A celestial rose from Parmigiani Fleurier
In 2021, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its creation, Parmigiani Fleurier launched one of the most ambitious and demanding projects in its history: an exceptional pocket watch called La Rose Carrée. La Rose Carrée has now evolved into Les Roses Carrées, a series composed of 5 unique minute-repeater pieces at the top of the Parmigiani Fleurier range, set against a backdrop of absolute exclusivity
Based on a Louis-Elysée Piguet calibre with grand sonnerie, entirely restored in the Parmigiani Fleurier workshops, La Rose Carrée continues the legacy of watchmaking art that is precious to the history of the House.
In December 2022, on the birthday of its founder Michel Parmigiani, the brand revealed the first creation in this collection: La Rosa Celeste, an extraordinary creation that pays tribute to the age-old artisanal tradition of Grand Feu enamel and to the favourite colour of the brand’s founder.
Its 42 mm white gold case is hand-engraved with the “La Rose Carrée” motif and has a hunter’s caseback. The latter and its chiselled dial are covered with grand feu enamel in blue. Between the petals of this horological flower, Parmigiani Fleurier has concealed a manually wound minute repeater calibre with cathedral gongs. Its skeletonisation and bevelling bring together the best of Parmigiani Fleurier’s watchmaking expertise and craftsmanship in a unique and poetic piece.
This motif was engraved on the case middle and covers by hand, on the vast, convex surfaces. The covers were then finished in a deep blue Grand Feu enamel. La Rose Carrée has evolved into Les Roses Carrées, a collection at the top of the Parmigiani Fleurier range. La Rosa Celeste carries all the hallmarks of La Rose Carrée pocket watch. This model also heralds a series entirely dedicated to the celebration of handmade watchmaking craftsmanship according to Parmigiani Fleurier. “Les Roses Carrées” will be the name and the thread that ties these pieces together.
The watch case is mounted on a blue, hand-sewn alligator leather strap, with the reverse also in alligator leather. With a diameter of 42 mm, the case is cut from white gold blocks. The bezel, lugs and caseband are hand-engraved with the La Rose Carrée motif, requiring extreme precision, an impressive investment of time, and a steady hand that is ensured by years of experience.
A hinge located at 2 o’clock on the reverse side of this unique piece articulates its hunter’s back. Its outer face bears a large square fractal rose, also hand-engraved and covered with multiple layers of coloured enamel. This time piece features a dial of solid white gold, with a surface engraved by hand. Countless small carvings are made with immaculate regularity throughout the dial. Once the surface has been prepared, the enameller takes over and applies the same shade as on the hunter’s caseback, striving for an identical level of nuance. In both dial and cover, the Grand Feu enamel technique is used.
To the movement’s extreme aesthetic refinement, Parmigiani Fleurier has added the minute repeater. But striking the hours, quarters and minutes on demand was not enough for this rare timekeeping rose. The gongs on which the sound is produced are cathedral gongs. Their exceptional length, spanning one and a half trips around the movement, brings a deeper, richer sound, a more sustained vibration and a more palpable intensity. The case has been carefully designed to optimise the sound of the movement.
The movement is suspended in the case and the heel of the gongs is physically connected to the case by a double screwing. The caseback and case middle have been redesigned to create resonance pockets and to lighten the white gold mass. These two aspects contribute to increasing the acoustic quality of the ringing and its range. A final quality criterion is that the ringing sequence automatically skips dead time. Thus, at 3:19, the three chimes for the hour are immediately followed by a double chime for the quarter-hour and again, without silence, by up to four chimes for the minute.
This device, unusual in the world of minute repeaters, is an indispensable characteristic for Parmigiani Fleurier. The timepiece boasts a running time extended to 72 hours, i.e. three full days.
The movement, although hidden by a solid dial on one side and by its hunter’s caseback on the other, has nevertheless been the object of an artistic and extensive skeletonisation. Usually made visible by the disappearance of the dial, it is here reserved for the owner and his or her closest confidants, a private and exclusive pleasure. The shape given to the bridges, the cut-out of their profile, and the size and extent of their openwork are artistic signatures. The skeletonisation of the PF355 calibre is reminiscent of the PF361 calibre, known as the Chronor. With its curves and counter-curves, harmonious inflections, the depth of the chamfers and its 114 inward and outward angles, Rosa Celeste is the product of unparalleled achievement. The bevelling, polishing and surface treatments are all done by hand.
