While there are no guarantees in life, you are unlikely to tire of a watch that makes you smile – and not just made you smile once, but still makes you smile. We are reminded of this with the recent debut of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose. Two years ago, when the watch was a horological premiere, we wrote that it made enthusiasts grin stupidly because it was fun. It took a winning concept, the visually hidden complexity of the brand’s GMT Rattrapante, and applied it to an additional minute hand instead of an hour hand. Why? To create a countdown function that was effectively a diver’s bezel for the tuxedo-wearing set. It was playful and it was unique, which is important given that it is not inexpensive. With this new Arctic Rose version, it also looks the part
The headline here is, of course, the dial. Dubbed “Arctic Rose,” it is far from a standard salmon or copper dial. It reportedly possesses a crystalline quality, shifting hues with the light; we have not handled it in the metal to test this feature of the pale palette. Parmigiani Fleurier is careful to note that this is not a mere fashion statement; it is a historical reclamation, or perhaps sartorial justice.
In the 18th and 19th century, rose was a colour of masculine refinement and distinction, but that changed with marketing and social trends of the mid-20th century. By reintroducing this shade to masculine watchmaking, the brand affirms an aesthetic freed from convention, calling it “the language of a confident elegance”. The dial is finished with the firm’s signature Grain d’Orge guilloché. As always, we expect that it is executed in a pattern so fine it creates a hypnotic texture that lends the dial depth and movement.
While the face has changed, the substance of the watch remains intact. For those who missed the 2023 debut, the genius of this watch lies in its counter-intuitive simplicity.
At first glance, it appears to be a simple two-hand dress watch. However, hiding in plain sight is a second minute hand in rose gold, superimposed beneath the rhodium-plated real-time hand. It remains invisible until the function is activated, awakening only when summoned.
Housing this “private luxury” is a 40mm stainless-steel case, measuring a slender 10.7mm in thickness. It features the collection’s identifying knurled platinum bezel, a signature we remain enthusiastic about.
Inside the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose beats Calibre PF052, an automatic movement with a micro-rotor that is as aesthetically pleasing as it is technically proficient; it is of course the same movement that did the heavy lifting in the first version in 2023.
MOVEMENT Automatic calibre PF052 with rattrapante minute hand; 48-hour power reserve
CASE 40mm in steel with platinum bezel; water-resistant to 100m
STRAP Bracelet
PRICE CHF29,700
This story was first seen as part of the WOW #82 Festive 2025 Issue
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