This superb and highly complicated “Toric Westminster Minute Repeater” replicates the chimes of the iconic clock of The Houses of Parliament in London. This outstanding unique piece in platinum was, as the engraving on the inner back confirms, made for a “Homme D’Exception” whose name is engraved on the outer back cover. Unlike other Toric Westminster Minute Repeaters, the present watch has an extra hinged platinum back cover, it is set with a circular 18K white gold panel wonderfully chased with a scene of two speeding horses overlaid with translucent enamel.

Westminster Chimes is the most complicated repeating mechanism for the watchmaker to construct requiring a sequence of four perfectly tuned steel gongs to transmit the sound, each gong is struck with a hammer regulated so that the carillon chiming repeating is in complete harmony.

The Toric Westminster has an impressive yet very wearable 42 mm. case and is equipped with a GMT function with rapid push-button change to indicate a 24-hour second time zone. Completing this horological masterpiece is a one-minute tourbillon, the semi-skeletonized dial allows the viewer to admire the exceptional craftsmanship of the caliber 255 movement, both the tourbillon and repeating work are visible through the dial.

The Westminster Chime Repeating
Using hammers striking on four finely-tuned steel gongs, the repeating sequence is the same tune as the clock of the British Houses of Parliament in London known as “Big Ben”, more correctly called Westminster chimes. The slide on the side of the case can be used to activate the repeating at will whenever it is desired.

Parmigiani Fleurier began in 1996 and was founded by Michel Parmigiani in the town of Fleurier, Switzerland. Since 1996, Parmigiani has been making all in-house timepieces and is known for its high quality and uniqueness. Representing the daring creativity of the Parmigiani Fleurier manufacture, the Toric Westminster is a superb example of their innovative design.