Cover Guido Terreni, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier since 2021
Guido Terreni, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier since 2021
1 / 1
Guido Terreni spills the tea on Parmigiani’s Tonda PF Chronographe Mysterieux—perhaps the best new watch release of the year
For a relatively young independent watchmaker, Parmigiani Fleurier has quietly emerged as a formidable player in horology. CEO Guido Terreni has been instrumental in steering its recent success, much of which can be attributed to the Tonda PF line he introduced in 2021 to bring a greater sense of modernity to the brand.
In just a few short years, the Tonda PF has become what Terreni describes as “the backbone of the brand”. Its understated aesthetics have broad appeal, arriving at precisely the moment when the market began shifting towards luxury goods that let quality, craftsmanship and materials do the talking rather than loud logos and overt branding.
Over the last four years, Parmigiani Fleurier has produced three world premieres through the Tonda PF, the latest being the Chronographe Mysterieux. Such commitment to mechanical experimentation is hardly surprising for a maison that places craft above all else.
“It’s very important because luxury is a quest for evolution. We’re pushing the category forward by looking back at the craft, having ideas, and refusing the notion that everything has already been done in watchmaking. Interpreting important functions in new ways is very interesting for an educated customer,” says Terreni when we meet at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026.
Read more: 5 watches that prove mechanical gymnastics are alive and well
Above Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux
1 / 1
The Chronographe Mysterieux follows the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante in 2022 and the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante in 2025. Both demonstrated how a complication can function seamlessly while preserving dial clarity and restraint—masters of mechanical discretion, if you will.
“The rattrapante function had never been done outside of a chronograph before. The third and monumental function is the chronograph. It is a difficult complication to tackle, probably second only to chiming watches. Our interpretation is consistent with the others because the function comes to life when you need it. Otherwise, you have a beautiful, elegant, time-only watch. By hiding a chronograph in a slow-tempo function, you provide an incredible emotion,” Terreni elaborates.
Terreni reveals that the idea dates back to 2021, shortly after he joined Parmigiani Fleurier. “On January 29, 2021, three days after I entered the company, I thought about the GMT Rattrapante, which then evolved into the ideas for the Minute Rattrapante and the Chronograph Rattrapante. I wanted functions that come to life when needed and disappear when they are not. When I told [founder] Michel Parmigiani about the idea, he looked at me puzzled, like a grandfather seeing a kid with a nice idea, and said, ‘That’s complicated, [but] go ahead!’”
Above The gold hands appear when the chronograph is activated. When deactivated, they disappear under the rhodium-plated hands, returning the watch to three-hand mode.
The gold hands appear when the chronograph is activated. When deactivated, they disappear under the rhodium-plated hands, returning the watch to three-hand mode.
1 / 1
He explains: “It was a difficult challenge because it requires a flyback function, a column wheel, a vertical clutch for seconds, and two horizontal clutches for the rattrapante functions. When the time is dissociated, the two hands must ‘remember’ where to go when stopped. We also constrained it to a 40mm case with a 13mm height and wanted it to be a monopusher. It is a very innovative technical approach that has probably never been done before.”
All this makes the Chronographe Mysterieux a remarkably elegant sports watch.
“Michel has always said that you design through technique. This way of displaying time is an aesthetic choice before a technical one. There is consistency across the three world firsts; they show a philosophy and a quest for elegance. We don’t showcase functions when they aren’t needed, which is part of our brand’s unostentatious approach. We play with the intellect and emotions of our customers through serenity and calm. It is the simplification of complication to the point that the complication disappears—maximum complexity in the pursuit of simplicity.”
Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde Anniversaire
1 / 3
In recent years, Parmigiani Fleurier has been leading the charge in the quiet luxury movement, though Terreni points out that he is simply continuing what Michel Parmigiani started when he launched the brand in 1996.
“That ‘unostentatiousness’ comes from Michel. He is a very modest and humble person despite his huge talent. This soul comes from restoration, where you put your talent at the service of another person’s work, but your own trace must be invisible.”
Speaking of the brand’s origins, the Toric—Parmigiani Fleurier’s very first watch—celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, three limited editions have been produced, highlighting the manufacture’s artisanal crafts.
“We chose hand-hammering for the dial to give a ‘wobbly’ reflection of light for more depth. Our dial maker spent three months fine-tuning his craft to achieve the required quality. Our movement has been given a wonderful graining, which is very rare and complex to do. Every detail is well thought out for an enjoyable experience when you’re wearing the watch.”
Above Guido Terreni wearing the Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux on his wrist
Guido Terreni wearing the Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux on his wrist
1 / 1
Before we wrap up, it is worth noting that Terreni—always polished and impeccably dressed—has been modelling the brand’s latest launches. In many ways, he has become the living embodiment of Parmigiani Fleurier’s aesthetic language.
He laughs: “That’s because we have a low budget and I don’t cost anything! But seriously, you need to explain the ‘why’ of things in luxury. The brand carries Michel’s name; I just interpret his values with my team. I am just a manager passing through, and my role is to leave the brand in a better position than I found it. Being in front of the camera is just a way to explain what we are doing clearly. Collectors are always looking for a human connection with the brand. Michel cannot travel as much now, so we must stay in contact with our audience personally.”
He adds: “When you come to us, you come with a certain level of knowledge and refinement. The conversations are deep, focusing on how a dial is made or how a function works. That is the beauty of our job as watch lovers. It is very rewarding for the team and gives inspiration for new ideas.”
Brian Cheong leads the watch (Tatler GMT) and jewellery content at Tatler Malaysia, combining sharp editorial insight with years of luxury lifestyle experience. A seasoned journalist in luxury watches based in Kuala Lumpur, Brian had previously helmed World of Watches, Men's Folio and Prestige Malaysia.
