Sintered And Scintillating: The New Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet Mineral Blue

The Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet is not new to Parmigiani Fleurier’s catalog, but this Mineral Blue execution is. The watch takes the existing 42.5mm Ultra-Cermet sports chronograph and shifts the tone with a Blackor and Mineral Blue dial, a matching Mineral Blue rubber strap, and the same full Ultra-Cermet case.

The star of the show here is the exotic case material, although the brand already lists Ultra-Cermet versions in London Grey and Milano Blue. Like the existing models, the latest version costs CHF 40,400.

The new Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet Mineral Blue

The new Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet Mineral Blue sits within the sportier branch of Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tonda PF family. That means you get a chronograph, a larger case, a rubber strap, and a more active vibe than the sleeker Tonda PF Micro-Rotor or the dressier models in the broader collection. Still, this is Parmigiani, so even the sportier watches feel classically elegant.

The case, and more specifically its material makeup, is the key attraction. Parmigiani uses Ultra-Cermet for the case, fluted bezel, crown, chronograph pushers, and pin buckle. That last point is worth mentioning. Many watches use an advanced material for the case and then quietly switch to something easier elsewhere. Here, the material is used throughout all functional components.

This Mineral Blue version does not change the basic concept, but it does change the vibe quite a bit. The dial combines black and Mineral Blue tones, with a Mineral Blue rubber strap to match. That might just be a smart way to soften the dark, technical nature of Ultra-Cermet. Let’s have a closer look.

Ultra-Cermet

Ultra-Cermet combines ceramic with titanium (“Cermet” is a widely used term for “ceramic/metal”). Parmigiani says the material is produced through sintering, with fine ceramic and titanium powders compacted under heat and pressure. The process unites the two elements without melting them. This material makes up the entire case, so we’re not talking about some fancy surface treatment here.

The backstory is fairly extreme. This material took more than three years to develop. Parmigiani also says more than 90% of production is discarded during powder selection. The final material contains 40% metal and reaches 1,450 HV on the Vickers scale. It also requires dedicated tooling and diamond-cutting instruments.

This is where the watch fits into a broader trend. Other brands are also chasing the meeting point between titanium and ceramic. IWC’s Ceratanium, for instance, starts from a special titanium alloy that undergoes a ceramic transformation at the surface. Porsche Design’s Titanium Carbide is another route, using a sintered material for the case. Similarly, Audemars Piguet used a proprietary Cermet alloy for bezels between 2010 and 2012. Although all these materials differ, the ambition behind them is the same — a material with ceramic-like scratch resistance and titanium-like toughness.

Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet specifications

The Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet Mineral Blue has a 42.5 × 13.3mm polished and satin-finished case with Parmigiani’s familiar two-thirds fluted bezel. The crown screws down, and the housing offers water resistance to 100 meters. An antireflective sapphire crystal covers the front, while a sapphire window in the screw-fastened case back reveals the movement. The case back’s Ultra-Cermet ring carries the watch’s serial number, “Swiss Made,” “Parmigiani Fleurier,” and “36’000 Alt/h” engravings.

Inside ticks the automatic caliber PF070, a COSC-certified chronometer with an integrated chronograph. The caliber is developed with Parmigiani’s sister company Vaucher. It offers a 65-hour power reserve and, as indicated above, runs at 36,000 vph (5 Hz). This 30.6 × 6.95mm movement also contains 288 components, including 42 jewels. The finishing includes satin-finished openworked bridges with bevels and a skeletonized, polished, and sandblasted 22K rose gold rotor.

The dial combines Blackor and Mineral Blue tones with a satin finish. It also dons hand-applied, lume-treated indexes in Blackor-plated 18K gold. The hour and minute hands follow the same approach, while the chronograph and small-seconds hands are Blackor-plated steel. Lastly, the integrated Mineral Blue rubber strap closes with an Ultra-Cermet pin buckle, which neatly completes the case-material story.

Closing thoughts on the Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet

The Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet Mineral Blue takes an existing design and livens it up. The pale, bright blue gives the watch a more summery, lighthearted character. I always felt the existing Ultra-Cermet models were a bit too techy for Parmigiani, and this model goes a long way to provide it a bit more of the brand’s typical joie de vivre.

Material innovation is interesting, sure, but only if the watch itself remains desirable after the technical explanation ends. Here, the blue shade of the sub-dials and strap should give the watch a slightly more relaxed character. The darker case is still techy and serious, while the blue elements prevent it from becoming too much so. Based on the supplied press materials, that balance seems to me to be the point.

The 42.5mm diameter is the only obvious reminder that this remains a full-size sports chronograph. That is not a problem, but it does define the audience. This is not the ultra-discreet side of the Tonda PF. It is the technical, harder-wearing side, with a high-frequency integrated chronograph and a case material that is far more involved than Parmigiani’s typically elegant design first suggests.

What do you think of the new Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet Mineral Blue? Let us know in the comments section below!