History of Parmigiani Fleurier

The Parmigiani Fleurier brand - a watch making adventure that transcends the mundane - was created in Fleurier in 1996 and was guided by the passion of a man who remained faithful to the very essence of the watchmaker. Michel Parmigiani, master horologist, renowned restorer and talented creator of mechanical time-keepers dedicates his knowledge, which has been enriched by past and present events, to the benefit of the brand. In 1996, the Sandoz Family Foundation actively became involved in Parmigiani’s development, thereby allowing the first watch collections to see the light of day.

In less than a decade, Parmigiani Fleurier was able to fit out its manufacturing workshops with the means to produce exceptionally high-quality goods. With its complete vertical alignment, the industrial equipment deployed constitutes one of the rarest and most complete manufacturing workshops of top-quality watches in Switzerland. The very essence of top-quality horology, such as attention to detail or the beauty of the embellishment of a simple or highly complicated movement, is the subject of great attention at Parmigiani Fleurier and now the reason for its international recognition.

1976 Michel Parmigiani begins his career in the field of restoring horological “objets d’art”

1978 Development of the “private label” activity for prestigious watch brands

1995 Michel Parmigiani receives the GAIA award honouring his activities and his research relating to time

1996 The Sandoz Family Foundation acquires a majority stake in the PARMIGIANI MESURE ET ART DU TEMPS. Launch of the first collection of Parmigiani Fleurier timepieces, made up of wristwatches, pocket-watches and table clocks.

1998 Development of the first mechanical hand-wound shaped movement “Calibre 110” with an 8-day power reserve, entirely developed and crafted by Parmigiani Fleurier.
2000-2001 Acquisition of several production and watch exterior units: Bruno Affolter SA (a case-making company), Atokalpa SA and Elwin SA (companies specialising in watch components as well as fine mechanical engineering), thereby reinforcing the independence of the Manufacture PARMIGIANI MESURE ET ART DU TEMPS.

2001 Development and launch of the mechanical self-winding “Calibre 331”, entirely made in-house by Parmigiani Fleurier and celebrated in a new watch line, FORMA (renamed Kalpa).

2002 Development and launch of the mechanical self-winding “Calibre 333”, a Retrograde Perpetual Calendar movement entirely made in-house by Parmigiani Fleurier.

2003 PARMIGIANI MESURE ET ART DU TEMPS SA is replaced by a new organisational structure: PARMIGIANI FLEURIER SA and VAUCHER MANUFACTURE FLEURIER SA.

2004 World premiere launch of the Type 370 Bugatti watch, the first transversal mechanical movement, an invention unprecedented in the history of wristwatches.

2004 Launch of mechanical “Calibre 500”, the first 30-second Tourbillon movement with central seconds hand and a 7-day power reserve. It was entirely developed and crafted by Parmigiani Fleurier.

2004 Inauguration of the Fleurier Quality Foundation certification, establishing a comprehensive, updated and demanding set of horological criteria aimed at maintaining high-quality standards in Haute Horlogerie. Parmigiani Fleurier is one of the founding members.

2005 Announcement to the world press of the newly achieved complete production mastery of oscillator AK215, entirely developed and made by the Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier industrial division.

2006 Presentation of the first Parmigiani Fleurier ladies’ collection.

2006 Around 4000 watches are produced each year.

2006 Celebration of Michel Parmigiani’s 30 years of activity.