This year's SIHH in Geneva saw Piaget combine 136 years of watchmaking nous with a keen eye for high jewellery design, resulting in a number of extraordinary watch collections for women including the standout Limelight Gala diamond watches. For men the highlight is the Emperador Coussin Ultra-Thin Minute Repeater, the slimmest of its kind ever made.
With its stylish curves and gem-set bezel featuring a trail of progressively sized brilliant-cut diamonds, the Limelight Gala collection whispers of Piaget's glamorous initial foray into jewellery watches in the 1960s. From the classical simplicity of a Limelight Gala in white gold with black satin strap to the high-voltage brilliance of the Limelight Gala in white gold, set with 62 brilliant-cut diamonds and with a dial pavéd with 228 brilliant-cut diamonds and a bracelet pavéd with 451 brilliant-cut diamonds, the Limelight Gala is a knock-out.
Couture Précieuse, initially unveiled at the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris last autumn as a jewellery and watch collection, aims even higher in the high jewellery stakes. Each of the watches within the collection is as much a jewel as a watch, from the signature gold-weave gold chain cuff watch (this year with a selection of dials) to the feather-light wave of a high jewellery cuff watch in rose gold, set with 194 brilliant-cut diamonds.
Alongside the breathtaking high jewellery timepieces Piaget also unveiled a true watchmaking wonder: the Emperador Coussin Ultra-Thin Minute Repeater. With a calibre measuring 4.8mm and a 9.4mm case - the fourth major complication to be designed, developed and assembly built entirely by Piaget - the Calibre 1290P minute repeater sets a slimline record as the world's thinnest automatic movement.
With a strong resurgence of the Altiplano at this year's show, Piaget proved just what makes this horological show of shows so exclusive.
For more Piaget on The Jewellery Editor, have a look here and here.
Read more about Piaget's cuff watches from the 1970's here.
