Piaget combines creativity and watchmaking expertise in an ultra-thin skeletonised sports watch – the Piaget Polo Skeleton. Some forty years after the initial launch, the new watches benefit from the brand’s extensive experience in both ultra-thin and skeletonisation to reveal a colourful contemporary approach. This is why I chose to review Piaget’s blue versions of this year’s novelties: the steel variant and the diamond-paved white gold.
To better understand the beauty and the technicity of these two pieces, let’s have a look at the official presentation videos and some wrist-roll (unfortunately, the light was not the best). These images also bring the movement construction in focus, revealing some of its inner details.
https://youtu.be/rzwLdgYS80s
Released at the end of the ’70s, the Piaget Polo was the casual-chic piece that was destined to become an icon. As a brand’s first fully integrated bracelet, it combined technical sophistication with aesthetic elegance (source here). The Polo evolved in time, keeping always the pace with the style and the technology.
Easily recognisable case
Regardless of steel or gold, the Piaget Polo Skeleton comes in a 42mm diameter case reduced to a thickness of only 6.5mm. And we all know that is… very thin!
We find the familiar case finishes: a horizontal brush dominating the face of the bezel, followed by a polished chamfered side. This combo can also be found on the caseband. The lugs are slightly bent and quite short, making the wear comfortable even for a smaller wrist.
The white gold version presented today features a delicate diamond set. The setting is realised with various sized diamonds, handpicked to fit perfectly the bezel area in which are mounted, totalling a number of 56 brilliant-cut diamonds, respectively 1.59 carats. The setting is exceptional – it is clearly one of the details where Piaget shows its mastery.
The crown, in the case’s material, is designed to be proportional to the watch’s thickness. It might appear a tad too small for the case’s 42mm diameter, but it has a good presence and does not go unnoticed. The Piaget “P” logo has its own place in the show contributing to the elegant balance. The setting and winding are pleasant.
The backside of the watches reveals the round caseback fixed with eight screws. The generous sapphire crystal makes room for the light to enrich every detail of the fully visible Calibre 1200S.
The Piaget Polo comes with a fast-changing strap system, using the classic straps and easy change spring bars, making the choice and change of the strap an easy task. I have to admit that I like a lot this system – having the chance to wear today’s favourite strap from another watch or even brand is a plus. Don’t get me wrong, the strap selection from Piaget is cool, but if you have a favourite outsourced strap, you will have no issue wearing it on your Polo.
The integrated bracelet combines “H”-shaped polished links with horizontal brushed inner links. The brushing is fine and comes as a logical consequence of the bezel’s brushing. The bracelet is not as heavy as I expected and offers a pleasant experience.
Dial – not entirely missing
While the skeletonisation tends to steal the show, the time reading is still fairly possible. The blue accents of the movement offer quite a bold face on which, the hands and indexes are well visible.
Twelve steel or gold triangular indexes are equally dispersed as hours’ indexes on a chapter ring. For better legibility, the chapter ring was printed with minute indexes interrupted by the Piaget name between 10 and 11 o’clock and by the “Swiss Made” at 6 o’clock.
The skeletonised minutes and hours’ hands are quite long to permit a precise reading. While the skeletonisation took a lot of mass from the hands, they were faceted to reflect light. In this way, the skeletonised movement is kept well revealed while the legibility is still ok.
Modern, but elegant – Calibre 1200S
Piaget Polo Skeleton is powered by the manufacture calibre 1200S. This movement has royal heritage, being a direct descendant of the legendary Calibre 12P (An interesting article about the 12P movement can be found on Quill&Pad). To achieve its 2.35mm thickness (one of the thinnest automatic mechanical movements in the world), all of its components were reduced as much as possible. In this way, some of the gears measure only 0.12mm. Also, the free space between the wheel was reduced to 0.1mm leaving no room for unwanted tolerances.
The stripping down of material and tolerances was done without compromising the technical features. The Piaget 1200S features a balance stop, a power reserve of approximation 44 hours and a platinum of-centric rotor weight that takes care that the 3Hz escapement has enough energy stored in the skeletonised barrel.
The 189 components movement is bearing the modern touch through its wild blue colour – the Piaget blue and the interesting architecture, still paying a tribute to classic haute horlogerie. The skeletonised mainplate reveals a sunburst fine brushing, well visible in the light. The brushed bridges are bevelled by hand and finished with a superb polish. Some of the wheels are also skeletonised and adorned with satin-brushed circular or sunburst motifs. Everything is kept in place by black screws on the plate and bridges, polished blind tapped screws and blind bolts. The polished heads make a nice contrast with the bevelled slots.
An entire show is offered by the slate grey platinum oscillating weight. The weight features the Piaget name engraved on the watchmaker’s side (this time well visible due to skeletonisation) and the Piaget coat of arms.
It’s all about creativity: beauty and technicity
Piaget is all about audacious creativity and pushing boundaries. Technical expertise was always used as a way to liberate beauty from physical constraints. And beauty was always used as a characteristic of the mechanics. Another important characteristic of the Maison is colour. The brand has always played with materials and colours to bring a bit of eccentricity in a world dominated by just a few (kind of boring now) shades. A look that was first achievable with precious stones, is now possible due to technological evolution. The brand speculated the new creative ways and presents daring but representative colours – the Piaget blue.
The new Piaget Polo Skeleton benefits from all mentioned above to provide a complex and complete experience. A relatively large watch becomes extremely enjoyable due to a reduced thickness. I’ve met ladies collectors quite withdrawn towards the new Polo by the unusual thickness/diameter ratio. The watches are comfortable on the wrist and offer a restrained or bold experience (depending on what is wristed: the steel or paved bezel white gold ). Piaget Polo Skeleton is a choice for those who put accents on heritage and expertise.
Piaget Polo Skeleton Technical Specifications
Piaget Polo Skeleton Ref. G0A45004
– Steel
– 42mm case, 6.5mm thinness
– Piaget manufacture self-winding skeleton movement 1200S
– Blue skeleton dial
– Slate grey coloured oscillating weight
– Sapphire case back
– Funct ions: hours, minutes
– Power reserve: 44 hours
– Interchangeable steel bracelet with interchangeable alligator strap, integrated folding clasp
Price: CHF 28 700 / 29 300 € / £ 26 500 / $ 28,500 / 43 500 S$ / HK$ 226,000 / CN¥ 230,000 / AED 117,000
Piaget Polo Skeleton White Gold Diamonds Ref. G0A46010
– Diameter: 42 mm
– Thickness: 6.5 mm
– Watch in 18 K white gold
– Bezel set with 56 brilliant-cut diamonds 1.59 cts
– Piaget manufacture self-winding blue skeleton movement 1200S1
– Slate grey coloured oscillating weight
– Sapphire case back
– Functions: hours, minutes
– Power reserve: 44 hours
– Self interchangeable blue alligator leather strap with white gold folding clasp
Price available upon request
Piaget Polo Skeleton Gallery
