SIHH 2016 Novelties From Piaget

By Victoria Townsend | January 21, 2016

Piaget broke a record at the SIHH last year with its ultra-thin Altiplano Chronograph, the first and still thinnest hand-wound flyback chronograph in the world with the 883P movement, just 4.65mm thick housed in a case of 8.24mm.

This year, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its first in-house quartz movement – the 7P ultra-thin model launched in 1976 – Piaget presents another “first”: the Emperador Cushion-Shaped XL 700P, a concept watch that combines for the first time an ultra-thin self-winding mechanical movement with a quartz regulator for a very high degree of accuracy. Controlling the rotation speed of the regulator and the gear train, the high frequency of the quartz vibrating at 32.768 Hz also provides excellent resistance to magnetic fields and the negative effects of gravity.

Housed in a 46.5 mm white gold cushion-shaped case, with rounded black ADLC coated bezel to match the black treated caliber, the also cushion-shaped movement’s main functional features are visible on the display side, thanks to its inverted structure and the absence of a dial, revealing the superior quality of Piaget finishing.

With its stunning aesthetics, the Emperador Cushion-Shaped XL 700P is linked to the Black Tie collection. Limited series of 118 pieces. Available from June. Priced at USD74,000.

Ladies receive particular attention this year. Adding to the Altiplano collection, Piaget also presents three superb 38 mm watches for ladies from the Art and Excellence Collection. With dials illustrating one of the House’s favourite themes: roses – one with wood marquetry, a second with wood marquetry and white mother-of-pearl, and the third with the engraving of a rose motif sculpted in 18 carat rose gold with a 78 diamonds-set bezel and white alligator strap in a limited edition of 8 pieces – the timepieces are run by the manual winding ultra-thin 430P.
Other creations for ladies include the Limelight Gala, born in the 1970s, initially revisited in 2013 on a satin strap, and this year presented – in gold only – with a flexible, fluid and silky Milanese mesh bracelet that shimmers on the skin, and the Limelight Stella, Piaget’s first complication watch entirely dedicated to women, with a moon phase that provides an exceptional degree of precision.
Available in pink gold with polished or gem-set bezel, and in white gold with a gem-set bezel.