Parmigiani Tonda 1950

Parmigiani the Fleurier manufacture present the Parmigiani Tonda 1950.  

Ah, the dress watch, once an essential part of every gentleman's attire - a timepiece which rests beneath the cuff modestly, with just a hint of a polished bezel on display.  None of the high tech stuff is required for a dress watch, no carbon fibre, no engine-inspired bits on the case side, and certainly no chronograph clutter on the dial.  Despite all the advances that the industry has made in the exploration of avant-garde materials and techniques, the quintessential gold dress watch simply refuses to disappear from brand portfolios.

Any piece which is enscribed with the iconic Parmigiani Fleurier oval logo is endowed with a certain expected level of quality and the Tonda 1950 is no exception.  The attention to detail is to be found in the construction and finishing of the in-house PF700 automatic movement - Côtes de Genève, hand bevelled bridges and a platinium rotor can be appreciated through the sapphire crystal caseback,  round the front however all is plain and pure, unadorned and classical.

The 1950 model is constructed from 18 carat rose gold or white gold, measures 39mm across and is a slim and trim 7.8mm thick, its extra flat design suits the satisfyingly rounded tonda case shape and those big curvy Parmigiani lugs to perfection.  The dial is uncluttered featuring feuille-shaped lume-coated hands, whisker slender markers and a pristine little small seconds at 6 o'clock.  Two dial versions are available, graphite and grained white both of which are framed with an eye pleasing polished bezel.  Water resistance is to 30m and the pieces are presented on an alligator strap with case-matching buckle.

The Parmigiani Tonda 1950 represents the very essence of understated charm, timeless and traditional, the kind of watch which makes a man want to unearth his cufflinks, put on a tuxedo and take his girl somewhere fancy for dinner and therefore one which I would thoroughly recommend.