Royal Abdulaziz Al Rasheed spotted wearing a Parmigiani

Few watches at any price point carry the cultural weight of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar. Spotted here on the wrist of Saudi royal and television personality Abdulaziz Al Rasheed, this platinum-cased complication represents one of the most niche and technically demanding timepieces in the Swiss industry — a perpetual calendar built not around the Gregorian year of 365.25 days, but around the Islamic lunar Hijri calendar, which runs on a 30-year cycle of alternating 354- and 355-day years.

The watch houses Parmigiani's in-house Calibre PF362 automatic movement, engineered specifically for the Hijri cycle. Its perpetual mechanism accounts for the irregular intercalation pattern of the Islamic calendar without requiring manual correction until the year 2100. The 44.6mm platinum case frames a slate-grey dial with rhodium finishing and fully Arabic script throughout. At 12 o'clock, a subdial indicates the day of the month and leap year status. At 3 o'clock, the Hijri month is displayed — with Ramadan, the holy month, distinctly marked in red, a detail of profound significance for Muslim wearers. A moon phase at 6 o'clock tracks the lunar cycle, the cornerstone of Islamic time-keeping, while a date track runs along the periphery of the dial. The case pairs with a black hand-stitched alligator strap.

From a collector standpoint, the Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar occupies an almost solitary position in the market. No other major Swiss manufacture has committed to a fully mechanical, self-correcting Hijri perpetual calendar at this level of finishing and horological integrity. Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Söhne, and Vacheron Constantin have no direct competitor in this space. Production numbers are extremely limited, making secondary market appearances genuinely rare.

Abdulaziz Al Rasheed is a prominent figure in Saudi cultural and media circles, known for his refined taste in luxury goods. His choice of the Tonda Hijri is not merely aesthetic — it reflects a deliberate connection between Islamic heritage and Swiss watchmaking excellence, a combination that resonates deeply in Gulf collector communities.

At retail, this platinum reference commands a price well above $100,000 USD, and grey market availability is virtually non-existent, with demand consistently outpacing supply among Middle Eastern collectors and diaspora buyers globally.