2013 was a very important year for Piaget with the unveiling of several new key watches. These watches are, as you know, the Altiplano Automatic Date, the first Altiplano with an additional complication:









And the Minute Repeater which highlighted the skills of the Manufacture:




Some novelties were evolution of pre-existing models like this PG version of the Automatic Skeleton Altiplano:

This Emperador Automatic Tourbillon was featuring a new dial style which was purer than the previous version one:

I don't forget obviously to mention the set watches...

... including the pieces from the Couture Precieuse collection inspired by the world of fashion:

And the Gala which remains a superb ladies' watch! I love its sensual curves!

We already have a good view of what Piaget is preparing since the Manufacture has already invited us to a mythical journey:
piaget.watchprosite.com

But more precisely, what are your expectations?

Something new in the Altiplano collection? Why not a  38 or 40mm Automatic without the date display?
A new complication for the Gouverneur collection?
And what about the Polo?

A lot of questions but hopefully we will have the answers very soon now!

I take the opportunity to wish a very happy new year to all the Piaget fans!

Fx

 

His

Hers

Before

After

MTF

Ay miseria, too many temptations!



or



I don't know at the end!

Fx

something that will make me go ahhhh !

Hopefully this year will be it since I've been hoping for several years already.

Cheers,
Anthony

Fx

but I think what I want is what the Piaget design team will not venture to because it would probably alienate its core Piaget customer.  But hopefully one day!

- AT

Anthony,

That may seem like a strange statement but let me explain.

Certainly, there was a 'core customer' during the boom years of the 1960s and 1970s. It was the "jet-set" who bet on the horses at Ascot and watched tennis in Wimbledon before the fashion season in Paris let to the concert season in Vienna and Christmas ski-ing in Gstaad.  Piaget watches and later jewellery sold by direct salesmanship or word-of-mouth.

As every gentleman had to wear a tuxedo almost every week, an ultra-thin watch was 'de rigeur' and Piaget was the thinnest.  Today, the pool has widened and although every gentleman still needs one Piaget watch for formal occasions, more sporty watch types are needed.

There was almost a blank slate for the Piaget Polo FortyFive. It had to belong to the Piaget Polo (always both words must be used together since 'polo' is generic word) range so some design motifs prevailed. 

The size could be big and really 45mm is enough, although the curved case makes it smaller than a true 45mm tuna can from the competition.

The case could be titanium, which is a diversion to the previous 'precious metal' rule.

So, what is a Piaget "core" customer? I think there are two aspects  -  the brain and the heart.

The brain:

People who understand watchmaking and the Piaget historic expertise by supplying most of the big names with watch components and even making watches with other brand logos.

They appreciate the extra skill to make all their movements and watches the thinnest of their type. There is no need to have a perpetual calendar watch being thick "tuna cans".

The heart:

This is more about the eye than heart. The design aesthetics seen by the eye affects the heart...."I want that watch".  Even if they don't care about the movement details, they know its a Piaget inside and that is enough said.

Piaget Polo 2013

Having said that, there has been a change in design rules at Piaget. The Piaget Polo FortyFive has influenced the change of more aggressive design for the new Piaget Polo case sneaked in last year under the radar due to the brouhaha about the Minute Repeater.

This leaves the Gouverneur line to wave the more conservative flag. 

Piaget Gouverneur Chronographe

Look forward to more "sporty" Polo FortyFive is my speculation.......

Regards,

MTF

Take for instance - FP Journe.  I like how he's gone out of the box and designed some sporty dials with bright colors. 

 FP Journe's basic model is the traditional design (see below).

The following 2 are examples of what I consider Journe thinking out of the box and making some bold watches.

Look at the use of colors in the design - both on the dial and hands.

I would love for Piaget to do something like this with their Polo FortyFive line.  I think it would attract the younger generation to its line IMO.

Cheers,
Anthony