Michel Parmigiani celebrates another run around the Sun with the Armoriale Répétition Minute Mystérieuse
Borna Bošnjak- Parmigiani Fleurier continues the tradition of creating special, highly complex pieces for their founder’s birthday.
- With a hand-engraved and enamelled front cover that doesn’t tell the time, the Armoriale Répétition Minute Mystérieuse lives up to its name.
- The Renaud & Papi-developed movement chimes the time on request, but also tells it via a caseback aperture, just in case.
The day that I can use my birthday as an excuse to receive a haute horlogerie piece created especially for the occasion, I’ll know that I made it. I certainly hope Michel Parmigiani feels the same, especially considering this particular birthday treat isn’t his first rodeo. The Armoriale Répétition Minute Mystérieuse follows in the footsteps of the Rose Carrée and Rosa Celeste, combining intricate hand-guilloché and engraving with a chiming complication to tribute the master watchmaker. This time, though, it has the additional twist of being a mystery dial, which means that the wearer has to focus on the sounds of the reverberating gongs to be able to tell the time. It’s high-end watchmaking in the most romantic sense, though with some sensibility built in too.
In the absence of a traditional, time-telling dial, Parmigiani Fleurier uses a hand-engraved and enamelled cover in a soft, grey-green or a surprisingly vibrant pink. This one single piece is the handiwork of three experienced craftspeople: Vanessa Lecci for the flinqué enamel, Yann Von Kaenel for the guillochage, and Eddy Jaquet for the central engraving. The work is stunning, and repeated on the caseback sans enamel.
The Armoriale isn’t just secretive from the front, as the caseback doesn’t allow you to peer at the movement either, though it still sports an indication you might find useful – more on that shortly. Regardless of it being hidden, the Renaud & Papi PF355 is executed to a degree you’d expect from the complication masters, the lengthy cathedral gongs being its centrepiece. To further help with resonance, portions of the case have been hollowed out, while a flywheel transfers the power to the striking mechanism to ensure silent operation and constant torque.
Remember the indication I talked about on the caseback? Well, if you find yourself in a setting where tripping the minute repeater wouldn’t be appropriate, the central medallion is surrounded by a sapphire crystal, and two floating letters – “H” and “M”. If you hadn’t guessed it, rather than indicating a collaboration with a Swedish multinational fashion retailer, these indicate hours and minutes. Being completely honest, even though the lugs might look a little odd, I could entertain the argument of actually wearing the watch like this should you need at-a-glance time-telling capability.
And speaking of the case, other than being a resonator for the movement, it’s also hand-engraved to represent Doric columns, which makes sense considering the influence Ancient Greece has on Parmigiani designs in general. It’s not a svelte watch, however, the white gold case measuring 41.6mm in diameter and 12.65mm thick. Looking at the Parmigiani’s past high-complication efforts, this is par for the course, but I still can’t help be just slightly disappointed that the Armoriale isn’t sub-40mm, with a thinner case, as it would really amp up the whole idea of it being “mysterious”.
That said, the Armoriale Répétition Minute Mystérieuse is meant to be a limited run of just five pieces, all uniquely customised for their buyers. As such, I have no doubt these will stay in people’s collections for some time.
Parmigiani Fleurier l’Armoriale Répétition Minute Mystérieuse pricing and availability
The Parmigiani Fleurier l’Armoriale Répétition Minute Mystérieuse is a limited run of five pieces, with all of them personalised. Price: on request
| Brand | Parmigiani Fleurier |
| Model | L’Armoriale Répétition Minute Mystérieuse |
| Reference | PFH990-2010001-300181 PFH990-2010003-300181 |
| Case Dimensions | 41.6mm (D) x 12.65mm (T) |
| Case material | 18k white gold |
| Water Resistance | Humidity and dust only |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Mystery, hand-guilloché and engraved front cover |
| Straps | Beige alligator, 18k white gold pin buckle |
| Movement | PF355, developed by Renaud & Papi, manual winding |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, minute repeater with cathedral gongs |
| Availability | Total production run of five pieces |
| Price | On request |