Hands-On With The Stunning Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose
Parmigiani Fleurier is a remarkable player in today’s horological landscape. The brand’s design aesthetic is unique, with the clever use of color being particularly admirable, and the technological innovations are nothing short of impressive. These aspects have made Parmigiani Fleurier both easy to love and easy to reject. Let’s be honest; it’s certainly not a brand for everyone, but that makes it more interesting. The latest proof of that is the wonderful Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose. Despite being a simple new dial variation of an existing model, it feels remarkably crisp and fresh.
But before I get deeper into the details of why that is, let’s ponder the unique status of Parmigiani Fleurier. Just by looks alone, it is hard to find a watchmaker in the same spirit. If I had to come up with a name, it would be Bvlgari with its Octo series. Not entirely coincidentally, the PF Tonda and Octo Finissimo both show Italian influence. This gives their designs a spirit and story, and therefore, they stand out. I adore that both brands are not afraid to cater to small audiences instead of the masses. It’s not that the designs do not have that power or that the brands wouldn’t like to. However, with a distinct design language comes divided opinions. To me, that makes a brand more interesting, regardless of whether I like a design or not. With Parmigiani Fleurier, though, I very much do.
The story of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose
With the PF Tonda and Toric lines, Parmigiani Fleurier has created two product lines that immediately stand out. And with the magnificent L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse, the brand showed that its unique style also works well for high-end creations. The Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose is Parmigiani’s latest release that perfectly tells the brand’s story in all its facets. The Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante debuted in 2023 and introduced a new, ingenious complication.
We had seen the GMT Rattrapante, with its hidden hand for indicating the time in another time zone whenever you are traveling. The Minute Rattrapante takes the same visual concept but approaches it technically.
Instead of displaying the time in a second time zone, the hidden hand can be used as a countdown timer. I’ll get into the details in a bit, but let’s focus on the collection first. This new Arctic Rose version is the second Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante, following the inaugural Sand Grey model released two years ago.
The details of the new Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose
As Mike explained in the intro article, the watch has a 40mm stainless steel case with a 10.7mm thickness and a 60m water resistance rating. Topping the case is the characteristic knurled bezel in 950 platinum.
As with all Tonda PF models, the Minute Rattrapante also comes with an integrated three-row bracelet with a beautifully concealed, flush-mounted clasp. Not only does the bracelet look fantastically detailed in terms of design and finishing, but it also tapers elegantly, ensuring excellent comfort on the wrist.
The story of this new model is, of course, the Arctic Rose dial. It combines the signature Grain d’Orge hand-guilloché pattern with a light pink color that is very subtle. Once again, Parmigiani Fleurier demonstrates its exceptional eye for dial colors, and this new one looks stunning.
The minimalist design features the applied PF logo and the 18K gold rhodium-plated indexes. Lastly, you will find the minute track with its humble black markers on the dial’s periphery. It lends itself well to a sophisticated dial that is gently contrasted by the skeletonized, rhodium-plated hour and minute hands. However, a secret hand is hiding in plain sight.
The minute rattrapante complication
Hidden behind the rhodium-plated minute hand sits a rose gold hand that makes its rounds unnoticed if the minute rattrapante is not activated. But if you need to time a countdown to an event, a click of the pusher at 10 o’clock advances the rose gold hand in one-minute increments, while the 8 o’clock pusher pushes it forward by five. This allows you to create an interval and keep track of the minutes until the minute hand meets the forward hand. The rose gold pusher, integrated into the crown, allows you to reset the timer and return the rose gold hand to its hidden position.
It’s a fun complication that I didn’t have the chance to experience until this hands-on review. But seeing the press materials triggered my curiosity. As you will understand, my initial excitement was due to the light pink dial. If you are a regular Fratello reader, you will know that I have a thing for the less ordinary dial colors, and this pink dial is right up my alley. Add a fun complication that I’d never experienced, and to say that I was happy to take the new Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose for a spin is an understatement.
The beautiful PF052 movement that powers the Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose
Making the technical wizardry happen is the brand’s in-house PF052 caliber. It is a beautifully constructed automatic micro-rotor movement that operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers a 48-hour power reserve. As with all Parmigiani calibers, the finishing is superb. The combination of Côtes de Genève, perlage, and anglage looks beautiful, with the meticulously finished 22K gold rotor serving as the focal point.
As Mike also hinted at in his introductory article, Parmigiani Fleurier makes some of the prettiest watch movements in the world. But the PF052 is more than just a beautifully finished caliber. As you will see, the finishing and decoration are in line with the design and finishing of the watch. As a result, the movement is an integrated part of the overall concept.
And this conceptual thinking is what makes the Tonda PF line stand out to me compared to its peers. As a design enthusiast who worked for a design agency for over a decade, I get extra excited when a brand develops a concept and executes it to perfection. That’s exactly what Parmigiani Fleurier has done with its Tonda PF line.
Wearing the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose
I have had the pleasure of trying quite a few Tonda PF models over the past few years, and there is something special about putting one on the wrist. Regardless of the variant, there is this majestic feel that you experience once a Tonda PF lands there. It’s hard to rationalize that feeling, but it is a combination of the heft, finishing, materials, and overall refinement and sophistication that the timepieces exude. It’s truly unique to the Tonda PF line, and I adore that.
The Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose is particularly special. If you have ever tried on a 40mm Tonda PF, you will know that it wears large. Watches with integrated bracelets tend to look bigger, and the Tonda PF design specifically has a lot of wrist presence with its 40mm case and bracelet that widens significantly as it elegantly approaches the case. Consequently, this isn’t a watch for people with smaller wrists. However, if you can pull it off, it is a joy to behold. On my 18.5cm wrist, the watch feels perfectly at home, so from the moment I closed the clasp, I had the biggest smile on my face.
The great value of a fun complication
The presence of steel and platinum with the soft pink tone of the detailed dial is a wonderfully elegant combination. Depending on how the light hits the dial, a hint of gray adds depth to its presence. Additionally, the dial looks more pink in natural light, while it seems more subdued under artificial light. This shifting color helps make it a truly excellent dial. I’ve found this kind of effect the most stunning with pink and purple, as both are vibrant colors that can thoroughly surprise me, on top of being less common dial colors.
While the dial color constantly drew my eyes watch, the minute rattrapante complication also kept me coming back for more. In fact, when reviewing watches, I deliberately look for interaction. When a complication is truly enjoyable to use, it adds an extra layer of interaction that is extremely valuable in the long run, enhancing my enjoyment of the watch. This year, I experienced that with the Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer, and this Tonda PF also has that power. It is simply fun to find reasons to use this complication.
Final thoughts on the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose
Once I’d found any reason to use the countdown timer, I could delightfully experience the outstanding quality and detail of the Tonda PF again. Operating the pushers on the left side of the case felt super satisfying and revealed what a truly special piece of proper high horology this watch is.
And that’s also when it hit me once more that the Tonda PF was built around a superior concept. It made the impact of wearing the watch more significant. As you will understand by now, I was thoroughly impressed by this new Arctic Rose version of the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante, which retails for CHF 29,700.
How does this new model rank among my favorites? Until now, my favorite Tonda PF model was the Golden Siena version of the dateless Tonda PF Micro-Rotor. Additionally, I have a huge soft spot for the Deep Ruby version of the 36mm model in rose gold. The color combination of that watch is stunning.
I do, however, favor the new Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose over the latter. I would also say that the new model is at least as good as the Golden Siena version of the dateless Tonda PF. So, in a growing lineup of wonderful Tonda PF models, this new Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose is among the absolute best. That’s how impactful a new dial color can be.
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