Parmigiani Fleurier introduced a unique pocket watch last year called La Rose Carrée, which stood out for its extensive use of a geometric rose motif (engraved double-hunter covers, featuring a coating of deep blue grand feu enamel), along with its use of a historic movement. It was launched to celebrate the manufacture's 25th anniversary.
The return of an original movement made by Louis-Elisée Piguet at the turn of the 20th century in the new case was a reminder that Michel Parmigiani's journey to creating own brand began with his work restoring antique timepieces.
Led by former head of Bulgari Watches Guido Terreni, the manufacture has decided to repeat last year's success with the rose motif. Parmigiani Fleurier intends to create a series of five unique minute repeaters.
All of them aim to continue the delicate floral tradition that started with La Rose Carrée and showcase the strengths of decorating and finishing both cases and movements by hand. So far, the watchmaker has only unveiled the first watch in the series — La Rosa Celeste.
It won't be housing a historic movement. This watch is equipped with the manually wound minute-repeating Caliber PF355. The chiming is performed by elongated cathedral gongs which guarantee a deeper and richer chime thanks to longer vibration. The caseback and case middle have been reworked to improve acoustics by scrapping excess gold and creating resonance pockets.
La Rosa Celeste may be a wristwatch, but it still used a hinged hunter cover like La Rose Carrée. It reveals a movement where the approach to skeletonization should remind you of the Chronor PF361 caliber launched by Parmigiani Fleurier in 2016.
PF355 also has an impressive power reserve of 72 hours. PF355 is enclosed in a white-gold case measuring 42 mm in diameter and 13.39 mm in height. The bezel, caseband, lugs and caseback haven't been left without the La Rose Carrée “squared-rose” pattern. The dial has a chiseled surface coated with blue enamel. Enamel also gives the fractal rose on the caseback a special depth.