The “Altiplano” pocket watch – the house’s legendary ultra-thin timepiece Piaget – celebrates its birthday with a touch of originality.
When the Altiplano was designed and launched in 1957, the achievement of this world record for thinness revolutionized the world of watchmaking. More than a demonstration of technical virtuosity, Piaget's Altiplano defined new rules of aesthetics and established a style of elegant classicism that still thrives sixty years later.
In 2017, Piaget has – on the occasion of the anniversary of this watchmaking icon – brought an unexpected touch to the timelessly classic line: this extra-thin piece frees itself from its owner's wrist to become a pocket watch. Supported by a blue calfskin strap matching the dial, the limited edition of the Altiplano 60 pocket watche anniversary becomes the ideal companion for watch collectors and contemporary dandies.
Resolutely discreet but never ostentatious, the Altiplano always manages to showcase its style. Tied to a blue calfskin strap, the pocket watch achieves the delicate balance between classic sophistication and a touch of contemporary boldness. Rediscovering the codes that governed the design of this legendary watch, which made its mark in 1957, the Altiplano 60e pocket anniversary draws its inspiration from the very first watches Piaget ultra-thin from the late 50s. The captivating shade of blue of the sunray dial, somewhere between cobalt blue and midnight blue, is accompanied by simple, thin hour markers and thin white gold baton hands typical of the Altiplano collection. To reinforce the watch's perfect proportions, a thin blue cross, once present in early versions of the Altiplano, gives the dial a discreet and balanced elegance.
The historic logo of Piaget adorning the dial recalls the first Altiplano and the tradition of ultra-thin watchmaking developed by the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie, where each of the pieces is designed, manufactured and decorated in-house. Inside the narrow case is placed the equally thin Calibre 1200P; the self-winding mechanical movement is only 2,35 mm thick. The sapphire case back reveals the duality of the Altiplano: pure expression of simplicity on the outside, complex refinement on the inside. The superb finishing of the watch, which is expressed by the circular Côtes de Genève, the chamfered bridges, the circular-grained mainplate and the blued screws, can be admired on the case back.
In homage to the creativity of the Altiplano, the pocket watch can be transformed into a clock when placed in the center of an elegant blue marquetry display, highlighted by thin markers. On the circular frame, the meticulously crafted straw marquetry is the result of an artistic process similar to that of wood marquetry. With great skill, the craftsman selects the pieces of straw according to their color to respect the contrasts, nuances, and texture of the design. The purity of the dial is matched by high precision, as each piece must be precisely adjusted to the nearest hundredth of a millimeter.
Collection Piaget Altiplano 60e Anniversary: Altiplano Pocket Watch – 50 mm
▪ 18-carat white gold case (750 ‰)
▪ Blue dial marked with a cross in its center, indexes in white gold
▪ Manufacture Piaget 1200P ultra-thin self-winding mechanical movement, 2,35 mm thick
▪ Number of gemstones: 25
▪ Frequency: 21 vph/600 Hz
▪ Power reserve approximately 44 hours
▪ Finishes: Circular Côtes de Genève, pearled plates and bridges, beveled bridges, blued screws
▪ Functions: Hours, minutes
▪ Blue calfskin leather cord and pocket with an 18-carat (750 ‰) white gold pin buckle
▪ Blue marquetry desk display
▪ Limited edition of 26 copies (G0A42108)
Claudie V.
