Parmigiani Unveil L’Armoriale Pocket Watch Objet d’Art that Took Three Centuries to Create

It’s become a tradition for Parmigiani to release an Objet d’Art pocket watch every year to celebrate the birthday of Michel Parmigiani. Previous years have seen astonishing timepieces like the La Rose Carrée and now for 2023 they’ve released the Parmigiani L’Armoriale, a stunning piece of haute horology based on a vintage 1890 calibre restored and upgraded by Michel Parmigiani himself.

The watch is housed in a highly decorative white gold case with a mesmerising enamel design on its hunter caseback. The enamel design is made from Grand Feu in a spiralling scale pattern coloured red, yellow and brown. It’s very vibrant, reminding me of hard-boiled sweets or rhubarb and custard candy canes. There’s almost something festive about the design, although perhaps I’m only seeing that because of the time of year.

As for L’Armoriale’s dial, Parmigiani have used an intricate engraving called ‘Mezzo Vibrato’, which is a musical term for a pulsating style of singing. You can see the physical representation of that in the pattern of the dial which appears chaotic and pulsating but with an overall sense of control. The musical connotation is also a reference to the fact the piece is a minute repeater, the most prestigious of chiming complications.

The Parmigiani L’Armoriale’s display centres on the quartet of perpetual calendar subdials that surround the central hours, minutes and chronograph seconds handstack. At 12 o’clock is the months and leap year indicator, interestingly the two functions use a single hand that rotates once every four years, meaning the months are listed four times around the edge of the scale to correspond with each year in the cycle.

At 9 o’clock is the days of the week in French (the months are also in French) and at 3 o’clock is the date. Completing the display is a combined small seconds and moonphase at 6 o’clock.

That’s a lot of complications. The movement was first created in 1890 by A. Golay Leresche & Fils (a brand that still exists today in the jewellery industry although they have long since ceased producing watches) as a chronograph minute repeater. In 1985 Michel Parmigiani restored the calibre, known know as PF993, and added the perpetual calendar to the piece. Presented in its new case for 2023, this is a pocket watch that has been developed literally across three centuries, the 19th all the way through to the 21st.

Aesthetically, I definitely prefer La Rose Carrée because it has a more cohesive design and concept. However, there’s something about the story of the Parmigiani L’Armoriale pocket watch that is magnetic. The horological history of this item is fascinating and showcases the extreme skill of multiple generations of watchmakers. Unsurprisingly it’s a piece unique and price on request.

More details at Parmigiani.

​Oracle Time 

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