On 27 October, in the Sala d'Arme of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Parmigiani Fleurier presented the Tonda 1950 Tourbillon. For the occasion, guests were also able to watch Magnificent, a digital opera by Felice Limosani and narrated by Andrea Bocelli.
The new model is a tourbillon integrated in an automatic calibre of only 3.4 millimetres. Two years of research and development were required for its realisation. The PF517 calibre has a platinum micro-rotor integrated directly into the mainplate and the flying tourbillon features a cage without a supporting bridge. A ball bearing replaces the attachment function, without adding thickness to the movement.
The Tonda 1950 Tourbillon is available in four dial versions: grey mother-of-pearl, white or black jade and a deep blue dial decorated with côtes de Genève. As a tribute to the founder of Parmigiani Fleurier, Michel Parmigiani, the watch's entire aesthetic revolves around the 7:08 o'clock axis. Michel was in fact born at this very hour in the Val-de-Travers, Switzerland. The complication is off-centre to the left, just after the 7 o'clock index, while the orientation of the tourbillon is determined by an angle corresponding to 7:08, highlighted by a red applique on the seconds perimeter.
