Not known to many, Piaget was a pioneer in the designing and building of ultra-thin movements, a trademark of the company. They made their mark in the watchmaking world with the introduction of the ultra-thin hand-wound Caliber 9P in 1957 and subsequently, releasing the Caliber 12P in 1960 when it was known to be the world’s thinnest automatic…
In 1976, a little known (in modern time) watchmaker named Jean Bouchet-Lassale was making ultra thin movements in the fairly esoteric category of “prestige watches”. In magical terms, “the prestige” refers to the final act of an Illusionist where he performs an act of illusion so nigh miraculous and beyond common understanding that it…
Keep these three informations in mind: 1957 – 9P – 2mm. Three informations that sum up an immense technical achievement and define an icon of the watchmaking industry: the Altiplano. If we had to summarize Piaget to one single fact, it would inevitably be “ultra-thin” watches – even if this would clearly be a disappointing shortcut. Since 1957, Piaget is one of the best, if not the most significant representative of the ultra-thin concept, a story that started with the calibre 9P and its 2mm height (and now, you know why these three informations are so important). To celebrate 60 years of ultra-thin watchmaking, here is the Piaget Altiplano 60th Anniversary Collection, to be introduced at the SIH 2017.
Though as much as a jeweller as a watchmaker in the present day, Piaget started as a maker of timepieces. The brand scored one of its greatest hits in 1957 when it introduced the slim calibre 9P, one of the thinnest movements ever made. And three years later Piaget followed up with the automatic 12P […]
Shortly after announcing a sweeping management overhaul and slumping profits last month, Swiss luxury conglomerate Richemont declared it would cut 211 jobs at two subsidiary brands, Piaget and Vacheron Constantin. The axe would fall three locations – Geneva, Côte-aux-Fées and Vallée de Joux. That brought out some 300 protestors in Geneva, and another 400 outside the town hall of Le Sentier, […]
The Quill & Pad panel reflects on watchmaking’s biggest night: the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, often described as the Oscars of watchmaking. In this segment, we chat about what we liked and what we didn’t like, which watches won and why we think they did.
We also express a bit of dismay at times.
Just like the media and entertainment industry, the watchmaking world also has its awards, in the name of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève or GPHG 2016 – also known as the Watchmaking World’s Academy Awards. Last year, the Grand Prix was given to Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, with their Tourbillon 24 Secondes Inclined Vision, and a Jury Award for Watchmaking was given to Vacheron Constantin’s three master watchmakers who created what is the most complicated watch in the world, the 57260. This year, we have our own Xavier Markl attending the show and me, behind my keyboard, writing live so you can have the results as soon the ceremony finishes. And this year, the Ferdinand Berthoud Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud FB1 is awarded with the Grand Prix / “Aiguille d’Or”.
Welcome to the 2016 edition of Quill & Pad’s early Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève predictions in which the team picks favorites and explains why. In the Mechanical Exception category our panel is split, but one mechanically exceptional timepiece here did garner more votes than the others.
Piaget unveiled the Polo S in July. It was a surprise for most, being an entry-level, but still luxe, sports watch for a brand best known for its ultra-thin watches and jewellery. The inevitable and inescapable first impression of the Polo S is the resemblance to the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Aquanaut – the striped […]
Welcome to the 2016 edition of Quill & Pad’s early Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève predictions in which the team picks favorites. Our panel is divided due to the impressive number of sensational watches on offer. Find out why!