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This Lépine pocket watch, named "La Ravenale," is Parmigiani Fleurier's annual artistic masterpiece, created to celebrate the birthday of its founder, Michel Parmigiani, on December 2nd of last year. The piece is named after the "traveler's palm" from Madagascar, a plant whose perfect fan-shaped symmetry embodies the "golden ratio" in nature and symbolizes the spirit of collecting rainwater for travelers and sustaining life.
Design concept based on the laws of nature
The pocket watch's design doesn't originate from decorative language, but rather from the inherent order of natural geometry. Inspired by the fan-shaped structure of the Madagascar "traveler's palm" (Ravenala madagascariensis), the overall proportions adhere to the golden ratio, presenting an almost architectural sense of balance. The 18K white gold case adopts a Lépine-style pocket watch structure, with hand-carved palm leaf vein patterns on the case and lugs. Details emerge with changing light, revealing layers as if naturally grown. The dial, also based on white gold with a blue finish, features hand-carved and granulated surfaces. Square hour markers and the brand logo are presented in three-dimensional appliqué, giving the act of reading time a rhythmic and breathing feel. Turning to the back, a mosaic of opal and jade becomes the visual centerpiece. The former refracts and changes light, while the latter is understated and serene; the two minerals create a dialogue of stillness and movement on the white gold base.
The Modern Rebirth of the Classical Three Questions
Beneath its form lies the ultimate respect for high-end watchmaking performance and acoustics. At its heart lies an ultra-thin minute repeater movement crafted in the 1920s by Geneva watchmaker Ed. Koehn, featuring central hour and minute displays and a small seconds subdial. This vintage movement was completely disassembled, restored, and reconstructed in the brand's restoration workshop, restoring a clear and balanced resonance to its striking tone. The bridges and mainplate were not only re-beveled and finished but also hand-engraved with palm motifs, ensuring consistency between the functional structure and thematic imagery even in areas not visible to the naked eye. The minute repeater employs a double-gong design with symmetrical hammers, ensuring accurate and musical timing. The suspended mainspring barrel and Malta cross anti-reverse mechanism enhance timekeeping stability and energy management efficiency. Paired with a white gold bracelet handcrafted by Laurent Jolliet, the last master of pocket watch bracelets in Switzerland, the overall design responds to the practicality of traditional pocket watches in terms of wearing and use, while showcasing the comprehensive control of contemporary haute horlogerie over acoustics, precision and durability.
This Lépine pocket watch, named "La Ravenale," is Parmigiani Fleurier's annual artistic masterpiece, created to celebrate the birthday of its founder, Michel Parmigiani, on December 2nd of last year. The name is taken from the Madagascar traveler's palm, a plant whose perfect fan-shaped symmetry embodies the "golden ratio" of nature and symbolizes the spirit of collecting rainwater for travelers and sustaining life. The watch's design, inspired by natural laws, is not based on decorative language but rather on the inherent order of natural geometry. The overall proportions follow the golden ratio, creating an almost architectural sense of balance. The 18K white gold case features a Lépine-style pocket watch structure, with hand-carved palm leaf veins on the case and lugs. The details reveal layers as the light changes, as if naturally grown. The dial, also based on white gold with a blue finish, features hand-engraved and grained surfaces. Square hour markers and the brand logo are presented in three-dimensional appliqué, giving the act of reading time a rhythmic and breezy feel. Turning to the case back, a mosaic of opal and jade becomes the visual focal point. The former refracts and shifts in light, while the latter exudes a restrained and serene quality; the two minerals create a dialogue of stillness and movement on the white gold base. A modern rebirth of the classic minute repeater…
