THE ART AND ARTISTRY OF PARMIGIANI FLEURIER

Founded in 1996, Parmigiani Fleurier might not have the history of some of the legacy Maisons, but it has been growing from strength to strength in recent years, and a lot of it has to do with CEO Guido Terrini and, of course, Monsieur Michel Parmigiani himself.

- SUFFIAN HAKIM

WHEN I SAT WITH HIM at the Parmigiani Fleurier booth at Watches and Wonders Geneva, I asked CEO Guido Terreni: “Some say that Parmigiani’s adherence to its design codes and the limited options in terms of complications restricts the brand. What do you say to that?” It was a difficult question, admittedly, but you learn so much about a person and brand from how they respond to curveballs. What I was hoping to find out from that question was an insider insight into the meteoric rise of Parmigiani Fleurier.

“We can call it simplicity, but I call it purity.”

The big man replied: “The consistency of the style is a very big part of the brand identity. We can call it simplicity, but I call it purity — purity in design, purity in ideas. The ideas behind the watches are very creative, very pure, and very powerful. We address it in our craft through finishing. That’s why we call our design philosophy ‘minimal-rich’. It’s a pure style; it’s not brutal; it brings with it emotions of richness and elegance. This is understood by the client. Parmigiani isn’t for everyone.”

Terreni joined Parmigiani at the height of COVID-19 in 2021, at a time when the company was not doing well. “The board had hired me to clarify the positioning of the brand and to turn negative numbers in terms of profit — to become profitable.” Back then, Michel Parmigiani was already known in Switzerland, and parts of Asia, for his technical mastery, and for his work as a restorer. The brand was well-respected, though perhaps unknown beyond Switzerland.