This stylish and exclusive steel watch exudes quiet gravitas
Move over, limited-edition watches. Exclusive boutique editions will be dominating our purchases in coming years.
Created together with close-knit retail partners, these watches, too, flaunt exclusive design executions and are available in limited runs. With input from watch retailers, however, boutique-edition timepieces typically lean towards calculated commercial potential. We imagine there are a lot less second-guessing during the creative process. After all, watch retailers are always in touch with customers and know exactly what the market desires.
SHH, an offshoot of Sincere Fine Watches that specialises in niche independent watch brands, has been hitting home runs with hotly coveted boutique editions. In 2022, SHH marked its Marina Bay Sands store opening with boutique editions made with Greubel Forsey, Lang & Heyne, and Laurent Ferrier—all of which were quickly spoken for. Similarly, its follow up with Parmigiani Fleurier, the 25-piece Tonda PF Annual Calendar SHH Edition, was promptly sold out.
Recognising a good thing when they see one, SHH and Parmigiani Fleurier now roll out their second joint creation in quick succession.
Limited to 50 pieces, the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Steel Pacific Blue SHH Edition is an elegant beauty that blurs the line between sports and dress watch aesthetics. The regular Tonda PF Micro-Rotor collection, launched in 2022, had been a symbol of sorts for the ‘new’ Parmigiani.
The 27-year-old brand, known for its stridently classical watches, is now helmed by Guido Terreni, who joined the company from Bulgari in 2021. Under Terreni’s charge, Parmigiani is slowly refreshing its watch designs with an emphasis on restrained beauty and balanced proportions—qualities articulated perfectly by the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor.
As advertised, the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Steel Pacific Blue SHH Edition sets itself apart with a light aqua blue dial. The dial may appear grey or blue, depending on how the watch catches the light. And it is just this sort of subtle allure that draws one in.
Colour aside, the watch exhibits all of the previous iterations’ now-well-loved features. The dial is embellished with the ‘Grain d’orge’ guilloche pattern that is barely discernible from afar, but a marvel to see up close. The watch’s 40mm steel case with fluted platinum bezel is paired with an integrated bracelet that is exceedingly supple and comfortable to wear.
At just 7.8mm in height, the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Steel Pacific Blue SHH Edition is svelte and looks absolutely refined, while emanating casual luxe. The watch owes its slimness to Parmigiani’s PF703 automatic movement. Its platinum micro-rotor, which occupies very little real estate and is flushed to the movement’s base plate, shaves off significant thickness, with the movement measuring just 3mm thick.
It feels hyperbolic to say it, but as a hybrid formal-casual wrist accompaniment, the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Steel Pacific Blue SHH Edition is a joy to wear and is as perfect as it gets. Unless, of course, if you can offer some suggestions for improvements to SHH. Who knows? They might just make it to its next boutique exclusive watch.
