This year, Piaget reveals a one-of-a-kind tribute to one of the most significant contributions to horology in recent years: the Altiplano Ultimate Concept. A revolutionary timepiece which re-thought watch design in pursuit of the ultra-thin, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept – or AUC as it is often referred to – is one of the thinnest watches in the world, measuring a mere 2mm in depth. The unique piece is dressed up for the occasion: inscribed on the right side of the dial is 7 February 2017, the day the AUC first started ticking. ‘La-Cote-aux-Fees,’ the village in which Piaget was founded, is engraved on the exposed ratchet wheel, along with its coordinates. Most strikingly, a backdrop of Super-Luminova dots depicts the stars as they would have appeared on that date.
In a landscape of flashy tourbillons, striking watches, and astronomical complications, Piaget’s focus on slimness was rather understated. The AUC is a reminder that ultra-thin watchmaking is what the maison does best. It has produced more than a few impressively thin movements dating back to the 1957 with the development of the 2mm-thick calibre 9P. More recently, an Altiplano equipped with the 4.3mm self-winding calibre 910P won a GPHG award in 2021 – this on top of the AUC bagging the coveted ‘Aiguille D’or’ GPHG prize in 2020.
“This is the culture of Piaget,” says Benjamin Comar, CEO of Piaget. “Piaget has done ultra-thin movements forever, since the beginning. It started as a movement manufacturer. It’s important that we maintain our roots.”
“I’m very proud of this watch,” he continues. “First, for the performance. But secondly, I find it very elegant, and different from others. I think it’s the mix of elegance, and the technique that we want to show here.” He adds that this special edition is a celebration of the maison’s knowhow, and of its workforce that withstood the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a tough time, so it’s a great release for our watchmakers here in Switzerland,” he says.
Comar is a relative newcomer to Piaget, having taken up his position in June 2021 – but he is not new to jewellery. A veteran of Cartier and Chanel, he most recently headed the Italian jeweller Repossi. He describes Piaget as a ‘universe,’ built on some 60 years of jewellery and nearly 150 years of watchmaking, that combines ‘extravaganza and elegance.’ “It’s exactly what Piaget is about, to have those two values together. That’s the paradox with Piaget,” he explains. “It’s the culture of creativity, I think, that is what moves us.”
Going forward, his priority is to communicate Piaget’s history and values to its customers. “I think there are big opportunities….the level of education, of knowledge, of the customer now, with all the information flow, it’s much higher than before. I think that’s our chance to make people understand how to enter our world,” he says. “There’s authenticity here, and people understand that more and more.”
