With the arrival of autumn, green leaves turn flame-coloured. This is Nature’s way: She comes to life in spring, blooms in summer, softens in autumn and withers in winter. The cycle and the pattern of the seasons has always been a topic of great interest to Michel Parmigiani.
Fascinated by the perfection and life of all forms of roses, Michel Parmigiani focused on this flower to develop the “Roses Carrées” motif which now features on a number of creations such as La Rose Carrée pocket watch released in 2022, which is an exceptional work of art.
In 2023, Parmigiani Fleurier worked on a major collection of five unique pieces representing the pinnacle of complicated Haute Horlogerie and the height of the Manufacture’s expertise. These five exceptional timepieces were paired with a minute repeater movement exquisitely decorated with engraving and enamelling. This was an exceptional feat of craftsmanship produced by men and women with “golden hands”, all of whom have been approved by Michel Parmigiani, and who have become, for him, truly an extended family.
The dial is hand- engraved to obtain a grained surface
These creations were all produced to the superior standards for which Parmigiani Fleurier is renowned and the pieces also comply with the strictest standards available on the market both in terms of the movement and the métiers d’art.
The enamel was hand-polished to create a contrast between the volume and pattern, while the engraving produced by hand ensured that the Rose Carrée motif aligned with the case middle, the bezel and the case-back of the watch. This creates a striking play of light giving the visual effect of diamonds. The dial is hand- engraved to obtain a grained surface; four layers of enamel are then applied to it, with six layers applied to the cover. The surfaces are also hand-polished. Each of these unique pieces is a major feat: combining the enamelled case-back and the engraving of the “La Rose Carrée” motif so dear to Michel Parmigiani, to guarantee the chime system makes a harmonious sound from inside the water-resistant case.
The five Roses Grand Feu manufactured by Parmigiani Fleurier
The case is constructed around the movement, finished and decorated in the finest Haute Horlogerie tradition, to ensure it is fully integrated. Particular attention was paid to the resonance of the cathedral gongs; the back and middle were hollowed out to enable the sound to ring out clearly. The case middle also has a special feature designed to increase the available volume, even under the enamel dial. All these considerations were taken into account in order to ensure the sound offers the same level of excellence as the aesthetics of this unique piece. The movement is composed of 392 components and offers a 72-hour power reserve; it also features a safety mechanism to prevent the time from being set during the chime phase, which strikes out the hours, quarters and minutes without interruption. A chime regulator guarantees its perfect regularity.
Its assembly in the case middle was a complex challenge in itself. The space housing the mechanism was adjusted during the casing-up phase to guarantee perfect tension offering the most direct transmission possible. Finally, all the gongs – a key part of the chimes – were screwed into the case, again with a view to obtaining a bright, clear sound.
The five Roses Grand Feu manufactured by Parmigiani Fleurier, which are the Rosa Cosmica, Rosa Celeste, Rosa Mundi, Rosa Alba and Rosa Mystica are a beautiful celebration of the plenitude of the art of watchmaking.
