THE MOON CLOSE AT HAND

Nearly two years after the launch of the Tonda Métropolitaine Sélène, Parmigiani innovates by providing this poetic timepiece with a bouquet of stars.

In 2016, Parmigiani, the watchmakers based in Fleurier, in the Swiss municipality of Val-de-Travers, introduced the Tonda Métropolitaine Sélène. Its visually striking blue dial, decorated with a floral, mother-of-pearl motif, displayed an elegant moon phase in its upper part. Today, the brand has released a much more feminine and lyrical version of the timepiece: the Tonda Métropolitaine Sélène Galaxy.

While aesthetically the layout of the counters on the screen and the details that are the hallmarks of Parmigiani have stayed the same, the watch itself looks very different to its older sibling. The deep blue aventurine dial is inset with golden sequins, evoking a night sky scattered with stars. Two open-work Delta-shaped hands move around an hour rim featuring triangular, golden appliques to discreetly display the hours and minutes. A running seconds sub-dial with a crescent-moon-shaped counterweight follows a pearled circular scale. The lower part of the sub-dial opens onto a large date counter.

Opposite, at 12 o’clock, a majestic moon phase holds sway. The copper-coloured queen of the night, partially hidden behind a navy-blue cloud, has a smooth surface where its famous craters are set.

The various functions are driven by the calibre PF318, a mechanical movement running at a frequency of 4Hz (28,800 vibrations an hour) and with a double barrel (50 hours of autonomy). The mechanism is housed in a 33mm steel case topped with 72 diamonds that light up this watchmaking galaxy with their bright fires.

Price: 16,200 CHF

By Sharmila Bertin