Rolex
Introducing Parmigiani Fleurier Hasn't Forgotten The Little Guys
In fact, it celebrates them. In this case, with a limited, double-signed Tonda GT and Tondagraph GT to Celebrate Oliver Smith Jeweler’s 40th Anniversary.
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What We Know
Oliver Smith Jeweler has been at it for 40 years. Between their Aspen and Scottsdale locations, they've built a sterling reputation; we've profiled the business before. For their 40th anniversary, they've paired with Parmigiani Fleurier to create a watch that tips its hat to the mid-century tradition of double-signed dials. Parmigiani has created two models for the occasion – Tonda GT and Tondagraph GT. "Brown is the signature Oliver Smith Jeweler color," says Elizabeth Smith, the heiress to the Oliver Smith empire who earned her stripes in the industry running the company's brand-new Aspen Panerai boutique, "and you don't see many brown-dialed watches in the market. Also, we know first-hand the importance and rarity of collaborations in the watch world, so a double-signed dial was an absolute must." The tradition of double-signed was prominent in the mid-century years but isn't as common today. For a good primer on why a retailer's signature on the dial is desirable, A Collected Man has produced a compelling story on the matter.
What We Think
Parmigiani Fleurier occupies a very interesting position within the larger world of Swiss watchmakers. The brand is completely independent and for most part, about as vertically integrated as a Swiss manufacturer can be. The Swiss watch industry is a complicated web of companies all tied together in ways in which nobody once removed from the industry can understand. But thanks to the Sandoz Foundation's backing, Parmigiani Fleurier has been able to remain independent and has even become a supplier for numerous other brands in the industry. In short, they're a "more than meets the eye" manufacturer. And what I find most interesting about this collaboration is that while Oliver Smith is well-known regionally, they're not a globally celebrated retailer like Tiffany, Asprey, or Gueblin. And that's what makes this collaboration so interesting. Parmigiani Fleurier hasn't forgotten about the small-to-medium-sized regional retailers that serve as the backbone of the global watch community.
Parmigiani's cases are all designed according to the Golden Ratio. Jack goes into more detail on what exactly that means on a technical level here, but I'll summarize: it means the cases are sharp, balanced, with few straight lines. Jack also posits that despite Parmigiani Fleurier's low-key positioning among the horological giants, the brand offers exceptional bang for the buck, particularly the Tondagraphe GT. Oliver Smith chose the right platform within the brand to create a series of limited editions from. The company has recently come under new leadership, with Guido Terreni at the helm. We've been seeing exciting watches come out of Parmigiani that have certainly captured enthusiasts; attention in a way that hasn't happened before. And the Oliver Smith Limited Edition is one of them.
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The Basics
Brand: Parmigiani Fleurier
Model: Tonda GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith & Tondagraph GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith
Reference Number: Ref: PFS910-1020001-100182 (Tonda GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith) & Ref: PFS906-1020001-100182 (Tondagraph GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith)
Diameter: 42mm (both models)
Thickness: 11.2mm (Tonda GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith), 13.7mm (Tondagraph GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith)
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Dial Color: Brown (both models)
Indexes: Hand-applied rhodium-plated appliqués with white luminescent coating
Lume: SuperLuminova
Water Resistance: 100m (both models)
Strap/Bracelet: Stainless steel bracelet
The Movement
Caliber: PF044 (Tonda GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith), PF043 (Tondagraph GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date (Tonda GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith), plus a chronograph and calendar complication (Tondagraph GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith)
Power Reserve: 45 hours (both models)
Winding: Automatic (both models)
Frequency: 28,880vph (both models)
Jewels: 33 (Tonda GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith) and 56 (Tondagraph GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith)
Pricing & Availability
Price: $17,700 (Tonda GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith), $23,200 (Tondagraph GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith)
Availability: At Oliver Smith Jeweler
Limited Edition: Yes, 15 examples of the Tonda GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith, and 5 examples of the Tondagraph GT Steel Brown Oliver Smith
Photography by Atom Moore
Shop this story
For more on Parmigiani Fleurier, click here. The watch is available through Oliver Smith Jeweler.
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