36mm Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic

Every once in a while, the folks at Parmigiani Fleurier send me a box with a few new watches. This time, along with the new Trick models, there were also a few variations of the brand’s Tonda PF. Our eyes were immediately drawn to the very impressive all-platinum Tonda PF Skeleton. A sportier chronograph on a rubber strap also caught my attention. But the real highlight for most of the Fratello team was the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date. Its understated style fits very well with Parmigiani’s vision of understated, timeless refinement. But it was another watch that caught my attention: the 36mm Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic.

Of course, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date is a great watch. By now, we’re all familiar with its finely knurled platinum bezel, brushed and polished case and bracelet, and teardrop-shaped lugs. But in the world of integrated bracelet watches, this one feels like a breath of fresh air, especially thanks to its sleek no-date dial. The only drawback for me, though, is its 40mm size. On my 17cm wrist, it simply feels too big, especially with the rather wide bracelet. But then I tried on the two-tone version of the 36mm Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic, and it was as if all the clouds covering the sun had suddenly lifted.

36mm Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic

The three 36mm versions of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic we received are clearly marketed to women, which is unfortunately common for smaller versions of flagship models. Two of the three have rose gold cases and bracelets with diamonds on the bezel, and one of them has diamonds on the lugs and on the outer links of the bracelet, which was a bit too much for me, to be honest. However, there is also a two-tone version in stainless steel and rose gold. The white citrine dial has a hand-applied rhodium-plated applique set with 12 FG-VVS baguette-cut diamonds, just like the other two, but it’s not as intimidating to wear.

However, the hour markers are so tiny that you almost don’t notice they’re diamonds. I was also totally surprised at how well the Tonda PF Automatic’s 36.1mm case fit on my wrist. At 8.6mm thick, it’s almost 1mm thicker than the 40mm Tonda PF Micro-Rotor, but it’s still slim enough to fit snugly on the wrist. It’s always difficult to accurately measure the lug-to-lug distance on watches with integrated bracelets. In this case, the 41mm width is pretty close, and the links fit nicely around my (smaller) wrist.

Another great thing about the 36mm Tonda PF is that its Grain d’Orges hand-guilloched dial doesn’t have a date window. It has skeletonized delta-shaped hour and minute hands and the logo, which makes it very clean. Even with the baguette pattern on the dial and the two-tone case and bracelet, I would happily try this watch on.

No micro rotor, no problem

The 36mm Tonda PF Automatic is a bit thicker than the 40mm version due to the slightly thicker movement inside. Apparently, the thinner in-house micro-rotor movement could not fit into the smaller case. Therefore, the 36mm Tonda PF is equipped with the in-house automatic caliber PF770. On the one hand, it is a shame that we cannot see the beautifully crafted micro-rotor movement. On the other hand, the PF770 is by no means inferior in terms of functionality and finish.

The automatic movement beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a power reserve of 60 hours. The bridges are decorated with Geneva stripes and beveled edges, and the 22K rose gold skeleton rotor is both polished and sandblasted. This beauty can be seen through the sapphire window in the see-through caseback. Another thing I like is that this small version of the Tonda PF is water resistant to 100 meters, which makes it a true sports watch. The version we received may not be the best representation of the sportiness of the Tonda PF Automatic, but it’s nice to know that there are also versions in steel and platinum without diamonds.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF for me

I didn’t even know there was a more modest, smaller version until I tried on the 36mm two-tone Tonda PF Automatic. I’ve always admired the Tonda as a beautiful, sophisticated sports watch. But 40mm was just too big for me. Another issue is the price of the Tonda PF, which starts at around 22,000 euros. That’s why I never really looked into the other sizes. But now that I know there’s a 36mm version with a beautiful sand-grey Grained Dorje hand-guilloched dial, I can’t help but think about it.

Admittedly, it’s a lot of money for a stainless steel sports watch. But the unique design and high quality of the finish make it worth it. I’ll look into other versions of the 36mm Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic. In the meantime, I’ll start saving for this watch and figure out which watches I’m willing to sacrifice.

Eight options

Currently, there are eight versions of the 36mm Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic. Prices start at CHF 21,000 for the “basic” steel and platinum version. The two-tone model we tried is CHF 31,900, while the version with rose gold and warm grey dial is CHF 63,900. Naturally, the rose gold model with a sand gold dial and more diamonds is the most expensive at CHF 78,900. But let’s hope that the people at the brand realize how popular this size is and release more versions. In the meantime, you can find more information about these watches on the official Parmigiani Fleurier website.

Let me know what you think of the 36mm Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic in the comments below.

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