By 
A sporty and sophisticated Kalpa
An iconic Parmigiani Fleurier timepiece since its creation in 2001, the Kalpa is once again set to take centre stage in 2019 with the launch of a new and daring men’s model in titanium. The Kalpagraphe Chronomètre Titanium features an integrated chronograph which fits seamlessly within the contours of its case. It offers this promise of harmony – of substance and form; of the case and its movement – as on all the new Kalpa timepieces. What it also offers is this touch of ultra-modern sportiness seen on these truly distinctive timepieces.
THE INTEGRATED CHRONOGRAPH
The integrated chronograph – unlike the modular kind – is a complication which few manufactures in the world have mastered on an industrial scale. In 2018, Parmigiani Fleurier presented a shaped integrated chronograph – the PF362 – which currently drives the new Kalpagraphe Chronomètre Titanium.
The PF362 calibre is a COSC-certified, self-winding, integrated chronograph, whose functions include hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date, and which offers a 65-hour power reserve. Entirely developed and manufactured in-house over a period of six years, this calibre works at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour (5 Hz) and demonstrates an accuracy of one tenth of a second; it also features a column wheel and vertical clutch to ensure accuracy and user comfort. In addition, its variable-inertia balance is secured by a bridge which provides strength and stability against shocks. Seamlessly integrated with the hand-polished 48.2 x 40.4 mm tonneau case, and water-resistant to 30 metres, this advanced mechanism reveals, through the sapphire case-back, the elegant finish and the platinum oscillating weight with its barley grain guilloché motif.
AESTHETIC CHOICE
The titanium case and bold open-worked dial give the timepiece a daring and sporty look. The case features a micro-blasted finish, a technique which consists of blasting minuscule glass beads against the material to mattify the surface. The black and slate-coloured dial is laser-cut and delicately open-worked with a design which evokes a car radiator grille which reveals the tonneau-shaped movement underneath. The display is completed with two snailed counters, a semi-instantaneous date window and a small seconds sector with its own hand. The luminescent Delta-shaped hands, the counters placed slightly off-centre, and the rounded date indicator containing three numerals come together to form this balanced, easily readable display. As a finishing touch, the timepiece features a rubber strap, in keeping with its modern style, with a titanium folding buckle.
