Parmigiani Fleurier

Born in Neuchâtel in 1950, Michel Parmigiani has solidified a reputation as one of Switzerland’s premiere watchmakers over many decades. Describing himself as having “a particular attachment to old things that tell stories,” he undertook vocational training at La-Chaux-de-Fonds Technicum before opening his independent workshop at 26.

A teacher to many of the great indie watchmakers of our lifetime (think Stepan Sarpaneva), Parmigiani has been noted for restoring some of the most technically challenging clocks in the world, such as the Breguet Pendule Sympathique - requiring over 2,000 hours of repairs.

In 1998, Parmigiani began producing wristwatches under his name, most of which were heavily inspired by classic Greco-Roman architecture. The most iconic is the Memory Time - among the earliest Parmigiani watches, featuring the now-distinctive knurled, multi-step bezel and unique “jumping hour” GMT.

First established with financial backing from the Sandoz Foundation in 1996, Parmigiani Fleurier is a composite of founder Michel Parmigiani’s surname and the city of Fleurier - where the company’s workshop is based.

Initially, a workshop focusing on restoration - its clients have included the Musée d’Horlogerie du Locle and Patek Philippe Museum - throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the brand was instrumental in disseminating the importance of traditional watch and clock-making. This fascination with antiquity has led to much of the brand’s early work finding renewed appreciation - particularly the “Toric” watches (inspired by Ionian columns) first introduced in 1989.

Toric “Memory Time” Ref. C00800, Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante, Toric Classic “Black Onyx”