The New Dress Code: Parmigiani is redefining the Dress Watch

With their latest Toric collection, Parmigiani have redefined the dress watch with innovative designs rooted in the history of sartorialism as well as watchmaking.

The New Dress Code: Parmigiani is redefining the Dress Watch

In the late 18th century there was a movement in the affairs of men’s style called the Great Male Renunciation. It signalled the rejection of embellished and impractical modes of clothing to indicate status and wealth. In Britain, the impact of this movement was in some ways smaller than in countries such as France, where you could find yourself guillotined as a member of the ancien régime. However, in other ways it was the turning point that made Britain the world’s most significant exporter of style, taste and sophistication. 

For it was then that the archetype of the English country gent was created; it was then that heavier, more austere tweeds became (and thereafter remained) a motif of Victorian Britain. The watch would belatedly follow suit. Pocket-watches would be thinner and less ornate. The Albert strap, a leather lapel chain, would replace gold chains on a gentleman’s pocket-watch when in the countryside. Then, during the Great War, the pocket-watch would be replaced by the wristwatch — and as long as wristwatches have been worn, dress watches have been made, contrasting with more trench-friendly versions. 

The dress watch is a bit like an endangered species in a zoo. You can understand why it needs protecting but, at the same time, you feel like it is given too many boundaries. If you need proof of this, take a look at the sports-watch market and tell me I’m wrong. Innovative minds are needed to redefine the relevance and design potential of dress watches, and though many may have taken a bow for their efforts, it is Parmigiani who are receiving an ovation for their new Toric. With the release of these watches, Guido Terreni, the brand’s Chief Executive, is advancing the cause of the dress watch with original designs rooted in the history of not just watchmaking but sartorialism. 

Grey wool three-piece suit, silk shirt and tie bar, Dunhill; silk tie and cufflinks, Budd Shirtmakers; Toric Petite Seconde, Parmigiani.
Elle wears silk blouse, overcoat and hat, Loro Piana; Toric Petite Seconde, Parmigiani.
Harry wears wool trenchcoat, wool roll-neck pullover, wool overshirt and tailored trousers, Brunello Cucinelli; 48-hour bag, Connolly; sunglasses, Cutler & Gross; Toric Chronograph Rattrapante, Parmigiani.

The purists who think dress watches should have only black or white dials have been proved unimaginative.

This collection comprises three watches: two versions of the Petite Seconde and the Chronograph Rattrapante. 

The Petite Seconde models have clean, elegant and sophisticated dials in platinum and rose-gold cases. Both dials have a wonderful sandy finish, which contrasts with the polished cases, which are only 3.5mm thick. The purists who think dress watches should have only black or white dials have been proved unimaginative over and over again. Collectors want options along the colour spectrum. The small seconds at 6pm are subtle, and the PF780 movement that brings with it a power reserve of 60 hours is not just an aesthetic feat but one of craftsmanship. 

The Chronograph Rattrapante is limited to 30 watches. The chronograph thickens the case to 7.35mm, but with almost double the components (285 to the Petite Seconde’s 157), you might forgive its augmentation. The chronograph turns the elegant and striking design codes of the collection up to 11, with the dials at three and nine breaking up the grained main dial with wide windows and contrasting elegant indices and hands inside. Flanking the crown are deftly contrasting oval pushers. 

The strap is worth a mention, too, as usually you’d find hidden stitching or Blake stitching along the sides of the strap, but in this instance Guido and his team were keen on acknowledging the history of menswear and classic elegance, so they employed what is called, in tailoring parlance, saddle stitching. A tailor adds this on the lapel of a jacket, not for any kind of practical purpose but as a demonstration of fine work and craftsmanship. It is a bit like having a mitred cuff on a shirt: it is not vital but it marks it out as something bespoke. 

Silk shirt, Thom Sweeney; tailored trousers, Dunhill; Toric Petite Seconde, Parmigiani.
Silk blouse, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; Toric Petite Seconde, Parmigiani.
Elle wears silk gown, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; Toric Petite Seconde, Parmigiani. Harry wears silk shirt, Thom Sweeney; tailored trousers, Dunhill; Toric Chronograph Rattrapante, Parmigiani.

Parmigiani have been sensible to keep this collection to three watches. It exudes quiet confidence and considered caution, and has allowed their exceptional artisans behind the scenes to focus their talents on a smaller roster to greater effect. It is also worth noting that Parmigiani’s daring has been rewarded in the past, with another Toric, the Hémisphères Rétrograde, receiving its second of four GPHG awards. The most recent, the Tonda PF, a stunning sports watch for women, won the ladies’ category in 2022.

With this Toric collection, Parmigiani are again stepping into the breach of convention and elevating it in a way that few will disapprove of and the majority of the industry will celebrate. 

Kent hand-tailored chalkstripe suit, poplin shirt and wool tie, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; Toric Chronograph Rattrapante, Parmigiani.
Harry wears deerskin leather jacket, Brioni; polo, John Smedley; chalkstripe trousers, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; Toric Chronograph Rattrapante, Parmigiani. Elle wears silk shirt and tie, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; and Toric Petite Seconde, Parmigiani.

Womenswear Styling: Elena Garcia
Hair and Make-up: Grace Hatcher
Models: Harry Gozzett and Elle Dowling at Models 1