If I had to compare Parmigiani Fleurier's Tonda PF Automatic 36mm to a film, it would be Legally Blonde. In case you're unfamiliar with it (ask to watch it with your partner, you're welcome), in the film, Elle Woods—played by Reese Witherspoon—is dumped by her boyfriend because he needs a serious, elegant and book-smart woman to be his wife. In an effort to prove that blondes have brains too, she applies to Harvard’s law school. Her admittance essay-video is sparkly and bubbly, her resume is pink and perfumed, and her outfits to court are unapologetically flamboyant and effervescent. By the movie's end, she’s delivering the commencement speech at graduation as a top student in her class, her identity still intact.
Besides the obvious connection between Elle's blonde hair and the watch's gold colour, I spy much of the film’s themes reflected in the new collection of timepieces from Parmigiani Fleurier. A major gripe I often hear about “women’s” watches is that they’re too wrapped up in how they look, as opposed to how they really function—I hope you see where this is going. Parmigiani believes, however, that a woman’s watch can be many things at once—sparkly, pragmatic, and powerful. The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève affirmed this belief by awarding the Women’s Watch Prize to the Tonda PF Automatic 36mm in 2022. Given its impressive pedigree and the values it represents, this timepiece could make a meaningful gift for your partner.
The Tonda PF Automatic 36mm challenges the notion that women's watches prioritise aesthetics over functionality. The PF770 calibre powers the watch, boasting a 60-hour power reserve with its automatic winding movement. A skeletonised oscillating weight ticks at a smooth 4Hz above the calibre, with its beautiful Côtes de Genève visible through the sapphire caseback. More impressively, they’ve managed to squeeze all this into a slender 36mm case, greatly reduced from the typical 40mm that the house has stuck to for many of their Tonda PF models. This blonde's packing some serious precision.
Now that the technical stuff's out of the way, we can get to the part that will really get your partner going.
The collection will feature three different iterations: Sand Gold, Warm Grey, and White Citrine. The Sand Gold Dial materialises from 18-carat pink gold and 232 precious diamonds, embellishing everything from the indexes and bezel to the bracelet's edge. A grainy textured dial creates an intriguing juxtaposition against the delicate and silky exterior of the watch.
The Warm Grey Dial cater to the purists; crafted entirely from 18-carat pink gold, this model rocks a dark dial that spotlights the baguette-cut diamond hour markers, which also trace the bezel. For something with slightly more finesse, the White Citrine Dial artfully marries stainless steel with rose gold, creating a contrast that magnifies the warmth of the precious metal. Usually I'd apply the adage "less is more" here, but the addition of baguette-cut diamond hour markers suggests otherwise. After all, in a collection like the Tonda PF Automatic 36mm, less is never really quite an option—but it never is when it comes to your partner, wouldn't you agree?
