyron supercar, which won the 2006 "Watch of the Year Award" from the Japanese press.

History

Parmigiani Fleurier was started in 1996 in the heart of Val-de-Travers. Founder Michel Parmigiani had conceived the brand's spirit as far back as 1976 through his work restoring watchmaking artefacts and his detailed knowledge of historical mechanical clocks and watches.

With All disciplines of watchmaking in house, Parmigiani qualifies as a true manufacture. Its complete autonomy means that it is currently the only independent production house with a strong presence in the luxury watchmaking segment.

Its independence was instrumental in forging Parmigiani's inimitable style. Whether they feature simple or grande complication models, Parmigiani's collections are instantly recognisable thanks to their unique stylistic motifs. Over 20 ladies' and men's collections, all fitted with the 10 calibres developed in-house by Parmigiani, now form the basis of the brand's business. The major trademark collections are called Kalpa and Tonda.

Watches

Parmigiani carries a men's line of watches, and a line that caters specifically to women.[1][2] All Parmigiani Fleurier watches are hand-crafted, taking at least four hundred hours to create;[3] they are created with only precious metals and precious or semi-precious stones.[4] In order to create exclusivity, only a few thousand pieces are produced every year.[5] Their watch lines include the Toric, Forma (renamed Kalpa) and the single watch, the Bugatti 370.[6]

In 2006, the Bugatti 370 was awarded the "Watch of the Year" award by the Japanese Press.[7] The watch is a driving watch based on the Bugatti Veyron supercar.[8] It is designed to look like a transversal engine, and is mounted in 18 carat gold. In order to make it readable while driving, the face of the watch has been placed in a vertical position on the case's front.[9] The first Bugatti watch was given to car enthusiast Ralph Lauren.[8] Only one hundred fifty of the watches will be made each year, fifty of each of the three dial colors available.[9] The watch will cost USD$200,000.[8][10][11] In 2009, Parmigiani Fleurier and Pershing, the Italian Yacht Company announced that they will be offering the first ever line of Pershing Aquatic sport watches. The watch will be available in two different lines - the limited edition one-one-five, and the Pershing Chronographs collection. The watch is available with a rubber strap or steel bracelet, and is water resistant up to 200 metres.[12]

See also

List of watch manufactures

References

  1. ↑ Strandberg, Keith W. "Mechanical watches for ladies". Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  2. ↑ Maillard, Pierre. "Charm offensive at Parmigiani". Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  3. ↑ "Parmigiani Fleurier". Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  4. ↑ "Parmigiani-Fleurier". American Watch Guild.com. Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  5. ↑ "Parmigiani Fleurier". Luxury Bazaar.com. Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  6. ↑ Strandberg, Keith W. "Parmigiani's new Kalpa'graph". Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  7. ↑ "The Bugatti Type 370 watch by Parmigiani Fleurier voted watch of the Year 2006 in Japan". Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Yap, Laurance. "Car-themed watches". Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "An Engine Block Telling the Time". Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  10. ↑ "Parmigiani Type 370 Bugatti for $280,000". Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  11. ↑ "Bugatti Type 370 Watch Voted Watch of the Year 2006 in Japan". Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  12. ↑ "Parmigiani Fleurier and Pershing Announce New Luxury Aquatic Sport Watches". Retrieved 2008-02-27. 

External links

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