Here are the two latest timekeeping achievements under the Swiss signature of Parmigiani – the Tonda Tourbillon wristwatches. They were unveiled on the occasion of the SIHH 2013 alongside a table clock.
These watches nicely celebrate the spirit of music through the gorgeous marquetry dials they encompass. Each of the Tonda pieces is in fact a standalone artistic wonder, having been crafted with the subtle technique of wood marquetry – which is the process of applying pieces of veneer to a structure in order to shape up decorative patterns or designs.
They remind of two of the most important countries in the world of rock and roll – USA and the UK. Therefore, the Tonda Woodrock and the Tonda Woodstock both feature guitars on their dials, with either the US Stars and Stripes or the Union Jack as backgrounds. The sound box of the guitar is in fact the tourbillon escapement of the amazing Parmigiani movement.
Around 10 full days of work were spent in order to create such wonderful marquetry dials, each of them consisting of more than 50 pieces of painted wood, designed, cut and assembled with incredibly accurate and meticulous care so that the dial appears perfectly flat to the naked eye. The exquisite processes were intricately carried out by the acclaimed marquetry artist Bastien Chevalier.
On the technical side, these stunning timepieces comprise the PF 510 hand wound movement, displaying the hours, minutes, central second and a one week power reserve. Crafted from 18-carat rose gold, they boast with water resistance to as deep as 30 meters. The bezels have been engraved with the Gibson motif, while the hand-binding consists of Hermès alligator straps with folding buckles.
[Timezone]
