Parmigiani Fleurier#History

Parmigiani Fleurier was started in 1996 in Val-de-Travers. Founder Michel Parmigiani had conceived the brand in 1976 through his work restoring watchmaking artifacts, and his knowledge of historical mechanical clocks and watches. The Parmigiani restoration workshop worked with the Sandoz family to restore the collection of the Room Maurice Yves Sandoz of the Musée d’Horlogerie du Locle, which eventually led to the creation of the Parmigiani Fleurier.{{Cite web |last=Doerr |first=Elizabeth |date=2018-04-01 |title=Parmigiani Fleurier And The Yusupov Fabergé Egg Of 1907 |url=https://quillandpad.com/2018/04/01/parmigiani-fleurier-and-the-yusupov-faberge-egg-of-1907/ |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=Quill & Pad |language=en-US}}

Parmigiani's career advanced significantly with the development of the Chopard 1860, the brand's first watch with an in-house mechanical movement. Powered by the Caliber 1.96, the watch was commercially unsuccessful; however it was subsequently called one of the greatest automatic movements ever made.https://www.rescapement.com/blog/chopard-caliber-196-and-luc-1860-one-of-the-best-automatic-watches-ever and was a direct precursor to the launch of the Parmigiani Fleurier brand. https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-early-chopard-luc-collection/Chopard

In 2016, Parmigiani Fleurier unveiled the Hippologia, a 55 kg, oval-shaped table clock covered in a foil of white gold and elaborated by the French glassmaker Lalique.{{Cite web |last=Townsend |first=Victoria |date=27 January 2016 |title=SIHH: Parmigiani Fleurier Tames Time With The “Hippologia” |url=https://www.hautetime.com/sihh-parmigiani-fleurier-tames-time-with-the-hippologia/73392/ |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=www.hautetime.com}} In December 2020, Parmigiani Fleurier made a partnership with Giorgio Armani to create the Giorgio Armani Fine Watches collection which was to be launched by the end of 2021.{{Cite web |last=Wightman-Stone |first=Danielle |date=2020-12-14 |title=Giorgio Armani to collaborate with Parmigiani Fleurier |url=https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/giorgio-armani-to-collaborate-with-parmigiani-fleurier/2020121452515 |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=FashionUnited |language=en}} In January 2021, Guido Terreni replaced Davide Traxler as CEO of the company.

Parmigiani offers watches aimed at both men and women.{{cite web |url= http://www.europastar.com/europastar/magazine/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003119871|title= Mechanical watches for ladies |accessdate=2008-02-05 |last= Strandberg|first= Keith W.|work= }}{{cite web |url= http://www.europastar.com/europastar/magazine/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002274745|title= Charm offensive at Parmigiani |accessdate=2008-02-05 |last= Maillard|first= Pierre|work= }} All Parmigiani Fleurier watches are hand-made, each taking at least four hundred hours assemble;{{cite web |url= http://www.tourbillon-watches.com/tourbillon.asp?pg=editorial/2002/parmigiani.htm&house=49|title= Parmigiani Fleurier |accessdate=2008-02-05 |format= |work= }} they are constructed with precious metals{{clarify|date=April 2015}} and precious or semi-precious stones.{{cite web |url= http://www.americanwatchguild.com/manufacturer_detail.php?id=197|title= Parmigiani-Fleurier |accessdate=2008-02-05 |format= |work= American Watch Guild.com}} In order to create exclusivity, only a few thousand pieces are produced every year.{{cite web |url= http://theluxurybazaar.com/timepieces/webforms/watches/brand/brand.aspx?c=0318c28a-3e0b-4854-b17d-1dd0d67df26c|title= Parmigiani Fleurier|accessdate=2008-02-05 |format= |work= Luxury Bazaar.com}} Their watch lines include the Toric, Forma (renamed Kalpa) and the single watch, the Bugatti 370.{{cite web |url= http://www.europastar.com/europastar/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003594012|title= Parmigiani's new Kalpa'graph |accessdate=2008-02-05 |last= Strandberg|first= Keith W.|work= }}

In 2006, the Bugatti 370 was awarded the "Watch of the Year" award by the Japanese Press.

{{cite web |url= http://www.europastar.com/europastar/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002001706|title= The Bugatti Type 370 watch by Parmigiani Fleurier voted watch of the Year 2006 in Japan |accessdate=2008-02-05 |format= |work= }} The watch is a driving watch based on the Bugatti Veyron supercar. It was designed to look like a transversal engine, and is mounted in 18 carat gold. In order to make it readable while driving, the face of the watch is placed in a vertical position on the case's front.{{cite web |url= http://www.gadgets-reviews.com/index.php?page=articles&catid=7&id=30|title= An Engine Block Telling the Time|accessdate=2008-02-05 |format= |work= }} The first Bugatti watch was given to car enthusiast Ralph Lauren.{{cite web |url= http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/ly/watches.htm|title= Car-themed watches |first= Laurance|last= Yap|accessdate=2008-02-05 |work= }} Only one hundred and fifty of the watches will be made each year, fifty of each of the three dial colors available. The watch will cost USD$200,000.{{cite web |url= http://www.elitechoice.org/2007/09/12/parmigiani-type-370-bugatti-for-280000/|title= Parmigiani Type 370 Bugatti for $280,000|accessdate=2008-02-05 |format= |work= }}{{cite web |url= http://www.parmigiani.ch/communication_prix_06_japon_eng.html|title= Bugatti Type 370 Watch Voted Watch of the Year 2006 in Japan|accessdate=2008-02-05 |work= }} In 2009, Parmigiani Fleurier and Pershing, an Italian yacht company, announced that they will be offering the first Pershing Aquatic sport watches. The watch will be available as a limited edition, and the Pershing Chronographs collection..{{cite web |url= http://www.exoticsandluxury.com/pershing-parmigiani-fleurier-announce-new-luxury-aquatic-sport-watches|title= Parmigiani Fleurier and Pershing Announce New Luxury Aquatic Sport Watches |accessdate=2008-02-27}}

In 2016, Parmigiani-Fleurier presents the Senfine concept housing a new escapement taking advantage of the properties of silicon flat springs. The revolutionary concept uses an oscillator with high frequency and low amplitude for enhanced precision and power reserve.Monochrome-watches, [https://monochrome-watches.com/a-technical-perspective-the-evolution-of-the-escapement-and-recent-innovations "The evolution of the escapement and recent innovations"], February 2016

• List of watch manufactures

{{Reflist|2}}

• [http://www.timezone.com/library/tzints/tzints631750765845312500 An interview] with founder Michel Parmigiani
• [https://monochrome-watches.com/a-technical-perspective-the-evolution-of-the-escapement-and-recent-innovations Evolution of the escapement], Monochrome-watches

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Category:Watch manufacturing companies of Switzerland

Category:Swiss watch brands

Category:Design companies established in 1975

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1975

Category:Swiss companies established in 1975

Category:Privately held companies of Switzerland

Category:Companies based in the canton of Neuchâtel