Introducing – Parmigiani Tonda Metrographe Montreux Jazz Festival 2017 Special Edition

Parmigiani Fleurier first joined forces with the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2007, building the foundations of a unique alliance between the worlds of watchmaking and music. The Montreux Jazz Festival is a must-see: George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Lauryn Hill,  Grace Jones, Erykah Badu… Just a few of the names who are set to perform this year at the 51st annual Montreux Jazz Festival. To celebrate 10 years of partnership, Parmigiani Fleurier is unveiling the Tonda Metrographe MJF Special Edition.

Every year since the advent of the partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival, Parmigiani Fleurier has created a MJF Special Edition watch with a dial that reflects the theme of that year. For instance, in 2016, the main theme of the festival was the “blue note“, a note found originally in African music, which then spread through Blues and Jazz. This why the 2016 Parmigiani Montreux Jazz Festival Special Edition was a blue-dialed Tonda Metro. This year, the theme is different, with the official poster being a bold monochrome representation of women dancing. Hiding between the energetic lines of their bodies are six musical instruments.

The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Metrographe Montreux Jazz Festival 2017 Special Edition echoes the black and white theme of the 2017 poster, with the addition of a few gold accents. It is based on the recently presented Metrographe, the automatic chronograph by the Fleurier-based manufacture, freshly redesigned. While still relying on the signature 8-figure circling the 6 and 9 o’clock sub-dials (respectively 30-minute and 12-hour sub-counters), PF has created a much subtler design, with a monochromatic dial and more modern indexes and tracks.

To be consistent with the theme of the 2017 edition of the festival, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Metrographe Montreux Jazz Festival plays with contrasts, by featuring a 40mm steel case, a white date window against a black dial, some steel hands filled with white luminescent material and a black strap with white topstitching. One other difference with the standard edition sits in the gold accents used on the sub-counters and the second hand – a color that recalls Jazz instruments and the 2017 poster. These accents enliven the overall subdued nature of the watch, putting emphasis on the chronograph indications.

The caseback of each watch in this limited edition of 10 numbered pieces is engraved with “Montreux Jazz Festival”. Inside the case is Calibre PF350, an automatic chronograph movement based on modular architecture. This movement is finished with bevelled bridges and Geneva stripes radiating from the balance wheel. It boasts 42-hours of power reserve, despite a twin-barrel architecture, and ticks at a 4Hz frequency.

The Tonda Metrographe Montreux Jazz Festival will be officially presented at the end of the concerts and we’ll report live from the festival, with live photos of this new edition. More details to come soon. www.parmigiani.com.