Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept; Customize The Watch That Won The GPHG
Piaget’s most complex watch is not a Grande Sonnerie or multi-axis tourbillon, but a modest time-only. No additional complications are added because the watch itself is the complication. With a thickness of just 2mm is the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, the world’s thinnest mechanical watch. To achieve this, every single part of the watch had to be completely redesigned. Piaget was entering a territory where nobody has gone before, not even themselves, despite already having a solid reputation of being one of the most skilled makers of ultra-slim movements.
The Altiplano Ultimate Concept has a very modern and refreshing look, with all parts visible from the front. This is almost needed, just to prove that this is indeed a working mechanical watch, as it is so thin that it goes beyond your imagination. With a watch as thin as this, there are considerable challenges. There is literally no margin for error when putting the watch together, so only the most skilled watchmakers in the world can even attempt to assemble this. As every part is so extremely thin, maintaining rigidity is of vital importance. This makes the materials they are crafted from as important as how they are made. Piaget didn’t want to make a ‘show watch’ that couldn’t be worn daily. To make the Altiplano Ultimate Concept more robust, they opted for a case made out of a cobalt alloy, which is very strong and prevents that the paper-thin case will warp when strapped around the wrist.
Piaget’s efforts did not go unnoticed. The watch got a warm welcome by watch connoisseurs and -press and won recently the “Aiguille d’Or” at the 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), the highest honor a watch can be awarded. While owning such a watch is already a privilege, clients can even customize it. When ordering one at the Piaget boutique, there is the opportunity to select not only the color of the bridge and dial but also the preferred finish of the hands and the main plate. With over 10.000 different combinations possible, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept can be tailored to any style and taste, making the world’s thinnest mechanical watch even more unique.
