Ultra-thin watches to transformable high jewellery: Piaget is a titan that keeps redefining luxury

In 1874, Georges-Edouard Piaget began crafting ultra-thin, high-precision watch movements in La Cote-aux-Fees, a remote Swiss Jura village. Guided by the motto “Always do better than necessary”, his dedication quickly earned recognition in the watchmaking industry, establishing the foundation for Piaget’s legacy.
By the mid-20th century, Piaget, under the leadership of Gerald and Valentin Piaget, had evolved into a globally recognised brand. Gerald expanded the maison’s reach, while Valentin drove innovation, introducing the ultra-thin calibre 9P in 1957 and the 12P – the world’s thinnest automatic movement at just 2.3mm – in 1960. These advancements redefined watch mechanics and allowed Piaget to explore greater creative freedom in design.
Operating from its secluded location in the Jura mountains, Piaget became self-sufficient, building a full range of in-house resources, including a gold foundry and highly skilled teams of watchmakers, goldsmiths, and engravers. This autonomy fuelled Valentin’s vision for Piaget’s jewellery watches and led to the establishment of its own creative studio in the late 1960s. By hiring designers with backgrounds in jewellery rather than traditional watchmaking, Piaget pushed the boundaries of design.
In 1957, Piaget made a bold move to focus exclusively on watches crafted from precious metals like platinum and gold, setting itself apart from competitors prioritising practicality. This commitment to both aesthetic beauty and technical excellence marked a significant turning point for the brand.
Piaget’s entry into high jewellery in 1959 marked another milestone, with creations characterised by playful asymmetry and fluid movement. These innovations culminated in the launch of Piaget’s first boutique in Geneva and the introduction of ornamental dials in 1966. By 1969, with the 21st Century Collection, Piaget had firmly established itself as a leader in both watchmaking and high jewellery, attracting a sophisticated clientele worldwide.
This year, as Piaget celebrates its 150th year, the maison’s blend of creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship continues to inspire its future. This legacy is captured in the Extraleganza collection, unveiled at Watches and Wonders 2024. Expanding on last year’s revival of iconic High Jewellery Watches, the range reintroduces the hypnotic cuff watches and Swinging Sautoir from 1969, along with the precious Aura watch from 1989. Extraleganza embodies Piaget’s signature elegance with bold, avant-garde flair.
To explore how this milestone influences Piaget’s next chapter, we spoke with Cynthia Tabet, global product marketing director, about the brand’s latest creations, its enduring identity, and strategies for engaging a new generation of collectors.
Piaget celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, how does this milestone shape Piaget’s future?
This milestone is incredibly significant. Benjamin Comar, our CEO, Fatti Laleh, global director of communications and I felt it was important to revisit what has defined Piaget and made it the brand it is today. Rather than a revival, it’s about drawing inspiration from the 1970s, when Piaget truly flourished in terms of creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation. We aim to celebrate the fusion of jewellery and watchmaking that Piaget became known for, and we hope this sets the tone for the brand’s next chapter.
What’s most essential for us is to reaffirm Piaget’s distinction and express it to a broader audience. Given its premium positioning, Piaget isn’t a brand for everyone, but for those who appreciate exceptional craftsmanship and the beauty of our pieces. Piaget’s singular style, heavily inspired by the 1970s, needs to be expressed in all our creations. It’s a style that’s elegant with a touch of daring extravagance, which ties into the theme of Extraleganza.
This is reflected in the latest launch of the Polo 79, Swinging Sautoirs, and cuff watch. Additionally, the ultra-thin Altiplano Ultimate Concept (AUC) Tourbillon remains significant because Piaget’s roots lie in watchmaking before it transitioned into jewellery, making this timepiece particularly important.
How does Piaget maintain its innovative edge in the watch industry? 
For Piaget, mastering technique and watchmaking expertise, especially in creating ultra-thin movements, has always been about unlocking the freedom to innovate. It’s not just for the sake of setting records, it’s always to add a creative element to it. This is seen in the way the AUC Tourbillon is designed, the combination of gold and cobalt alloy with blue PVD-treatment. The mastery of watchmaking is really to have the creativity embedded in it. This philosophy has driven the family and the maison since the very beginning.
The 150th anniversary collections pay homage to Piaget’s rich history. While it looks forward, what was the creative vision behind revisiting the iconic collection? 
It’s very important for a brand to keep its authenticity, style identity, and its distinction, especially when you have a history like Piaget does. We’re not revisiting the past but are inspired by the era when the brand was at its peak. It spoke to people and expressed a personality and an identity. It’s important to keep that in mind when creating new products for the new generation.
But I’m not into reissues because people, society and mindsets have changed. However, I believe you can draw inspiration from design elements, techniques, materials, or textures and reinterpret them in ways that are relevant today. I like taking cues from the past and bringing them into the present.
We’ve identified key creative markers that act like an ID card of what is Piaget. You can recognise a Piaget piece at first glance, even without a visible name. How? It’s evident in the gold craftsmanship, the choice of gemstones and colours, the thinness of our watch movements or cases, and the seamless integration of our bracelets. This distinctive identity is essential because brands that resonate have a clear stylistic signature. Not everyone will like you, but at least they know who you are!
The original Polo was a game changer when it was launched. How has the new Polo 79 evolved in design and technology, while staying true to the original? 
The original Polo, which was launched in 1979, had a quartz movement because it was a time when people only wanted quartz watches. It was very slim, and it was also the first elegant sports watch at the time. Clients took to it very quickly and it was a huge success.
The latest Polo 79 has an automatic movement. We kept the design: The integrated bracelet that’s very fluid, the gadroons, and the full gold. However, to house an automatic movement, we needed to make the watch a little bit bigger at 38mm, in comparison to the original Polo, which was smaller at 34mm.
Piaget’s high jewellery watches are marvels of craftsmanship and design. Are there any innovations or advancements introduced in the new editions? 
Absolutely. Let’s start with the two Swinging Sautoirs, which draw inspiration from the past. When we launched them last year, they weren’t transformable. However, this year’s high jewellery versions offer versatility with two designs that can be worn in multiple ways: The watch module can be attached to the necklace or removed and fitted onto a strap to be worn as a wristwatch. The necklaces themselves can also be worn independently, showcasing the technical ingenuity we’ve introduced this year.
We move on to the cuff watch. Last year’s designs featured hand-engraved cuffs with dials that appeared as if they were discovered in chiselled rock. This year’s focus is on a supple cuff made from knitted gold thread, revealing an opal dial that emerges as if the fabric has been torn apart. You see, there’s always a narrative behind each piece, and that storytelling is crucial for us.
What are the challenges Piaget face in pushing the boundaries of ultra-thin watches? 
What I appreciate is that our goal isn’t necessarily to be the thinnest; that’s not our primary focus. Our watchmakers at the manufacture are incredibly talent and have many ideas. We pioneered the first ultra-thin watch at 2mm, and now we’ve achieved the thinnest tourbillon at 2mm, so there’s a rich narrative behind the 2mm mark.
I’m glad there’s competition in this category because an ultra-thin timepiece is a complication in itself. We see this at Bvlgari, Richard Mille, and here at Piaget, so it’s crucial to recognise the intricacies involved in the entire process.
Over the years, how have consumer preferences influenced Piaget’s designs? 
Staying relevant while maintaining your identity is crucial because losing that authenticity means losing the connection with clients. It’s not simply about determining whether they prefer a particular ring or watch. What’s more important is understanding their lifestyle and how, as Piaget, we can align with both. Our clients keep us sharp, and we make it a point to listen closely to collectors.
What strategies are Piaget implementing to appeal to the younger audience? 
The new generation is very in tune with what’s going on. They are highly educated and knowledgeable. The watch collector community is also quite young, mostly in their thirties. They aren’t afraid to voice their opinions, and that’s what I meant by clients keeping us on our toes. They provide feedback that is well thought out and rational. So, we listen to them while staying mindful of our brand identity and purpose and strive to meet their expectations.