Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Météorite Special Edition

Quick specs Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Météorite Special Edition
Price: $ 19,500 | € 17.500 | approx. £ 15,100
Size: 39 mm
Reference: PFC288-3002400-HA1441

You can have a piece of an Aston Martin DB4 in your watch, or a piece of concrete on it, but did you ever thought about a meteorite? Well, this new Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Météorite Special Edition has it. The dial is a real piece of a meteorite that was recently discovered in Sweden.

It’s not the first time Parmigiani uses meteorite in their watches. Within the Tonda 1950 collection Parmigiani launched two models in 2015. One with a blue colored dial (abyss blue) and one in black (black nickel). Both with a nickel case – although there is also a rose gold version of the model with abyss blue dial. The new Tonda 1950 Météorite Special Editions come with a titanium case and in addition to the existing colors, there is this new white version.

The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Météorite Special Edition looks very subtle in white

But how do you get a meteorite into a watch? Basically, just slice it. Parmigiani says: “The rapid change in temperature to which the meteor rock is subjected as it enters the atmosphere indelibly imprints it with a crystal structure. This must be treated in a series of acid baths to gradually reveal the magnificent texture born from this natural impact.” What you see are unique, so called Widmanstätten patterns which are triangle shaped figures inside the meteorite. It’s fascinating to look at.

The ‘normal’ part of the watch is behind the meteorite. There you find Parmigiani’s PF702 caliber. This is an ultra-thin movement (2.6 millimeters) which leaves enough space for the dial. It offers a power-reserve of 48 hours, a little bit more than the predecessors.