To impact the start of the year that will mark its 150^th anniversary, the company, which shares its workshops between La Côte-aux-Fées and Geneva, is reviving one of its emblematic timepieces from the late 1970s, an all-gold watch that, at the time, symbolized the revival of watch design.

Like society and its evolution, the watchmaking landscape is constantly changing, although the essence of its syntax remains unchanged. The watch has thus moved from the pocket to the arm, from the status of an elitist product to that of an everyday companion, while retaining its primary function: to deliver, with precision, the display of time. In the 1970s, design made a major shift away from classic aesthetics, embracing boldness, robustness and technique. As the decade drew to a close, Piaget unveiled the Polo, a timepiece whose case, dial and bracelet merge in a firework display of gold, and today, as the company celebrates its 150^th anniversary this year, it breathes new life into this watchmaking emblem: the Piaget Polo 79.

A harmonious, luminous composition in yellow gold that offers a soothing visual rhythm with its alternation of broad satin-brushed bands and fine polished bars, this new model comes in a 38mm-diameter case, dimensions consistent with the heritage from which it draws its inspiration and perfect for all types of wrists. It features the 1200P1 caliber, an extra-thin 3hz automatic Manufacture movement with a 44-hour power reserve, whose micro-rotor and part of its gear train are visible through the transparent caseback. The latter cadences the hours and minutes indicated by two central dauphine-style hands on the face delimited by a round of dots. As for its flowing bracelet, like a second golden skin, it delicately embraces the wrist and closes with a discreet, almost secret buckle, so as not to disturb the elegance of this Piaget ensemble.

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Piaget’s new watch, embracing several of the brand’s specialties – ultra-thinness, skeletonization and color –, reveals every single working of its legendary mechanism on its lacework face.

In La Côte-aux-Fées, a small municipality in the canton of Neuchâtel, the mission was perfectly clear for the watchmakers who worked in the family farm transformed into a manufacture: create the finest watches possible. Almost 150 years on from when Piaget was founded, this challenge still reigns supreme in the firm, seen for example through the work on the ornamental stones used as a dial and the skeletonization on the movement which unveils all the inner secrets, as magnificently portrayed through the novel Polo Blue Skeleton showcased in February and proposed in two versions, one blue and the other anthracite.

The curvaceous 42 mm-diameter steel case, shaped like a circle yet also like a cushion in particular through the angular-aspect opening of its large satin-brushed bezel, was reworked to enhance fineness and, as such, to attain an ultra-slim 6.5 mm. As the dial is not “full”, the pair of hands openworked and the caseback adorns a sapphire-crystal porthole, the fortunate owner-wearer has a commanding view of the 2.4 mm-thin 1200S1 skeleton caliber, an upgrade of the 1200S. This selfwinding mechanical movement equipped with a micro-rotor visible at 9 o’clock drives the hour and minute display and delivers a power reserve of 44 hours. The blue PVD finish adds extra visual dynamics to the ensemble.

The Piaget Polo Blue Skeleton wraps round the wrist with an integrated steel-link bracelet which has been redesigned so it can be easily interchanged with the leather one attached by a folding clasp.

Price: CHF28,700

By Sharmila Bertin

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The slimmest mechanical watch in the world is no longer issued as a single piece. Piaget now commercializes it and, what’s more, invites you to acquire one that suits all your desires thanks to its numerous bespoke options.

In 2018, in front of totally-transfixed journalists, Piaget unveiled the slimmest mechanical watch in the world during the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (International Fine Watchmaking Exhibition): just 2 mm thick! Two years on and the Concept Watch is now permanently listed in the manufacture’s catalogue under the name of Altiplano Ultimate Concept. Although the timepiece’s one-of-a-kind architecture is pursued with a 41 mm-diameter case which fuses completely with the movement, it is now crafted in a cobalt-based alloy, 2.3 times harder than gold. A myriad of miniaturized elements have also been optimized to attain perfect performances. Among them, the winding crown which is integrated into the case and an extra-slim 0.2 mm crystal which protects the 900P-UC caliber which now delivers a power reserve of 40 hours. By way of comparison, a sheet of paper is 0.1 mm thick.

Dial-side, the off-centered hour and minute display is not just a stylistic choice but also a technical option. As it was unrealistic to use a classical straight winding stem, the watchmakers imagined a patented staggered stem which would allow a revolving indicator disc to drive the hour hand.

Another highlight of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept is that Piaget proposes a wide range of finishes to customize components such as the color of the bridge and the dial, the finish on the hands and the disc, and even a choice of strap… an opportunity to create some 10,000 exclusive variations to cater for every desire. What will you choose?

Price: CHF410,000

By Dan Diaconu

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At the recent SIHH, Piaget unveiled six new jewellery watches in its Possession collection, brilliantly combining sparkling diamonds, a spirit of fun and timeless elegance.

The jewellery collection, Possession, was created in 1990. A few years later, watches were added to the collection, taking up the rounded, playful spirit of the jewellery. They included all the main time features and were designed for the most refined wrists. And Piaget is continuing the pursuit of elegance this year with six dazzling, new pieces in its famous half-jewellery, half-watchmaking family. There are three new models and three different versions. Colours are combined with shimmering diamonds: a delicious cherry pink, a white, iridescent mother-of-pearl and a warm shade of pink gold.

All the watches are powered by a quartz movement, the calibre 56P, bringing to life the silver or golden baton-shaped hands for the hours and minutes. The pink or white gold cases of the Possession models are crowned with revolving bezels covered in diamonds that are either 29 or 34mm wide.

One of the specialities that has made Piaget’s reputation is the use of colour. These models are no exception, with two dials in flamboyant pink with 11 diamond indices. An alligator leather strap echoes the dynamic colour and rounds off the effect.

The jeweller-watchmaker has stood out from the beginning for its work in jewel-setting and proves it again this time by covering all the dials of these models with 142 or 239 gem stones. One of them comes with a “diamond river” bracelet with a total of 8.87 carats.

The brand’s skills are also visible in the work on metal, handled in a traditional way like a precious fabric. This can be seen in the pink-gold bracelet with a mother-of-pearl dial in the centre.

Price on request

By Sharmila Bertin

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Discreetly unveiled at the SIHH 2019, the new Polo by Piaget is made of steel with lines of green adding a delicate touch of spring to the wrist.

If there is one trend not to be missed this year, then it’s the rise of green! The colour has always been around, especially in the collections of a handful of watch brands, but in 2019 it has become a force to be reckoned with. And that’s a very good thing, because whether it is emerald, duck green or almond, green symbolises freshness, spring and nature. Among the new models launched at the SIHH, Piaget unveiled a new version of its automatic Polo watch with a dynamic green dial.

The watch face features fine horizontal grooves, like a sailor shirt, and is coated in mint green with a touch of blue. Only the minute scale, the name Piaget and the word “automatic“, all coloured white, are placed on a smooth surface. The time elements are painted silver to stand out elegantly above this miniature prairie. The luminous markers on the hour rim, as well as the date counter at 6 o’clock, are designed in a trapeze shape. In the centre, two sword-type hands, also coated in lume, and a second hand featuring a counterweight with the brand’s initial in a frame, show the hours, minutes and seconds.

These functions are driven by the calibre 1110P, a self-winding movement running at a frequency of 4hz and providing a power reserve of 50 hours. The mechanism is housed in a 42mm-wide cushion-shaped steel case with a thick, brushed bezel around the dial.

The Polo by Piaget is worn with a forest-green alligator leather strap with a folding clasp.

Price: 9,500 CHF

By Sharmila Bertin

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Finding a meteorite is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It’s better when it falls into the right hands, like those of the craftsmen who have given life to this watch.

Are you looking for an elegant watch with a unique dial? The Piaget Altiplano Meteorite will be officially launched at the next Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva in January 2019. It has all the attractions you could wish for. Its slim 40mm-wide gold case houses a surprising stone disc that fell out of the sky. That it to say, the dial is cut from a fragment of grey meteorite. The disc has an unusual texture, known as a Widmanstätten pattern, named after the Austrian scientist who identified it in the 19th century. The texture contains oblique stripes set close together and indicating a high amount of iron and nickel alloy that has been heated to extreme temperatures of over 1,000 C° and was then suddenly cooled down. It takes great dexterity to cut out the dials. The result is always highly individual, making each one of the 300 watches in this limited edition truly unique.

In this decor of unvarnished elegance are placed some delicate gold indices, with slim hour and minute hands. Only a counter at 3 o’clock is cut into the surface of the piece of meteorite. The watch is powered by an extra-flat automatic movement. The calibre 1203P will keep the time information running for 44 hours, along with the date.

The Piaget Altiplano Meteorite comes with a grey alligator leather strap equipped with a rose gold tang buckle.

Price on request

By Dan Diaconu

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