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THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT FRENCH MACARON
A LEGEND IN TIME: Michel Parmigiani Parmigiani Fleurier is one of the few watch brands that is still being led by its original founder.
Very few watch brands have achieved the sheer amount of success that Parmigiani Fleurier has in such a short time. This success can be attributed to the visionary watchmaker at the helm, Mr. Michel Parmigiani. Last spring, Michel made a special visit to our store to meet and speak with our clients while showcasing some of Parmigiani’s most treasured timepieces. We caught up with Michel during his first visit to Minnesota to learn more about the man behind the brand.
Michel opened his workshop in 1976 amidst severe volatility in the market due to the Quartz Crisis. The advent of the quartz watch movement caused a sharp decline in the Swiss watchmaking industry, which focused on traditional mechanical watches. The majority of watch production shifted to embrace the new quartz technology, leaving the mechanical watch industry in a state of uncertainty and disarray. It was a dark time in watchmaking with several great companies on the brink of collapse. Even the watchmaking school Michel attended—considered the top school in Switzerland—closed soon after he completed the program. “I had no intention of changing careers, even though everyone pushed me to be a banker,” Michel said. “I Watch enthusiasts had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to discuss watches with Michel Parmigiani at our in-store meet and greet. Dan and Hope Wixon with the visionary founder of Parmigiani Fleurier during his inaugural trip to Minnesota.
wanted to pursue my passion for mechanical timepieces and decided to focus on restoration.”
His reverence for artisan watchmaking and restoration techniques is instilled in the workshops at Parmigiani Fleurier. “As a watchmaker with the heritage we gather through restoration, we are always looking at the challenge of timekeeping,” Michel explains. This perpetual passion has led Parmigiani to develop some exciting horological advancements including several in-house movements and most recently, the advent of the Senfine concept movement.
With an emphasis on innovation rather than mass production, Parmigiani Fleurier produces timepieces in very limited quantities and is highly selective of their distribution. The avant-garde culture at Parmigiani Fleurier drives them to create some of the most masterful and ornate timepieces in the industry. “For me, success is measured one watch at a time,” Michel explained. “With the quality of people we have gathered and the possibilities we have as a fully integrated manufacture, many designs are floating around constantly.” When asked about his favorite timepiece, Michel commented that the timepieces are like his children and it’s hard to pick a favorite.
Aside from timepieces, Michel has three children. His oldest daughter, Anne-Laure, works alongside him at Parmigiani Fleurier’s workshops in Switzerland as a gemologist, watchmaker and master engraver. She's carrying on her father’s passion and works on specialty pieces at the manufacture.
An imaginative watchmaker, Michel Parmigiani is one of the greatest horological minds of our time. While many people would enjoy the celebrity status and travel that comes with being the face of a company, Michel misses the tranquility of the workshop. “These days I have to travel the world and I wish I could spend more quiet time in the workshops on restoration and development.”
THE SENFINE MOVEMENT
Imagine a power reserve that never ran out—a timepiece that only needed winding a few times a year, rather than several times a week. At SIHH 2016, Parmigiani Fleurier unveiled the Senfine concept movement with a power reserve of 70 days—not 70 hours, 70 days!
The materialization of eight years of development, the Senfine is powered by a conventional energy source with a regulating organ that offers unprecedented autonomy. Parmigiani didn’t simply increase the energy supply; they manufactured an entirely new concept of the watch’s regulating organ that drops the energy consumption to a fraction of what it is under the traditional watchmaking regulator. Designed to eliminate all energy-consuming factors inherent in a classic regulator, the Senfine replaces them with a system of flexible, frictionless joints in silicon, derived from the aerospace technology.
◄ A fitting moniker, the name Senfine translated in English means “eternally.”
FAMILY VALUES
Patek Philippe’s spirit is embodied in ten values that have always represented their very essence and will continue to do so for generations to come.
Holding true to their core values, Patek Philippe has created some of the world’s most renowned mechanical masterpieces. Unlike large watch conglomerates that solely focus on sales, the heritage of Patek Philippe remains rooted in the tradition of fine watchmaking and the importance of family. Founded in 1839, Patek Philippe is the last remaining family-owned independent Swiss watchmaker. Thierry Stern, President of the brand since 2009, represents the fourth generation of the Stern family working to preserve the unparalleled quality of their timepieces.
Representing the purest form of watchmaking innovation, Patek Philippe is a complete, vertically integrated manufacture that develops and produces its components in-house. From the smallest screw to the finishing touches on the case, great care is taken at each and every stage of production. Patek Philippe has always defined its own quality criteria, which is universally recognized as the strictest standards in the entire watchmaking industry.
More than just a watch, a Patek Philippe timepiece is an instant heirloom that will be cherished for generations to come. Most impressive of all is their dedication to service. Since these timepieces are designed to be heirlooms, Patek Philippe guarantees to service your watch for not only your lifetime, but the entire lifetime of the timepiece.
Communicating this dedication to quality is a set of clear and well-defined values that represent the essence of Patek Philippe. The philosophy of excellence and spirit of Patek Philippe are beautifully embodied in these ten core values.
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5 INDEPENDENCE
Independence enables us to pursue our long-term objectives.
Patek Philippe is Geneva’s oldest independent family-owned watch manufacturer. Its independence enables it to go its own way and control its own destiny while pursuing a long-term vision. The company benefits from total creative freedom. It develops and manufactures its movements in-house according to its own quality criteria and produces only watches that reflect, in every respect, its quest for the exceptional.
SERVICE
Our interest is maintained throughout the life of the watch.
To provide a service in keeping with its reputation, Patek Philippe works with a handpicked distribution network. The company believes that it has a duty to provide the highest standard of after-sales service, and has made this requirement a key criterion of the Patek Philippe Seal. For the owner of a Patek Philippe, this ensures that the watch will continue to receive the care and attention needed to remain as reliable as ever, generation after generation.
INNOVATION
Innovation is part of our tradition. Representing tradition at its most dynamic, Patek Philippe constantly pushes back the frontiers of the watchmaking art through its achievements at the cutting edge of innovation. It has confirmed its pioneering role by filing over 80 patents, including 20 of major importance to the history of horology.
VALUE
Lasting value is both material and emotional. As the product of an extraordinary amount of know-how and work, a Patek Philippe commands a high price and will fully retain or even increase its value over the years. It is an investment for the present and the future. Many of the models achieve cult status and regularly fetch record-setting sums at auction.
QUALITY AND FINE WORKMANSHIP
Workmanship involves commitment to an ideal. Antoine Norbert de Patek and Adrien Philippe had but one goal: to develop, manufacture and assemble the finest timepieces in the world. Today, more than ever, “quality” and “fine workmanship” remain the watch-words for every aspect of Patek Philippe’s production. Whether in terms of the movement or the external elements, the technical or the aesthetic aspects, the performance of each function or the rate accuracy of the timepiece, Thierry Stern—President of Patek Philippe—and his father, Philippe Stern—Honorary President—personally stand by all the commitments embodied in the Patek Philippe Seal, the most exclusive of quality hallmarks.
6 TRADITION
Tradition should always command respect. Patek Philippe was founded in 1839 and its history is part of Geneva’s great watchmaking tradition. It is the story of a unique heritage, a combination of experience, ingenuity and passion that the company safeguards and revitalizes in all its disciplines and skills. Faithful to the noble artisanal techniques, its watchmakers and craftsmen perpetuate, day after day, the beautiful, timeless gestures and the sharpness of eye and deftness of touch that have always distinguished the fine art of watchmaking.
7 EMOTION
A Patek Philippe watch reveals something about you. Ask the owner of a Patek Philippe to talk to you about their watch, and you will hear a story of passion, love and tenderness. A Patek Philippe is far more than a means of telling the time; it is a unique, personal object steeped in precious memories. The purchase of a Patek Philippe is often related to a personal event—a professional success, a marriage or the birth of a child—and offering it as a gift is the most eloquent expression of love or affection.
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9 RARITY
Rarity is the essence of a piece of art. Patek Philippe has always conceived its watches as exclusive creations. Over 200 models are in regular production, produced in small series of between ten and several hundred watches and fitted with a vast array of in-house movements. From design to mechanism, they earn their special place in the hearts of enthusiasts the world over.
AESTHETICS
Every where we strive for aesthetic perfection. Patek Philippe watches are works of art whose beauty reflects their mechanical perfection. As exceptional creations they outlive passing fashions without ever losing their appeal and modernity. Patek Philippe has established its own understated, timeless style: a harmonious combination of personality and discretion, elegance and an aristocratic touch.
10 HERITAGE
We will always live by the ideals that built our reputation. To acquire a Patek Philippe is to become the custodian of an artistic and scientific tradition that has been handed down with care and will continue to inspire remarkable creations. It is your entry into the world of a family company where, from father to son, each generation is dedicated to perpetuating a unique heritage.
THE Aquatic TROJAN HORSE
Through murky ocean waters, fearless frogmen utilized human torpedoes to execute clandestine missions.
Naval commandos prepare for a mission by securing militaryissued Panerai Radiomir watches on their wrists.
Due to slow speeds, the torpedoes were transported by another vessel (typically a submarine) and launched near the target. Officine Panerai has a storied history with rich military roots dating back to the early 1900s. Their combat heritage and military legacy were forged during World War II, when Italian commandos donned specialty-designed Panerai wristwatches into combat. A new era of tactical warfare had been born and these amphibious soldiers required specialty instruments to aide in the execution of their tactical strikes. Panerai was approached by the Royal Italian Navy and won the contract to develop and produce the precision instruments that would accompany these brave frogmen on their missions. Suited for stringent military requirements, these timepieces not only needed to be extremely reliable and durable to withstand the rigor of use, but also legible enough to read through the murky waters of their oceanic battlegrounds.
A NEW CLASS OF UNDERWATER WARFARE
Developed by an Italian naval officer, Major Teseo Tesei, the early slow running torpedo was electrically propelled and carried two riders. The official Italian name for the craft was “Siluro a Lenta Corsa (SLC)” but was aptly nicknamed “Maiale” (Italian for pig) by the commandos for the torpedo’s slow speed and poor handling. Contrary to popular opinion, these were not suicide torpedoes but were rather a modified vessel that carried two heavily charged detachable warheads, piloted by two crewmen in diving suits. The warheads were easily capable of blowing a large hole in the hull of an enemy warship, rendering it out of commission for over a year.
The SLC was briefly experimented with during WWI but it wasn’t until WWII when these effective sneak attack weapons were fully implemented into battle. During World War II, the Italian Navy’s fleet couldn’t match the size of the British, so they tactically utilized their squadron of combat divers for covert underwater SLC strikes. A new class of marine combat personnel emerged as underwater demolition divers who would operate these torpedoes in secret naval missions. These torpedoes enabled covert marine warfare whereby enemy warships were targeted not on the open sea, but in the safety of their defending harbors.
The SLC was instrumental in orchestrating these stealth attacks. They were an extremely effective battle strategy because they would disable enemy vessels without creating casualties. One of the most notorious SLC attacks was the Raid on Alexandria on December 19, 1941. Commandos from the Royal Italian Navy navigated three SLCs into the British naval base through the Alexandria harbor while remaining undetected. The frogmen successfully attached explosives on the hull of two British battleships, the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Valiant. Each vessel sustained extensive damage from the explosions; the Valiant was out of commission for several months and the Queen Elizabeth didn’t return to service until a year and a half later.
The disablement of these vessels was a disaster for the British and almost changed the course of the war. The waters which were once trusted as a safe harbor for your ship were no longer safe as the SLC was successfully proven in battle and left its mark on the war. With the SLC being such a successful sneak craft, these Italian Navy divers earned a deadly reputation and are now known as one of the most effective special operations units in history.
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT
Since each mission was conducted underwater at night, visibility was of the utmost importance. It was critical that the frogmen were able to understand depth, direction and time. Radiomir, a pioneering luminescent compound patented by Panerai, was an essential component for these tactical timepieces. Developed by Panerai in 1916, Radiomir paste was used to illuminate the dials in the murky ocean waters. The substance’s high visibility Forever connected to the marine environment, Panerai continues to pay homage to its military roots. Certain timepieces highlight the SLC with an engraving on the caseback, while others feature an embossed SLC on the dial.
and excellent underwater adhesive qualities offered unrivaled luminescence and capacity to glow even in the darkest, muddiest waters. The brightness of Radiomir was so intense that some commandos would smear seaweed or mud on their dials to avoid being detected.
Officine Panerai has since evolved from a top-secret military tool used during rogue missions in the dark corners of the ocean to an elite manufacturer of Swiss watches. These military roots are evident in the design and function of their timepieces and have been richly integrated into the brand’s identity.
BEWARE OF WHAT LIES BENEATH
At night, the two-man crew would navigate slowly and silently towards their target with only their heads above water to prevent detection. Once they were about 60-70 yards from their intended target, they would fully submerge. The frogmen would detach the warheads from the SLC and strategically attach them to blow a hole in the hull of the enemy ship. The time clock would then be set for detonation, allowing the frogman to vacate the area aboard the SLC. Timing was everything; the frogmen relied heavily on their precision instruments for conducting military operations and their own survival.
THE COBRA STRIKES
Baume & Mercier pays tribute to this special 289 Cobra in every detail of the Capeland Shelby Cobra chronograph.
Automotive legend Carroll Shelby changed the course of international racing forever when he set out to redefine the essence of the American sports car. What he created a halfcentury ago was an all-American street and track car that would forever live in infamy: the Shelby Cobra. Faster, lighter and more nimble then its European competitors, the Cobra was the catalyst that would soon restore the prestige of American racing. Honoring the spirit of Carroll Shelby, Baume & Mercier has released a new series of limited edition chronographs that are inspired by one of the most successful Cobras in history, the Shelby Cobra CSX2128.
Much like the car it’s modeled after, the Capeland Cobra is rich with detail and personality. The 44mm polished and satinfinished case was designed to mirror the flared style of the Cobra’s aerodynamic body lines. Even with its generous case size, Baume & Mercier couldn’t exactly fit a small block V8 inside to power this impressive timepiece so they went with the next best thing. At the heart of the Capeland Shelby Cobra is a Swiss-made automatic movement with chronograph and tachymeter functions.
Recognizing the year of the Cobra’s first victory at the American championship, this emblematic timepiece is created in a limited production of 1,963 pieces. As a final tribute, the sapphire crystal caseback is inscribed with the number 15, the Cobra 289’s race number. Without a doubt, this watch embodies the legendary performance of the Cobra, as well as the uncompromising detail of Carroll Shelby himself.
Special hour and minute hands were crafted in the style and shape of the Cobra’s steering wheel.
The deep black dial is highlighted by dual horizontal racing stripes that are as elegant as they are historic.
The iconic Cobra logo is forged into the central chronograph hand, symbolizing the timeless pursuit of speed.
Modeled after the Cobra’s historic dashboard, the dial features asymmetrical chronograph counters.
