Piaget

PIAGET SIHH 2008 Real pictures

Previously, we saw official press photos in a flash report from Geneva click here

Here are photos by Anthony Tsai since his return from SIHH 2008; thanks Anthony!

The highlights from Geneva are:

There are plans to add to the current 55 Piaget Boutiques worldwide at 10 new boutiques/year for the next 3 years. This makes sense, as Piaget ramps up it's mechanical movement production and new markets start to appreciate it's watchmaking heritage.

There are 2 new calibres in 2008:

perpetual calendar 855P

skeleton movement 838P

There have been 17 new movements in 11 yearrs; all Created and Developed in-house

Maggie Cheung is a new international Piaget ambassador.

Maggie Cheung and Philippe Léopold-Metzger CEO PIAGET at the announcement of Piaget International Ambassador

In case you are wondering, Maggie won Best Actress award at Cannes Film Festival 2004

Altiplano skeleton XL 18-carat white gold case

Dial: Silver-coloured flange, grey hour-markers

Manufacture Piaget 838S hand-wound skeleton movement

Functions: hour, minute, small seconds at 10 o'clock

Movement thickness: 2.7 mm

Number of jewels: 19

Power reserve: Approximately 65-hour

Cadence: 21,600 vph

Casing dimensions: 12’’’ (26.8mm diameter)

Finishes: circular Côtes de Genève, sunburst guilloché motif, circular-grained bottom plate, bevelled and hand-drawn bridges, blued screws

Black alligator leather strap and 18-carat white gold pin buckle

Ref.G0A33115

Shining example of the Polo Automatic Chronograph

Altiplano 18K Pink Gold

Altiplano 18K White Gold Ref. G0A33112

Piaget Emperador Coussin Perpetual Calendar White Gold Ref.G0A33018

Piaget Emperador Coussin Perpetual Calendar Pink Gold Ref.G0A33019

Paris - NYC Limelight Collection

Some more Piaget photos

Piaget Emperador 18-carat pink gold case

Dial: Silvered sunburst hour-markers,18-carat pink gold applied hour-markers and Piaget coat of arms

Manufacture Piaget 551P mechanical self-winding movement

Functions: hour, minute, small second at 10 o'clock, power reserve indicator at 6 o'clock

Movement thickness: 4.95 mm

Number of jewels: 27

Power reserve: approximately 40 hours

Cadence: 21,600 vph

Casing dimensions: 9’’’ (20.5 mm diameter)

Finishing: circular Côtes de Genève, bevelled hand-drawn bridges, blued screws

Brown alligator leather strap with 18-carat pink gold pin buckle

Ref. G0A33070

Perpetual Calendar 855P Back exploded view

Perpetual Calendar 855P Front exploded view

Perpetual Calendar 855P Front and Back exploded view

PuristS' Opinion

When we held the Watching Perpetually PuristS 2008 event click here , I was very conscious that there were no Piaget perpetual calendars represented. We could not reveal the SIHH 2008 novelties like the 855P movement above.

You would have thought that this complication would have been introduced last year, so that we don't have to wait 4 years before the next Leap Year to test our new Piaget Emperador Coussin Perpetual Calendars, eh?

But they are pretty form watches and pretty useful because we have a 2nd time zone display with a 2nd set of hour and minute hands. That is so much easier than only an extra hour hand or a 'digital hour' display. The Manufacture 855P movement keeps to the tradition of Piaget with thin movements. Anyone can make a complicated watch if they put it inside a 'tuna can' on the wrist.

But, to make perpetual calendar movements only 5.6mm thin? Now, that is a mark of a REAL Manufacture with a history going back more than 130 years. With last year's stunning Tourbillon Relatif and Double Time Zone Flyback Chronograph (880P - also 5.6mm thin), Piaget continues to stun with extra thin mechanical movements.

Of course, the 2.5mm movement 838P in the Antiplano just rams home the message - Piaget is back where mechanics and technique used to rule. Truly deserving of the Emperador title of one of their popular ranges.

Is it any wonder that our PuristS' on Tour 2008 visit is to Piaget later this year?

I can't wait..................

Regards,

MTF