Piaget, this top-level watch that is coveted by countless prominent families today, experienced nearly a hundred years of development before it took off.
In 1874, Georges Edouard Piaget started out as a movement maker. In 1940, Piaget's grandson opened up the international market for Piaget's development. In 1956, Piaget launched an ultra-thin movement. Since the 1960s, Piaget has been committed to the research of complex movements while developing the design of top jewelry. From designing and making wax models to setting gemstones, Piaget has always adhered to the purpose of excellence. Its "cuff watches" and "coin watches" are outstanding in design and are treasures among Piaget watches.
Since its founding in 1874, Piaget has always been committed to enhancing creativity, refining details and integrating watch and jewelry craftsmanship to reflect the style of a high-end brand. Piaget originally specialized in the research and manufacturing of watch movements. Later, it further extended this exquisite skill to jewelry craftsmanship, and was therefore able to launch its first jewelry watch in the 1960s. Piaget has the ability to constantly surpass itself and excel, and is particularly good at developing rare, precious and unique works.
Piaget entered the world of fine jewelry more than 50 years ago. Since then, Count has become more than just a surname, but a synonym for in-depth and rich professional knowledge. The enchanting watches and accessories are all works of art that took watchmakers hundreds of hours to create. Perhaps only in this way can they live up to PIAGET's reputation. Whenever we look back on the 130-year history of Piaget, there is a kind of enthusiasm condensed in jewelry and time. That kind of atmosphere is touching.
Founder
Editor
Piaget was founded by 19-year-old Georges Edouard Piaget in 1874. Piaget is still In his name, he inherited and created the count's creative history.
Officially launched
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In 1945, after the Second World War, the first watch engraved with the Piaget logo "PIAGET" was officially launched. This ultra-thin nine-wire running device, the first of its kind, was the result of diligent research by Piaget watchmakers and is still the main design basis for the mechanical watch series.
Piaget watches and Rolex watches inherit the meticulous Swiss watchmaking skills and are known as one of the eight wonders of the world, together with the pyramids of Egypt, the giant land of Nazca in Peru, and mainland China. It is as famous as the Great Wall of China, the Moai Statue on Easter Island in the Pacific, the underground city of Kabadiki in Turkey, the "sky city" of Chu Picchu in Chile, and the "Aiyas Rock" in Yulara National Park in Australia.
In recognition of the honor that Piaget has brought to the Jura Mountains in Switzerland, the Swiss government named the village of La Cote-aux-Fees, the origin of Piaget's watchmaking workshop, as Piaget Village.
Development History
Editor
Earl Family
1874 - 1942 Historical Origin
Georges Edouard Piaget settled down in La C?te-aux Fées, a small village in the Swiss Jura Mountains, and decades later became synonymous with luxury and precision watches. He first established the first watch workshop in his farmhouse, specializing in producing high-quality movements with precise performance for famous Swiss watch brands. The prosperous watchmaking business quickly developed into a family business; and Piaget's reputation became famous far and wide. The watch movements made by Piaget are all made with unparalleled exquisite craftsmanship. They are highly recognized by all walks of life and have won a high reputation for the brand's watchmaking workshops. In 1911, Timothée Piaget took over the family business from his father George, and upheld his father's passion for watches and his consistent insistence on quality.
1943 - 1955 Own brand
The spirit of bold innovation, courage to try and never give up is deeply rooted in the blood of the Piaget family.
Therefore, in order to allow the family business to operate permanently, Piaget, which specializes in the production of movements, decided to register Piaget as a brand name in 1943 and make it by itself in the La C?te-aux-Fées watchmaking workshop. Launch and sell watches bearing the "Piaget" logo. Under the helm of Gérald and Valentin Piaget, the grandsons of the founders, the Piaget brand has expanded its territory around the world, and its popularity is increasing day by day, showing a completely new look; orders from all parties are pouring in. , every customer wants to have his or her own Piaget watch. Only the equipment of the watchmaking workshop was modernized, but it was not enough to meet the needs of the time. As a result, a brand-new factory was opened in La C?te-aux-Fées in 1945, and it was decided to take a new approach and start investing in the research and development of ultra-thin movements.
Slim movement
Repeated innovations from 1956 to 1963
Piaget’s outstanding watchmaking skills have written beautiful chapters in the history of watches. In 1957, Piaget's watchmaking workshop in La C?te-aux-Fées launched the famous 9P hand-wound ultra-thin mechanical movement; in 1960, Piaget's watchmakers launched the 12P movement with a thickness of only 2.3 mm. It is the world’s thinnest self-winding movement. The advent of these two movements inspired the unrestrained creativity of Piaget designers and created a variety of exquisite and unique watches. The jewelry watches produced by Piaget have opened a new page in the history of watches. The complex parts are placed in the slim movement. In addition to jewelry watches that are beautiful both inside and outside, Piaget also launches gold coin watches, ring watches, brooch watches, and even cufflink watches. At the same time, Piaget also launched the brand's jewelry series for the first time, and in 1957 produced the Emperador watch, a classic masterpiece in the history of men's watches. In addition, Piaget also established a jewelry workshop in Geneva and established the first Piaget store in 1959.
Luxury watches
1964 - 1978 Style first
Piaget’s exclusive technology for producing ultra-thin movements and exquisite craftsmanship for making jewelry give Piaget a unique There are two major advantages. Having expertise in one skill is the key to entering the palace of creativity; mastering two professional skills at the same time and insisting on bold innovation can stimulate the spark of creativity. Piaget's dazzling and innovative designs have earned the brand an international reputation and a reputation in the field of luxury watches and precise performance. In 1964, Piaget first launched a series of watches with dials made of lapis lazuli, turquoise, black onyx, tiger's eye and other gemstones, which shocked the watch industry at the time. Then, the cufflink watch launched by Piaget also caused a lot of discussion and became a classic symbol of luxury watches. Piaget adhered to the spirit of advancing with the times and launched the 7P quartz movement, the smallest at the time, in 1976. Since then, bold creativity and unique expression techniques have become Piaget's brand style.
Fashion accessories
1979 - 1987 were in full swing and highly recognized
Piaget won the favor of the market with its unique creativity and constantly introduced new products. Through exquisite watch and jewelry craftsmanship, Piaget constantly challenges itself and strives to reach the highest level. For Piaget, the spirit of independence, restrained and refined magnificence, insistence on finding new ways, and striving for product style innovation are the meaning of bold creativity. The starting point of Piaget's creativity is particularly focused on conceiving the watch as a fashion accessory, launching styles that are in line with trends and are timeless. The Piaget Polo series, which came out in 1979, has both avant-garde and classic characteristics. It is a masterpiece of watches that is loved by celebrities. The Dancer series of watches launched in 1986 also successfully won recognition from all parties. Piaget dedicated this series of splendid jewelry watches to women who were free from traditional burdens at that time and realized their dreams. Since 1980, Piaget, under the leadership of Yves Piaget, has continued to pursue outstanding taste.
Jewelry
1988 - 2000 Unlimited creativity and exquisite products
In 1988, Piaget joined the group that was later renamed Richemont. Piaget's business still follows the fine traditions of the past and is growing day by day.
In 1990, Piaget launched its first jewelry series - called Possession. The freely rotating double ring design was inspired by the philosophy of people getting along with each other. The Possession series, which symbolized the "art of embracing", also achieved unprecedented success. Then, the Limelight series came out, adding a Hollywood-style fashion style to jewelry. The Miss Protocole series, which is equipped with a watch strap that can be replaced at any time, and with its unique creativity, won enthusiastic response from the market when it was first launched in 1998. In terms of watches, the simple, classic and elegant Altiplano ultra-thin watch series was launched in 1998. Next, Piaget also used contemporary creativity to reinterpret the brand's classics from the 1950s, and launched the Emperador series equipped with excellent and complex movements in 1999. As for Piaget’s exclusive complex high-end watch skills, it is vividly displayed in the newly launched Black Tie series.
Enter Geneva
2001 - 2003 Millennium, new atmosphere
In response to the booming development of the company, Piaget established a new fine watchmaking factory in Geneva Square, officially opened in 2001. In this factory with comprehensive division of labor, more than 40 watch and jewelry departments are gathered together, and they cooperate seamlessly with the watchmaking workshop in La C?te-aux-Fées, allowing Piaget to satisfy customers in the shortest possible time. needs. In 2001, Piaget Polo, a classic masterpiece that symbolized the 1970s, regained its youthful vitality with a new look. In 2002, the garden-themed Magic Reflections jewelry series debuted. The following year, Piaget added jewelry watches to the Limelight series to convey the brand's pursuit of fashion. During this period, Piaget's watchmakers also conceived a variety of exquisite mechanical movements, among which Piaget's first self-made 600P tourbillon movement attracted the most attention in the industry. The world’s thinnest rectangular tourbillon movement is only 3.5 mm thick.
Watches
2004 - 2005 Continuing the Historical Heritage
Piaget founder Georges Piaget probably never thought that Piaget would be able to celebrate its 130th anniversary in 2004 . I believe that if he knew that Piaget has never stopped pursuing boldness and innovation in the field of watch and jewelry creation over the years, he would be proud of it, because this is Piaget's unique master style. Piaget's Possession series immediately became a classic masterpiece in the jewelry industry after its launch. Just add another watch to achieve perfection. So the Possession watch was born in 2005, allowing you to travel freely through the endless flow of time.
In-house chronograph movement
2005 - 2010 Visionary
Since 2005, Piaget has become one of the few manufacturers that can make its own chronograph movement. Only 5.6 mm, it is a chronograph with flyback and dual time functions, and retains the brand’s inherent elegant appearance. In 2010, Piaget updated its basic industry: the watchmaking workshop designed a new set of ultra-thin movements to pay tribute to the legendary 12P movement launched 50 years ago. The new generation 1200P and 1208P movements are 2.35 mm thick, making them the thinnest self-winding movements on the market. The various masterpieces are rooted in the creative spirit for which Piaget is famous and are a powerful testament to its creator’s motto: always do better than what is required.
Time Gallery
Editor
Earl's Time Gallery aims to lead visitors to explore through more than a hundred treasures and historical documents. The characteristics of Piaget, let’s review Piaget’s development from 1874 to the present. This exhibition gallery displays the whims of Piaget, a watch and jewelry expert, and its rich historical heritage from different angles.
A legend
Editor
In the late 1970s, trends suddenly changed, styles changed, and tough and handsome neutral styles became popular. In 1979, Piaget followed the trend, subverted tradition, and created a new aesthetic fashion of elegance and ease. The Piaget Polo watch was born. The initial models used round or square cases, all made of precious metals, and diamond-set models were also launched. Later, they developed into men's and women's watch series, and derived a variety of different models.
In 2001, the Piaget Polo watch series launched a new large-scale watch, reinterpreting the brand's classic series and injecting fresh vitality into it. The new watch adopts a large-size dial with a very geometric shape and an ergonomic and exquisite convex design, making it extremely comfortable to wear.
The beauty of ultra-thin
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Ultra-thin is one of Piaget’s core cultural and historical heritages. Since the launch of the legendary 9P and 12P ultra-thin movements with excellent performance in 1950, Piaget has been famous in the industry for introducing various technological innovations and creating ultra-thin watches with unique styles. It has dominated the art of fine watchmaking for many years. The pinnacle, enduring.
Recently, Piaget regained the title of "the world's thinnest mechanical watch". The Altiplano 38mm 900P they designed is only 3.65mm thick - you know, most electronic products cannot do this. thickness.
Previously, this record was held by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Today, Piaget lowered this record by 0.4 mm. They used a unique trick: Usually, mechanical watches have a movement that controls the movement of the hands, and the movement is usually hidden in a small box. The movement of this watch is directly embodied in the fuselage, eliminating the need for a container to hold the movement.
This can be said to be the crystallization of the development of science and technology and engineering. Every part of the watch requires extremely high accuracy and the craftsmanship is extremely fine.
Brand Story
Editor
In 1874, 19-year-old Georges-Edouard Piaget founded the Piaget brand, and the name of Piaget has always been Still in use today. Piaget is obsessed with pursuing perfection and carrying forward its superb skills. Piaget’s two watch factories in C?te-aux-Fées and Geneva in the Jura Valley bring together more than 40 professional skills. Original and exquisite craftsmanship is the magic weapon for the brand's long-term prosperity and the driving force for the brand's sustainable development.
Jewelry watches
Since its founding in 1874, Piaget has been the leader in the two fields of jewelry and watchmaking. Jewelry watches are elegant and luxurious, combining traditional culture with pioneering spirit. From the famous 9P ultra-thin manual winding movement to the world's thinnest 600P tourbillon movement, they fully reflect Piaget's extraordinary watch and jewelry craftsmanship, its innovative spirit of inheriting the past and its passion for precious materials such as gold and diamonds. The love of love and the ability to constantly create miracles and surprises.
Brand Milestones
1874 George. Georges Edouard Piaget established the Piaget watchmaking workshop in La C?te-aux-Fées. Manufacturing of precision watch movements began in the family farmhouse.
1911 George’s son Timothy. Timothée Piaget inherited his father's business, and Piaget had become a supplier to many leading watch brands at that time, providing mechanical movements for brands such as Omega, Cartier, and Vacheron Constantin.
1943 The Piaget brand was officially registered. From then on, all watches shipped from the factory were marked with the Piaget brand.
In 1945, the grandsons of the founder of Earl, Gérald and Mrs. Warren. Valentin Piaget proposed an operational strategy to expand the territory. Opened a new factory in La C?te-aux-Fées.
1956 The world’s first manual winding ultra-thin movement, Caliber 9P, was launched.
In 1957, Piaget decided to focus only on precious metal production (gold and platinum). Soon, Piaget's watchmakers began making jewelry watches.
In 1959, Piaget's first store opened in Geneva.
The 12P movement was launched in 1960. It is the world’s thinnest self-winding movement and is therefore listed in the Guinness World Records.
In 1961, Piaget gradually acquired and integrated small gold watch case and bracelet manufacturers in the Geneva area.
In 1964, Piaget launched a new watch series with semi-precious gemstone surfaces, which amazed the world.
In 1969, Piaget contributed to the birth of Switzerland’s first quartz movement.
1976 The 7P movement was launched, the smallest quartz movement at the time; the "Dali d'Or" series was launched in cooperation with the painter Salvador Dali; a new factory was established in Geneva , since then, the production of watches and bracelets has been integrated in the same factory, while the movement is still manufactured in the La C?te-aux-Fées factory.
In 1980 Eve, the fourth generation descendant of the Earl. Yves Piaget was appointed vice president and general manager of Piaget.
In 1988, Piaget and Cartier became members of the Richemont Group.
In 1992, a large-scale exhibition focusing on Piaget's private collection was opened at the Palazzo Reale in Milan, displaying the outstanding works of Piaget's watchmaking workshop for half a century.
In 1997, the Count was commissioned by the Venice Municipal Government to carry out restoration work on the 500-year-old bell that had stood on the San Marco bell tower since 1499.
In 2001, the new Piaget high-end watch manufacturing factory was established in the suburbs of Geneva, integrating more than 20 professional processes for watch and jewelry production into the same factory. Movement production is still made in La C?te-aux-Fées, and a complementary relationship has been established with this new factory.
In 2002, Piaget created the 600P tourbillon movement.
In 2004, Piaget celebrated its 130th anniversary.
In 2005, Piaget launched the Pierre and Gilles series of advertisements and opened its 40th store in Riyadh.
The 2006 Piaget Limelight Party disco ball won the Best Jewelry Watch of the Year award at the Geneva Haute Horlogerie Awards.
2007 Piaget launched the first self-winding chronograph movement 880P movement (flyback chronograph, dual time)
2009 Piaget Polo series has dominated the watch industry for 30 years. It is not only The symbol of the Piaget brand is a timeless classic.
Chronology of Major Events
In 1979, the Piaget Polo series was launched and became a symbol of the upper class.
In 1986, the Dancer series of classic watches was launched.
In 1990, the Possession jewelry series was launched, which particularly showed the dynamic nature of jewelry.
In 1998, the Miss Protocole watch series was launched, with interchangeable straps with various characteristics; the Altiplano ultra-thin watch series was launched.
In 1999, the Piaget Emperador series was launched. Its design was inspired by the watch launched in 1957, and combined with the precision movement developed by Piaget, it won many awards. The Limelight series was launched, with a rich shape and clear structure. A dazzling collection of diamond jewelry.
In 2001, the Upstream watch series was launched. The front-opening case is its biggest feature and is full of original spirit. The new Piaget Polo watch was launched, showing a luxurious attitude in a casual and comfortable way like the original style.
In 2002, the Magic Reflections jewelry series was launched. Its design is drawn from the garden, which provides Piaget with a rich source of design inspiration.
The 2003 Limelight series has been enriched by adding new jewelry watch styles, fully displaying the spirit of the Piaget brand.
In 2007, the Limelight series Magic Hour watch was launched, which presents three different fashion styles in three ways of wearing. The exclusive and secretly developed hidden mechanical mechanism technology adds to the mysterious charm of the watch.
In 2009, the Piaget Polo FortyFive watch series was launched. Four new commemorative watches are made of titanium metal and reinterpret the brand's classics in a sporty style.
Classic
Editor
Real watchmaking workshop
In the Piaget workshop, the word "manufacturing" can be said to be the most famous one. True to form. More than 40 different divisions of labor among watchmakers began in 1874, with a rich history and continuous innovation. From simple concepts to technically complex watches or glamorous jewelry, Piaget directly controls all processes and technologies.
Whether in Geneva or La C?te-aux-Fées, the different technical forms owned, preserved and developed by Piaget provide the brand with a unique creative vision. Through the full integration of the production process, from the manufacture of movement components to the final polishing of the case, Piaget enjoys absolute creative freedom, ensuring the authenticity of its timepieces from the inside out. This is why the Piaget brand is unique in the serious market of high-end watches and is proud to be one of the rare genuine watchmaking workshops. Piaget also has profound jewelry setting capabilities and has a professional jewelry workshop that sets more than one million pieces of jewelry every year.
Piaget is one of the few watch brands that can design, develop and produce its own movements. The pursuit of excellence and the development of new movements demonstrate Piaget’s amazing ability to innovate. Its unique performance in ultra-thin movements and innovative interpretations in complex watches have made the brand a leader in traditional corporate and artistic watches.
Ultra-thin movement Piaget can be called a pioneer in the field of ultra-thin movement creation. In 1957 and 1960, it launched the world-famous 9P manual winding movement and 12P automatic winding movement, respectively. The world's thinnest manual winding movement and automatic winding movement at the time. After this, the 430P, 450P and 438P self-made movements were launched, with a thickness of only 2.1 mm. It requires exquisite craftsmanship and technology to meet the strict requirements of ultra-thin movements. Piaget is good at perfectly combining superb technology with outstanding creativity; using slim movements to develop noble and elegant men's watches and jewelry watches set with precious stones. Piaget's perfect craftsmanship has made Piaget famous, and the Altiplano series, a gift from the brand, further creates a distinctive brand personality.
The skeleton movement Piaget's floating tourbillon movement is the world's thinnest rectangular tourbillon movement (3.5 mm thick), and its skeleton watch shows endless charm. The Piaget brand has the motto of surpassing oneself and challenging the limits. Piaget's engineers, designers and watchmakers spent an extra 12 months of hard work to develop this exquisite, ingenious, fascinating, complex and complete floating movement. The radial sun-engraved checkered pattern runs through the case and tourbillon, and cuts out 60 lines, symbolizing 60 seconds of time, and has become an immortal classic. The hollow diamond-set tourbillon watch is a unique design in the world. The gold watch bridge inlaid with precious gems exudes unprecedented brilliance. The superb shape perfectly integrates watch and jewelry manufacturing technology. Each skeleton tourbillon movement holds several patents and is assembled by the same watchmaking technician.
As an enamel technique in the field of miniature painting, enamel technology is gradually being lost. Today, craftsmen who are proficient in enamel techniques are very rare. The enamel master first grinds and cleans the coarse enamel into a fine powder. Then mix it with essence and sticky oil to make colorful powder. The pattern on the enamel is colored layer by layer with a brush, and each layer of enamel needs to be fired at a high temperature of 800 degrees. Only by practicing on the spot can you master the accurate heat. The more difficult the subject matter, the more pure and passionate the colors used by the enamel master. Finally, it needs to be fired several times. The famous Geneva technique makes the enamel transparent or melted, making the pattern rich in depth. Each enamel work requires nearly 20 firings, and watchmakers must rely on rich experience to judge the color effect after multiple firings. Enamel is fragile and brittle, and the production process is like walking on thin ice. A small mistake will ruin all previous efforts and start all over again.
Surface decorationSurface decoration is crucial in the watchmaking process. Excellent decorative craftsmanship can make the watch reach a flawless state. To measure the value of a watch, in addition to the function of the movement, its surface decoration is also one of the keys. Different movements require beveling, polishing, matte, blue light treatment, dot grinding, "C?te de Genève" Geneva wave decoration, engraving, hollowing and other processing processes to complete. To achieve perfect results, the case and bracelet must also undergo the same process. Polishing and inlay techniques are used to the fullest, and even the tiniest flaws cannot escape the watchmakers’ meticulous observation. The installation of the bracelet is also another important point that Piaget pays attention to; in order for the bracelet to fit with different shapes of wrists, it must go through an extremely complex production process, and the installation of the bracelet requires exquisite skills. Simple steps such as the hour scale or the 18K buckle cannot be ignored; each part needs to be processed with the meticulous attitude and technology of the watchmakers to create the most perfect watch.
Golden carving technique The gold carving technique used by Piaget in the watch is not a simple image carving, but can be regarded as a three-dimensional sculpture that gives the watch vitality. The engraver carefully carved out the outline of the watch from a single piece of gold brick, and fine-tuned the optimal physical weight according to the size of the case. The next step is to carefully carve the appearance details of the watch, and the intricate and delicate details will appear until the complete appearance is formed. The entire production process is done by hand, and a variety of carving knives are used due to technical requirements, including blade molds, round-mouth carving knives, trimming carving knives, etc.
The jewelery experts at Piaget Gemology insist on selecting only the highest quality precious stones. When selecting diamonds, they must meet the highest standards of color (D to G) and purity (IF to VVS). All diamonds are tested to rigorous internal standards. Whether carat, color, cut or purity must be meticulously identified by experts. Gem experts travel the globe in search of ideal rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds. For example, in order to provide the most perfect princess-cut gemstone or cushion-cut gemstone, experts go to great lengths to find gemstones that satisfy watchmakers. The jewelry skills of Piaget's workshop have been passed down from generation to generation, and their creativity has continued to last for a long time. It has become the largest jewelry workshop in Geneva. Piaget is a member of the CRJP (Council for Responsible Jewelery Practices) organization. All our diamond supplies comply with the Kimberley Process' ethical business practices.