TONDA PF XIALI CHINESE CALENDAR

Tuesday, July 15, 2025/ Editor -

A CULTURAL ODE TO A GREAT CIVILIZATION

Between Tradition and Modernity

“Calendars are the X-rays of civilizations, born from the patient observation of humans and nature, revealing something deeply magical. Nature is a collection of fascinating codes that humanity has always strived to decipher. By examining its rhythms, we traverse history, retracing the steps of civilizational development. The Mayas and Toltecs, for example, designed calendars remarkably similar to those of the Chinese, reflecting a universal harmony in the perception of time. Calendars originate from the need to understand the seasons: they guide us in sowing and harvesting, anticipating the cold of winter, understanding the heat of summer, and adjusting our lives to the immutable cycle of nature. Thus, the calendar addresses a fundamental need: to foresee and master the nourishing phenomena of the earth, ensuring the balance of human societies.”

Michel Parmigiani, Founder and Master Watchmaker

WORLD PREMIERE WITH A COMPLETE CHINESE CALENDAR

MILLENNIAL TRADITION AND CONTEMPORARY LUXURY

Building on the triumph of its steel counterpart, Parmigiani Fleurier pays homage to Chinese culture with a new rose gold edition of the Tonda PF Xiali Complete Calendar. The precious gold is paired with an imperial red dial, adding a regal touch and further elevating the celebrated timepiece that harmoniously marries the art of watchmaking with the ancient wisdom of the Xiali calendar.

A UNIQUE MASTERPIECE AT THE CROSSROADS OF CULTURES

The Tonda PF Xiali Complete Calendar is the latest addition to an unparalleled trilogy of cultural calendars, following the presentations of the Gregorian and Islamic calendars. It stands as the only mechanical watch capable of encompassing the full richness and intricate complexity of the complete Chinese calendar in a timepiece.

A LAUNCH SYMBOLIZING RENEWAL

The Tonda PF Xiali in rose gold debuts in January 2025, aligning with the Chinese New Year and the commencement of the Year of the Wood Snake. This moment, imbued with profound symbolism, celebrates renewal and the seamless harmony between past and present. By perpetuating the refined mechanical arts of Swiss watchmaking and the poetic cultural heritage of civilizations, Parmigiani Fleurier continues to pay tribute to age-old traditions.

A HUMANIST TIMEPIECE

The Tonda PF Xiali transcends its primary function: it opens a door to a universal dialogue where time becomes a language and cultures converse. It pays homage to horological mastery and the timeless quest for meaning that has always accompanied humanity.

AN INVITATION TO TRANSMISSION

With the Tonda PF Xiali, Parmigiani Fleurier does more than create a watch: the piece stands as a cultural and technical beacon in the world of watchmaking. Science becomes art, culture transcends time, and every detail tells a captivating story.

“The Chinese calendar transcends mere functionality; it embodies a profound expression of cultural memory and universal harmony. To capture its intricate essence within a contemporary watch is not just a technical triumph—it is a testament to the importance of preserving and celebrating our cultural heritage. With the launch of the Tonda PF Xiali in rose gold, Parmigiani Fleurier pays homage to this exceptional tradition, seamlessly blending timeless philosophy with the artistry of haute horlogerie to create a true masterpiece.”

Guido Terreni, Parmigiani Fleurier CEO

COSMIC MECHANICS ON THE WRIST

Created over 5,000 years ago, the Chinese calendar, or Xiali, is a marvel of ingenuity. Based on a lunisolar system, it divides time into complex cycles that integrate:

- 24 solar terms (or solar breaths), which pace the seasons and agricultural cycles.

- 12 zodiac animals, which define the years and their spiritual influences.

- 5 natural elements (wood, fire, metal, water, earth) and their Yin and Yang variations.

Each day and month in the Xiali calendar holds specific meanings, frequently linked to significant events such as harvests, festivals, or ceremonies. This calendar aligns natural forces with human life cycles, embodying a philosophical perspective where harmony takes precedence over linearity.

Through the Tonda PF Xiali, Parmigiani Fleurier translates this timeless tale onto a dial, inviting its wearer to engage in a unique dialogue with time.

A DIAL MIRRORING TIME AND CIVILIZATIONS

THE LAWS OF NATURE, DETERMINING THE AGRICULTURAL CALENDAR

The 24 solar terms (or periods) are based on the sun’s position in the Chinese zodiac, reflecting changes in climate, agricultural factors, and other phenomena impacting human life. Created by farmers of ancient China, they correspond to 24 divisions of 15° of the sun’s path along the ecliptic, or the path of the sun as seen from the earth.

Each year is divided into four seasons and within each season are six solar terms, two per month. Some of these 24 solar terms correspond with traditional Chinese festivals.

Each solar term has a Chinese name whose meaning is derived from the natural world and its phenomena, mostly relating to the changes of seasons and climates. The names reflect the belief that nature is our teacher and we must learn from her. The 24 solar terms were important in ancient China for farming and getting the best yield from the land according to the climatic changes. Later they were adopted into Chinese medicine and Daoist internal alchemy to better prescribe treatments according to the cycles of nature.

THE ANIMALS OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC

Shang dynasty (1570 -1045 BC). The sexagesimal system combines the Ten Heavenly Stems and the Twelve Earthly Branches. The Heavenly Stems, also called the Celestial Stems, are based on the five elements — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, all linked to yin/yang principles. The Twelve Earthly Branches are represented by the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, which may vary slightly depending on the East Asian country of origin — China, Japan, Korea or Vietnam.

To give a name to the years, China uses a sixty-year calendrical cycle, the numbering system of which is based on the combination of the Celestial Stems and Earthly Branches, allowing sixty different numerical combinations. The Celestial Stems are associated with the yīn-yáng cycle and with the concept of the five primary elements, also known as the Five Agents, recognized by the Chinese: wood, water, earth, metal and fire. At each change to a new year, the incrementation of 1 on the Celestial Stem and the Earthly Branch will make it possible to cover the sexagesimal cycle, i.e. the name of the years over 60 years. This numbering is most often used to mark the course of the years.

Legend has it that on a New Year’s Day, the Jade Emperor, or Ruler of Heaven, called all the animals of creation to visit him with the promise of a reward. Only twelve animals went to this heavenly meeting, arriving in the order depicted below. To each of them the Emperor offered a year that would bear his name, and in the order of their arrival. For many in Asia, no moves of personal, financial, or political significance are made without consulting them.

THE SIGNS IN ORDER

Unlike in the West where we celebrate only New Year’s Day, the Chinese New Year celebration spans 15 full days of festivities, ending with the Lantern Festival.

The Rat 鼠

The Ox 牛

The Tiger 虎

The Rabbit 兔

The Dragon 龍

The Snake 蛇

The Horse 馬

The Goat 羊

The Monkey 猴

The Rooster 鷄

The Dog 狗

The Pig 豬

THE 24 SOLAR BREATHS

THE CHINESE CALENDAR ALMANAC

THE SONG OF SEASONS

1. Beginning of spring (lì chun)

2. Rain Water (yu shui): Rainfall and temperatures rise. Buds begin to cover the landscape, river ice melts, wild geese migrate from south to north, trees and grass grow greener.

3. Awakening of Insects (jing zhé): The burst of spring that brings insects to life and wakes hibernating animals from their slumber marks the peak of spring agricultural activities.

4. Spring Equinox (chun fen): The day when the sun is directly over the equator, creating equal lengths of day and night, before it moves north, producing a gradual lengthening of days in the northern hemisphere and nights in the southern hemisphere.

5. Pure Brightness (qing míng)

6. Grain rain (gu yu): The early crops begin showing their shoots, according to the proverb that “rain makes hundreds of cereals grow,” making this an important period for the harvest.

7. Beginning of Summer (li xia): Today the sun’s rays are at an angle of 45 degrees to the Earth. Temperatures rise rapidly in southern China, but in northern China the weather remains mild.

8. Small Full (Grain) (xiao man) Grain Buds: The grains begin to ripen but have not yet reached maturity.

9. Grain in Ear (máng zhong): The ripening of crops such as barley and wheat prompts farmers to begin summer planting.

10. Summer Solstice (xià zhì): The longest daytime and shortest nighttime: during this time, much of the northern hemisphere receives many hours of sunshine without the highest temperatures, which will not come until 20 to 30 days later.

11. Minor Heat (xiao shu): The hottest period is underway, but the extreme heat has yet to arrive.

12. Intense heat: At this time, most areas of China enter the hottest season of the year, with temperatures in many cities reaching over 35 degrees.

13. Beginning of autumn (lì qiu): Summer is over and the season of plenty approaches.

14. Limit of Heat (chù shu ) End of Heat: Most parts of China bid farewell to the summer heat and enter autumn.

15. White Dew (bái lù): The true beginning of autumnal coolness: temperatures gradually drop and the water vapor in the air condenses into a white dew that covers the grass and trees at night.

16. Autumn Equinox (qiu fen): After this day of equal length day and night, which divides autumn into two equal parts, the direct radiation of sunlight moves southward; in the northern hemisphere, the days become shorter and the nights longer.

17. Cold Dew (hán lù): At this time, temperatures are much lower than during the white dew in most parts of China. The dew is thicker and colder, and rain tapers off.

18. Frost’s Descent (shuang jiàng): The last solar term of autumn is marked by the weather becoming much colder and frosts forming in the north.

19. Start of Winter (lì dong) Beginning of Winter: Winter arrives, and farmers bring in the autumn harvest

20. Minor Snow (xiao xue): Snow begins to fall, mainly in northern China and temperatures continue to drop.

21. Major Snow (dà xue): Snow becomes deeper and heavier, accumulating on the ground as temperatures drop to near zero in northern China.

22. Winter Solstice (dong zhì): The daytime hour of the solstice is the shortest while the night hours are the longest.

23. Minor cold (xiao hán): Most of China enters the phase of severe winter cold. The ground and rivers are frozen. The cold air from the north extends to the south.

24. Major Cold (dà hán): In the last solar term of the lunar calendar, snow, rain and freezing weather weigh heavily on people’s lives.

TONDA PF XIALI CHINESE CALENDAR

Technical Specifications

DIAL

Color: Imperial Red

Indexes: 18ct rose gold skeleton delta-shaped

Finishing: Grain d’Orge hand-guil

Rose gold

pfh982-2022501-200182

CASE

Polished and satin-finished 18ct rose gold with knurled bezel

Diameter: 42 mm