As the Lunar New Year approaches each year, it’s prime time for watch brands to unveil their zodiac series, and this year, Parmigiani’s Tonda PF Xiali Chinese Calendar series has made a stunning reappearance. This complex mechanical watch, which incorporates elements of the lunar calendar, first dazzled the scene in 2023. In anticipation of the Year of the Snake in 2025, the brand has launched an eye-catching new red gold model.
The latest watch continues the tradition of luxurious design, with its dial featuring a prominently large, barleycorn pattern that doesn’t just create a stunning visual impact but also underscores its understated elegance. The design of this series masterfully displays a plethora of information from the lunar calendar all on one dial — whether it’s the Chinese Zodiac, the Five Elements, the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, the months, leap months, or the 24 solar terms, every detail is instantly evident. For aficionados of traditional culture, this offering provides a mechanical watch experience like no other.
Hot off the press: the new red-gold model dazzles with a special touch reserved for the Year of the Snake – a glinting golden sub-dial proudly sitting at the 12 o’clock position. It’s not just a design marvel, but a nod to the unique allure that the Snake year brings with it. This timepiece boasts a 42mm diameter and is equipped with the PF008 automatic caliber, measuring a sleek 12.2mm in thickness. Not only does this movement offer an impressive 54-hour power reserve, it ensures that timekeeping is spot-on, making this watch a go-to staple all year round. Despite its complex features, the watch maintains an air of elegance and comfort, ready to be flaunted as a cultural statement with its lunar calendar storytelling.
Compared to the stainless steel model first launched in 2023, the red gold version not only elevates its appearance to a whole new level but also showcases the wearer’s distinctive taste and reverence for traditional calendrical systems. This timepiece is equipped with a myriad of features, distributing all essential calendar information around the dial — from the Chinese zodiac and the Five Elements to the 12-year cycle of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. Whether you’re a watch aficionado with a passion for traditional calendars or a high-end collector hunting for a piece with unique complex functionalities, this masterpiece offers both sophistication and depth.
