TONDA PF XIALI CALENDAR,
A WORLD PREMIERE WITH A
CHINESE COMPLETE CALENDAR
At Parmigiani Fleurier, we embrace a vision that goes well beyond timekeeping, by honoring cultural diversity and history in every creation, and reflecting, in our commitment, a respect for all civilizations.
Functions: Hours, minutes, Chinese Complete Calendar, moonphase
Stainless-steel case, polished and satin-finished with platinum 950 knurled bezel; 42 mm diameter; 12.2 mm thickness.
Dial: Imperial red dial, Grain d’Orge hand-guilloché finishing, 18ct gold rhodium-plated appliques indices, blue aventurine moonphase.
Movement: 54-hour power reserve; 28,800 Vph (4 Hz) frequency; oscillating weight in skeletonized, polished and sandblasted 22ct rose gold.
LUNAR-SOLAR XIALI CALENDAR
The Chinese Calendar is complex, as it combines elements of both a solar and a lunar calendar, which are calculated separately and then synchronized. This is accomplished by the addition of an extra lunar or intercalary month. This 13th month, which allows the two cycles to coincide, occurs approximately every three years. Finally, the Chinese calendar divides the solar year into 24 solar terms, or breaths, which symbolize the agricultural calendar.
The New Year appears according to precise rules and takes the name of the month that precedes it. The calculation is complex but allows us to follow the seasons and to set the Chinese New Year at the arrival of spring, which varies between the end of January and the end of February in our calendar — between January 21 and February 19.
SIXTY-YEAR PERIOD
Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which names the months and numbers the years, the Chinese calendar names the lunar years and numbers the months. The names of the years are repeated on a 60-year (sexagesimal) cycle, but the calendar including dates, days and months is calculated on the basis of astronomical observations. Because these calculations vary, it is impossible to make a “perpetual” Chinese calendar.
However, our creation goes as far as it is possible to go in creating the most complete, and most precise, Chinese calendar in the form of a timepiece. The numbering system of the time units is based on the combination of a decimal cycle, the 10 Celestial Stems, and a duodecimal cycle, the 12 Earthly Branches.
The 10 Celestial Stems serve the function of assigning elements to seasons and the planets — water, wood, metal, fire, and earth. The 12 Earthly Branches correspond to the signs of the zodiac: each is represented by an animal, which designates the years of the sexagesimal cycle and will influence the destiny and character of human beings born in that year.
AN IMPERIAL PURITY
The TONDA PF Xiali Complete Calendar has a 100m water-resistant stainless-steel case with alternating satin and polished finishes. Its signature fluted bezel is in 950 platinum and it is paired with a matching stainless-steel bracelet with folding clasp. The imperial red dial is hand-finished with a Grain d’Orge guilloché. The applied hour markers and skeletonized delta hour and minute hands are crafted in 18ct gold with rhodium plating. The second hand and calendar subdial hands are made of rhodium- plated steel.
The TONDA PF Xiali Calendar displays all the information on the dial. The 12-hour subdial shows the name of the year on the first level and the animal on the second level. The 3 o’clock subdial indicates the day number of the month and the indication if it is a long or short month. The 9 o’clock subdial shows the month number with an aperture indicating if it is a leap month. Finally, the 6 o’clock subdial features the blue aventurine moonphase display, which shows the position of the moon in the northern and southern hemispheres.
WORDS OF EXPERTISE
Caliber
PF008
Power reserve:
6,9
Frequency:
353
No. of components:
42
Jewels:
54 hours
Thickness:
11 ½''' – Ø 25.6 mm
Case
Stainless steel / 950 Platinum
Diameter:
Ø 42.0 mm
Thickness:
12,2
Glass:
ARunic anti-reflective sapphire
Case back:
Sapphire
Water resistance:
100 m
Dial
Finishing:
Delta-shaped
Indices:
Aluminum
Color:
Guilloché Grain d'orge
Hands
Hours and minutes:
18-ct gold appliques plated
Bracelet
Stainless steel
Movement
PF008
The TONDA PF Xiali Complete Calendar is equipped with the Caliber PF008 automatic movement, which operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) and has a power reserve of 54 hours. The intricate movement has beveled bridges. The skeletonized oscillating weight is chiseled from platinum with a polished and sandblasted finish. Like the case and dial, it is meticulously finished with Côtes de Genève and perlage throughout.
Movement specifications
Calibre:
PF008Winding:
Total dimensions:
Automatic
Thickness:
11 ½''' – Ø 25.6 mm
Frequency:
353
Power Reserve:
6,9
NB of components:
42
NB of jewels:
54 hours
CULTURAL ODES TO GREAT CIVILISATIONS
We view calendars not only as instruments of measurement but as true mirrors of the civilizations that conceived them. This recognition of calendars as expressions of cultural diversity guides our design process, encouraging us to integrate the specificities of each society into our timepieces. Our TONDA PF collection showcases three masterpieces dedicated to this theme: The Islamic Hijri calendar, the complete Chinese calendar Xiali and the Gregorian calendar.