A new evolution of the ultra-thin Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept (AUC) is here. It looks a lot like its predecessor, the watch that won the Aiguille d’Or GPHG in 2020, which is only 2mm thick and was the thinnest watch in the world at the time. Like its predecessor, it has a case that doubles as a baseplate, made of a bend-resistant cobalt alloy. Similarly, it has a crown that seamlessly blends into the case edge when not in use, and has a thickness of just 2mm and a diameter of about 41mm.
Unlike its predecessor, though, the new timepiece has a tourbillon. Yes, that makes it the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon, which has somehow managed to squeeze it into a space that essentially remains unchanged from the previous time-only watch.
Although the AUC Tourbillon retains some of the aesthetics of the previous watch, including the skeletonised barrel, off-centre time dial, and general layout, 90 per cent of its components had to be redesigned. Piaget is no stranger to ultra-thin movements, and its portfolio includes the tourbillon calibre 670P—but that, by itself, is already 4.7mm thick. After 70 prototypes of the tourbillon cage and 30 for the case frame, the answer was found: the AUC Tourbillon has a tourbillon fixed along its perimeter, held in place by a ceramic ball bearing that drives its one-minute rotation.
The other problem was power, with tourbillon movements requiring up to 25 per cent more energy than ones without. The mainspring was re-developed to be slightly thicker and hence more powerful, and, throughout the movement, pivot points were dropped in favour of more energy-efficient ball bearings. With some components being as thin as 0.2mm, the machining involved had tolerances as low as two microns.
The AUC Tourbillon has a dark blue PVD-treated case, which is paired with gold-coloured elements on the dial, including the hands and hour markers, tourbillon perimeter (which also acts as a seconds indicator), and the Piaget logo—as well as an ‘1874’ on the right side. This is Piaget’s founding year, which makes 2024 its 150th anniversary.
With a history of elegance and ultra-thin watchmaking that started with the calibre 9P in 1954, the launch of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon is proof that this old watchmaker still has a few tricks up its sleeve.
