Luxury Swiss watch brand Parmigiani Fleurier is set to enjoy recognition and market presence in the GCC following its recent global launch of a unique innovation in Abu Dhabi. The timepiece is the first of its kind dedicated to the Islamic calendar and was the product of 20 years of research, hard work and world-class mathematical ingenuity.
This impressive achievement speaks volumes about Michel's inspirational and meticulous approach to his work and why his watches are an expression of individuality and style.
Born in 1950, Michel Parmigiani grew up in a place of natural beauty and seclusion: a valley in the Canton of Neuchâtel, the Val-de-Travers, Switzerland. The environment in which he grew up influenced him greatly as did a comment his father once made: "He who knows how to look at things with curiosity and appreciate great workmanship, antiques and culture, gets richer."
Michel was always a curious individual who saw geometry in nature.
"In nature, you have the aesthetic but in the aesthetic there is the mathematical," he says.
It, therefore, comes as no surprise that the most inspirational figure in Michel's career is Fibonacci, who studied nature and wrote the algorithm of divine proportion.
It is this mathematical outlook on life that is behind Michel's precision timepieces and attention to detail, besides his insistence to avoid following fashion for fashion's sake and allowing his creations to be an expression of his brand.
A cut above the rest
"Like in all businesses, there are brands that follow the same path and follow fashion because it works for them but not Parmigiani," Michel says. "We create pieces to last over the years. We started with classic styles, then a little modern and more sporty models. We have established different families of watches in terms of style and particular characteristics."
The design approach has also evolved for the brand over the years.
"Just like in a family, with the first child, you are strict and apply all the rules, with the second you are less strict and with the third, you go a bit crazy and there are no rules — this is evident in our Bugatti collection, which is the elite novelty of our brand," he says.
The latest family of collections to be introduced by the Parmigiani brand is more sporty and carries the Pershing Chronograph Asteria — worn by The Swiss National Triathlon Team — which won the Watch of the Year 2009-2010 Montres Passion award.
A trace of passion
Michel has been affiliated with several major sporting events. These affiliations reflect his passions and his love of nature. Referring to the White Turf in St Moritz, he says: "Even a snowflake, if you look at it through a magnifying glass, you will see that it is made according to the algorithm of Fibonacci."
The International Hot Air Balloon Festival was another event close to Michel's heart: "When you're in a hot air balloon, you experience the fourth dimension, you are no longer surrounded by nature, but at one with it."
The Parmigiani brand offers timeless elegance in the Ladies' and Men's collections.
Michel says: "When we create the concept initially for a new style, I draw the concept for ladies and men at the same time — and each contains elements of our brand. I then go back and create a style that is much more feminine."
When asked whether he agreed with media speculation that time may be running out for the humble wristwatch because of modern society's obsession with technological convenience, he says: "No, because it's not the same relationship that we have with technology as we have with the wristwatch — a wristwatch is a classic statement and for a man, it's the only jewellery he can wear."
Such speculation aside, by entering the UAE market — which has had a longstanding appreciation for luxury items — the Parmigiani brand, which embodies luxury and precision, is sure to go from strength to strength.
