There are few finer expressions of horological art than that of ‘skeletonization’ which is the intricate reduction of dials and movements to their bare minimum in order to reveal the true, beating heart of a watch in all its mechanical glory. Creating a skeleton watch requires vision, confidence, time, and the considerable skill and experience of numerous specialists in order to combine exceptional aesthetics with dependable functionality and it is a genre for which Piaget has been renowned for half a century.
The first Piaget skeleton watches were made during the 1970s and, as with many of the Maison’s creations, they immediately attracted a high-profile following.
One of the most noted early adopters was the jazz trumpet legend Miles Davis who always turned-up to appearances with a briefcase containing a selection of timepieces, including Piaget's watches, choosing his ‘watch of the night’ just before he took to the stage. And fittingly for a man known for the intricacy and innovation of his playing, a gold Piaget skeleton could often be seen on his wrist during major performances.
And since Piaget has long been renowned for creating mechanisms of exceptional slimness, it set-out to marry its two signature disciplines by developing calibres that were both exquisitely thin and meticulously skeletonized, setting multiple records along the way by unveiling the thinnest skeleton movements the world had ever seen, variously incorporating tourbillons, moon phase displays, exquisite enameling, diamond settings, and automatic winding.
And now Piaget is delighted to announce its latest adventure presenting a fully skeletonized version of its celebrated Piaget Polo, the groundbreaking luxury sports watch created by Piaget in 1979. In order to successfully develop the Piaget Polo Skeleton, Piaget’s designers and engineers had to consider the key aspects of the Piaget Polo that have made it instantly recognizable —notably its curved case surmounted by a round bezel, its cushion-shaped dial opening, and its slim profile.
But perfecting the Polo Skeleton required a case to be created that was a remarkable 30 percent thinner than existing versions, and an evolution of the Piaget 1200S automatic skeleton movement powered by an off-centered micro-rotor engraved with Piaget coat of arms. The challenge was to maintain the bold and unmistakable look that gives the Piaget Polo its strong personality while simultaneously achieving an unprecedented combination of elegance, usability, and comfort through the thinnest case ever seen on the model. Equipped with a display case back, turning the watch over allows for full view of the movement.
Nothing short of a wearable work of art, the new Piaget Polo Skeleton comes in a 42 mm stainless steel case that is just 6.5mm thick. Available in blue PVD reference G0A45004 or slate grey reference G0A45001 , the watch is powered by Piaget’s automatic calibre 1200S1 entirely developed and produced in-house and which is a mere 2.4 mm thin. Despite the intricate appearance of the pared-down components, the new Piaget Polo Skeleton remains just as robust, reliable, and practical as the other models, featuring 44 hours of power reserve and water resistance down to 30 meters.
Additionally, the polished and satin-finished ‘H’ design integrated bracelet that has become synonymous with the Piaget Polo has also been revised in order to provide an interchangeable function, that allows the wearer to go from stainless steel bracelet to alligator strap in a matter of seconds. Each Polo Skeleton is supplied with an interchangeable leather strap adding to its versatility and lending an extra dimension to the Piaget Polo Skeleton’s already distinctive character.
Sticker Price $28,500 USD. For more info on Piaget click here.
