New Release
Z3's live report from SIHH 2010 offers a crucial look at Piaget's strategic shift towards elegance and ultra-thin movements, a timely counterpoint to the era's trend of larger watches. His detailed coverage, particularly of the Altiplano and Polo novelties, provides invaluable context for understanding Piaget's enduring commitment to its heritage of thin watchmaking. This report captures a pivotal moment as Piaget reintroduced its thinnest automatic movements, the 1200P and 1208P, paying homage to the iconic 12P.
PuristSPro's 2010 SIHH Live Reporting by Z3
Piaget 2010 Novelties
In recent years everything has gotten bigger and bulkier. Perhaps with the recent economy, the brands have finally realized that human arms are not growing at the same pace as watch-dial diameters, and this race to grandiosity might have gone a bit overboard. This year, there are some refreshingly welcome signs that some brands are now shifting down a gear and focusing more on elegance.
Piaget's main focus this year is their ultra-thin automatic movement 1200P and 1208P (with sub-second). At 2.35mm, these are currently the thinnest automatic movements on the market.
This is a tribute to Piaget Calibie 12P in 1960, the world's thinnest movement at that time.
The new Altiplano, housing these two movements, is only 5.25mm thick.
Here are the featured novelties:
Altiplano "Anniversary Edition" (celebrating the 40th anniversary of Cal. 12), with Cal. 1200P. 43mm diameter.
WG ($23,000) and RG ($21,000). 235 pcs each.
Altiplano 43mm, with 1208P.
WG ($19,900) and RG ($18,900)
Altiplano Double Jeu, now with 24 hour dial on the bottom layer.
Calibre 833P (top), Calibre 832P (bottom)
WG ($32,000), RG ($31,000)
Altiplano Gem-set Skeleton in 40mm. Diamond set case AND movement.
WG ($90,000)
Calibre 838PS
Finally, the only novelties in the Polo series are the two Polo Forty-5 with transparent dials.
Chronograph and Time-only. Same movement as before. I guess many of us, yours truly included, were a bit off earlier in our speculation of Piaget's 2010 introductions=)
I think these two new dials are quite futuristic, pushing the Polo case deeper into the extreme-sport end of the spectrum. Very attractive I have to admit...
All in all, a pretty focused and sensible collection. Bravo Piaget, for reminding the world what a superb and true manufacture that you are!
Yours truly,
Jon (Z3)
This message has been edited by Z3 on 2010-01-21 17:11:35 This message has been edited by MTF on 2010-01-23 23:04:57No more white background date disc. Woo hoo! And they altered the date display so it looks like a single date register rather than the 3 date register found in the original model. Looks much better this way IMO. I was hoping to see a black PVD version, so hopefully maybe next year? Cheers, Anthony
I am usually adverse to any "tech-look" watches that many fine watchmaking brands have recently brought out e.g. Chopard LUC and Audemars Piguet are two of the more reputable makers. I don't have to mention the lesser brands that hopped onto this 'hot tamale train' I make an exception for this particular model by Piaget because it ACTUALLY improves on the original design. The raison d'etre for a 'precious titanium' watch was to appeal to some younger, sportier, nouveau riche, aspirational crowd
Z3, We were so focused on the 1208P and 1200P successors to the iconic 12P movement introduction, that we would have missed the subtle , but maybe 'momentous' announcement of the modified Polo FortyFive dials. Why? Because, PIAGET is demonstrating that it listens to clients (and PuristS). Perhaps a bit too whingingly, we bitched about the date disc arc in general, and about the white disc background on black dial watches. Some of our younger fans wished for more avant garde design. Others wanted
Thanks for all the great pics.
...I can now totally say that this watch redesign gets two big thumbs up from me (and yes, the red makes this watch POP!). I can't wait to see this new Polo 45 in the flesh!!! This watch is everything it should be: strong, youthful, brazen AND elegant. Thank you, Piaget! Cheers, Daos
Exciting stuff from Piaget! The new Polo FortyFives are WINNERS! One of my favorite new designs of SIHH 2010! Thanks for all the pictures! Cheers, Daos
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