Sportier and a little more affordable than its more elegant cousin, Parmigiani’s Tonda PF Sport was originally available only in steel. The Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet swaps out that conventional alloy for a case of cermet, a composite of ceramic and metal. Notably, the entire case – bezel, case middle, pushers, and crown – is in cermet.

Initial thoughts

Parmigiani has iterated its popular sports into many variations, perhaps too many, but the Tonda PF Sport in cermet is one of the most interesting so far. While the material is not new to watches, it is usually employed for one or two components, typically the bezel. The new Tonda PF Sport Chronograph is almost all cermet, which is gives it an appealing a single-tone appearance that goes well with the clean styling.

The new chronograph is available in Milano Blue (left), and London Grey

Material aside, it is essentially identical to earlier versions of the Tonda Sport PF Chronograph. Though it is little changed in fundamental terms, that’s not necessarily a bad thing as the PF070 movement inside ranks amongst one of the most sophisticated chronograph calibres, especially in sports watches.

The only downside of the new material is the price hike. The cermet model is basically a 50% premium over the steel version, which the brand will not doubt justify in terms of machining and polishing complexity, but it is still difficult to rationalise.

The PF070

Ceramic and metal

Cermet is a composite of ceramic and metal, giving it qualities of both constituent materials – a useful mix in many technical applications. As a result, the cermet case has better scratch resistance than a steel case, and a glossier surface than metal alloys.

Almost the entire case is cermet, including the knurled bezel. While the knurling is done the old fashioned way on the steel and gold models, it is likely that the cermet bezel is sintered with fluting as the nature of cermet would making traditional knurling difficult.

Due to the nature of cermet, the construction of the case is slightly different from that of the steel model, resulting in a marginally larger case that’s about 0.5 mm wider and thicker than its steel counterpart.

The cermet case is finished like its steel equivalent, which means a pleasing mixed of brushed and polished surfaces. The case middle is brushed, while the tops of the lugs are polished. And in between the lugs is a brushed cermet insert that adds textural contrast.

The dark grey cermet case is matched with an equally subdued dial finished in “black gold”, with registers in either London Grey or Milano Blue. The dial retains the minimalist design of earlier Tonda PF Sport models, but goes even further by eliminating the date window.

The PF070 is visible through the display back and it looks good. Open worked bridges reveal much of the inner workings, and the finishing is high quality, albeit clean and industrial high-end other than artisanal. It’s also dressed up with a 22k rose gold rotor.

The calibre has all of the features expected of a modern movement, including a column wheel and vertical clutch, but also the more novel high-frequency escapement with the balance running at 36,000 beats per hour. The high-beat balance is arguably most suitable for a sports watch.

Key facts and price

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet
Ref. PFC931-1020021-400182 (London Grey)
Ref. PFC931-1020022-400182 (Milano Blue)

Diameter: 42.5 mm
Height: 13.3 mm
Material: Cermet
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. PF070
Features: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, and chronograph
Frequency: 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Rubberised fabric with Cermet buckle

Availability: At Parmigiani Fleurier boutiques and retailers
Price: CHF39,900

For more, visit Parmigiani.com.