When the worlds of fine watchmaking and influential art collide, magic happens. Piaget, a name synonymous with bravura creativity and horological finesse, strikes once more with the Andy Warhol Watch ‘Collage’ Limited Edition, a capsule collection borne out of its close partnership with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
Piaget’s rich heritage, stretching back to Georges-Edouard Piaget’s atelier in La Côte-aux-Fées in 1874, has always embraced artistry and technical innovation. In Warhol, whose presence in Pop Art needs no further introduction, Piaget has discovered a muse whose obsession with collecting, colour, and pushing boundaries finds perfect expression in this latest creation.
The dial forms the heart of this spectacular piece. Drawing from Warhol’s iconic polaroid collage self-portraits and the vibrancy of Pop Art, Piaget has channelled his fearless use of colour. Gemstone marquetry, an ancient Métier d’Art, takes centre stage here, with the dial constructed over a base of black onyx, which echoes the aesthetic of Warhol’s own Piaget watch acquired in 1973. For the watch are used delicate slices of ornamental stones: yellow Namibian serpentine, pink opal, and green chrysoprase. These are skilfully shaped, cut, and arranged to form an abstract, vivid tableau.
The execution is masterful, a tribute to both Warhol’s relish for chromatic energy and Piaget’s savoir-faire. The riot of colour is framed by a stepped 45mm case in 18-carat yellow gold, chosen as a nod to Warhol’s original piece and otherwise unavailable in the contemporary Andy Warhol Watch collection. The dial’s abstract composition, at once a subtle homage and bold reimagination, is both art object and wearable treasure.
Within, the watch is powered by Piaget’s own 501P1 calibre. Slim and elegant, this self-winding mechanical engine offers a 40-hour power reserve, assuring consistent precision befitting its lineage. The movement is decorated with circular Côtes de Genève stripes, adding dynamic visual depth to its bridges and rotor. A detail never overlooked by Piaget’s ateliers – the finishes enhance the mechanical landscape beneath the caseback. The 18-carat yellow gold case back itself is adorned with a vertical satin-brushed finish and an engraving that unites Piaget’s logo with Warhol’s signature and a rendition of the original self-portrait on which the dial is based.
The case displays a grand presence at 45mm, with pronounced stepped detailing that is both architectural and era-evoking, recalling Piaget’s reference 15102 from its early 1970s catalogue. The gold, lush and luminous, creates both a haptic and visual continuity with Warhol’s personal taste and the brand’s historic commitment to noble materials.
The green leather strap, deep and rich in hue, complements the dial’s palette, lending a sophisticated frame to the jewel-like face without distracting from its complexity.
Piaget has always believed in the marriage of technical innovation and creative audacity. This is evident in every facet of the Andy Warhol Watch ‘Collage’ Limited Edition. The watch stands as a piece whose artistry is matched only by its engineering. In limited release of only fifty pieces, this is a timekeeper with rarity and resonance. The collaboration between Piaget and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts demonstrates an unbounded freedom, where the watch does not so much reproduce Warhol’s most famous motifs, but rather interprets his spirit through the lens of Piaget’s own taste for colour and craft. With this, Piaget once again proves that horology is an art, and that true brilliance lies in the uncanny meeting of mind, hand, and imagination.
Piaget Andy Warhol Watch ‘Collage’ Limited Edition Technical Specifications
Reference: G0A50243 – 77‘500 €, Limited to 50 pieces
Movement
- Calibre 501P1
- In-house self-winding mechanical movement
- Power reserve: 40 hours
- Functions: Hours, minutes
- Decorations: Circular Côtes de Genève on bridges and rotor
- Engraved oscillating weight featuring Andy Warhol’s self-portrait, Piaget logo and Warhol’s signature
Case
- Material: 18-carat yellow gold
- Diameter: 45 mm
- Thickness: (not specified)
- Shape: Cushion, stepped construction inspired by Piaget reference 15102
- Finishing: Polished and satin-brushed surfaces
- Case back: Solid 18k yellow gold, vertical satin-brushed, engraved with Andy Warhol self-portrait and legends
Dial
- Material: Gemstone marquetry
- Base: Black Onyx
- Ornamental stones: Yellow Namibian serpentine, pink opal, green chrysoprase
- Layout: Abstract composition echoing Warhol’s polaroid collage self-portrait from 1986
- Technique: Marquetry using the Métier d’Art
Strap
- Material: Green leather
- Attachment: 18-carat yellow gold pin buckle
Presentation
- Supplied in special packaging referencing the collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
