Piaget

The New Boy on New Bond Street: Piaget’s London Boutique.

Old Bond Street was always the hive of activity for the jewelers to the Crown. In more recent times, it has become the centre for London watch salesrooms and at long last, there is a Piaget Boutique on Old Bond Street alongside other watchmaking names. Only just opened (within the last week), the Piaget Boutique is an oasis of calm and serenity in a city that otherwise buzzes with shoppers up and down the thoroughfare. The Boutique is actually 3 floors. There is the ground floor where there are cabinets and displays of the various watches and jewelry pieces; on the first floor is a private shopping area where customers can view watches and jewelry in private. It has a safe door that is operated electronically and comes decorated with the pattern of the Emperador Tourbillon. On the second floor is a reception area for functions with collectors. The London Boutique is part of the total subsiduary for the UK and the brand is managed in the UK by the erudite, exacting, and friendly management of Nicolas Mohs.

[Nicolas Mohs in the Boutique’s upstairs reception area]

[Original artwork adorns the Boutique]

[The ground floor Boutique area where the watches are on display]

[The staircase up from the ground floor to the first floor reception lounge]

[The first floor reception lounge with the electronic door closed]

In a time where the watch world is looking east, it shows the importance of London to the watch industry that Piaget has chosen to open a dedicated Boutique on Old Bond Street. London is very much a crossroads to the world; it is the city that binds most of the east to the west of the globe, and is generally the gateway to Europe. The Greenwich Meridian might define London’s importance after all.

But for the watch enthusiast and collector, the great reward with the dedicated Piaget Boutique is the watches that are available. There are pieces in the Boutique that are not available to the usual Piaget dealers. The watches are wholly manufactured and sold within Piaget. Limited editions in the very sense of the term and Nicolas was kind enough to allow me to photograph and try them on. It will come as no surprise that my favourite was the Altiplano Platinum Boutique edition. A subtle pattern to the dial, a slate grey colour, and a perfect balance on the wrist.

There was also a white gold skeleton version with an innovative pattern to the bridges.

For the sports watch collector who wants a chronograph to wear with more formal attire as well as on the sports field, the modern Piaget Polo Forty-Five collection is a definite consideration. Nicolas showed me 3 versions; all 3 of which are limited editions. The first a limited edition of 500 in steel and titanium, with a display dial and sub-dials highlighted in red; very contemporary and very modern. Second was an all blue version that is named after Piaget’s polo ambassador Marcos Heguy and is a limited edition of 45. The blue colouring reflects Heguy’s Argentinian background. The other was for the Manhattan Classic (with Veuve Cliquot colouring) Polo tournament in New York (on Governors Island). Apart from this one example, all other editions of this watch (the other 9) are available through the New York Boutique. On the wrist, with a suit, the thinness of the Piaget chronograph movement, and therefore the case for the watch, fits below the cuff of a shirt. It looks distinctive and elegant, as well as being a sports watch. The price is not astronomic as some sports watch special editions and represents a chronograph sports watch as a truly limited edition.

Piaget have also launched more specialized women’s watches that once again comes in a Boutique limited edition. Called the Limelight City, it houses a specially made automatic Piaget movement, and is a very modern looking watch, but nonetheless feminine on the wrist.

[On the wrist – and definitely not my wrist!]

I, for one, will be making myself familiar with the Piaget Boutique in London. Nicolas and his staff at the Boutique are knowledgeable and expert, as well as congenial and welcoming. I would recommend to anyone to drop by and say hello, see the watches for yourself.

Andrew H This message has been edited by 219 on 2010-10-25 10:46:22