Press release
Parmigiani's passion for manufacturing highly complex mechanical table clocks has always been very well established. Drawing experience from the age-old artefacts that are patiently restored within its workshops, Parmigiani table clocks remain linked to a rich watchmaking past as well as they respond to modern aspirations.
Like a grounding milestone of the brand's history, “The Flower of Orient” was presented in 1996, celebrating the birth of Parmigiani brand. Fifteen years later in 2011, Michel Parmigiani was standing in Dubai to present the grand Hegerian Calendar, the first mechanical clock in the world featuring a perpetual lunar calendar true to the intricate Muslim account of time.
This year 2012, Parmigiani is proud to present its 15-day Table Clock which combines modern aesthetics within the most genuine watchmaking tradition.
A patented power reserve
Parmigiani Fleurier has developed a new manner of indicating power reserve and this patented innovation is featured as a grand première in the Table Clock. A special mechanism inspired from the Maltese cross, allows the 2-week power reserve to be featured directly on the barrel. Located on the side of the barrel, the maltese cross and its stopwork mechanism (with one barrel turn of pre-winding) allows the barrel spring to function at its best performance, being nor too tense or too slack. In terms of winding, the power reserve system (in patenting process) is made of an axis linked to a cam which allows the four hands, shaped like a spider around the barrel, to jump in counter movement to it. The power reserve is thus visible on the circumference of the drum in 4 indications, even as the barrel is in constant rotation.
A constant force Escapement
The principle of the 15-day Table Clock's movement – Parmigiani Fleurier calibre PF920 – is a simple and ingenious system whereby the escapement is provided with a force of constant intensity. A high density wheel is mounted on the pinion of the escapement axis, whereas the escapement wheel is free.
A spiral operates as a link between the two entities. When the movement's spring ignites the wheel, the spiral, once armed, drives the escapement wheel in a more constant manner. The wheel's inertia thus allows a finer regulation of the energy spawned from the main barrel.
Exceptional finishing
The winding and time-adjusting of the 15-day Table Clock are achieved by two separate keys – one for each function – but which operate through the same opening, thanks to a mechanism of double square within a same axis. Both keys are then combined and stored in a drawer that is integrated in the base of the clock. On the dial, the surprisingly large “Côtes de Genève” decoration is a testimony to the know-how of Parmigiani workshops because large furrows make any slight imperfection very obvious. In this case, the handmade undulations are flawless.
The Table Clock's cabinet, which is made of massive silver (1 kg), is then rhodium plated to avoid any oxidation.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Clock 15 days
Movement PF 920 hand-wound
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds
15 days power reserve indicator on barrel
Exterior Rhodium-plated solid silver cabinet
Height: 142 mm
Width: 96 mm
Depth: 80 mm
Material: 950 silver. Polished finish
Faceted mineral glass crystal
Secret key drawer on the rear of the base
Removable logo for key hole at 180°
Individual number engraved on the case-back
Dial Two-part: small sunray lacquered blue dial, and large dial with
Côtes de Genève and hand-bevelling
Blued steel hands
Keys Double key: 1 large winding key and 1 small time-setting key made from stainless steel, fitting inside each other
