The Piaget Rose Collection welcomes two new rings and four new timepieces that each depict a whole bouquet of glorious and lavish Piaget Roses. The Piaget Rose timepieces have been interpreted with an array of Métiers d’Art over the years, including micro mosaic, wood and stone marquetry, embroidery, engraving, guilloché, and miniature enamel. This year sees the arrival of four new timepieces that combine a mesmerizing mix of gold engraving, ornamental stones, glyptic, and enamel.
The Piaget Rose is best-known as one of the Maison’s exquisite jewellery collections, but it is also the name of an award-winning flower named after Yves Piaget. This rose comes in a unique and vibrant shade of fuchsia and is appreciated for its large bloom with 80 layers of petals and its fragrance that features hints of citrus.
Ever since he was a child growing up in La Côte-aux-Fées, Yves Piaget has been fascinated by the wildflowers around him. “I remember these wild roses that we called églantines with affection. They would grow at altitudes of 1,000 metres.” In addition to his work at Piaget, he was committed to promoting this unique flower and his life-long passion for roses was rewarded in 1982, when the rose created by the Maison Meilland, and which won the International new Rose Competition, was named after him. Honoured by this gesture, he offered an 18-karat gold, life-sized rose to each new winner of the competition for several years. He has since created the Monaco International Rose Competition, which awards a trophy donated by the Maison Piaget.
The Piaget Rose was born in 2002 in the Maison’s High Jewellery collections and has continued to bloom ever since. Piaget dreamed up elegant gold and diamond bouquets, which were followed by creations featuring diva-pink tourmalines and candy-pink opals. Over the years the Maison has created an array of jewels inspired by the Yves Piaget Rose.
This year Piaget is presenting two rings and four timepieces in a bouquet style that accentuate the rich colours, textures, and volume of a beautiful bunch of Piaget Roses. More delightful than ever, this year’s Piaget Rose creations celebrate generosity and the beauty of sharing. Each piece is designed and developed by the artisans in Piaget’s “Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire”, but also introduces collaborations with external craftsmen and women who are leaders in their artistic fields.
Piaget Rose Ring
Two delicately-crafted Piaget Rose rings join the collection in a choice of pink or green. Pink for the vibrant colour of the Piaget Rose petals and green for the deep hue of the flower’s foliage. At the centre of each ring, a stunning tourmaline of approximately 5 carats is surrounded by gold and diamond buds, and Piaget Rose flowers. Each layer of rose petals is meticulously finished and set before being mounted on the ring in an asymmetrical design. The original and audacious setting is inspired by Piaget’s high jewellery creations and shows an exceptional level of detail that even includes a delicate “Rose ajourée” openwork decor that is secretly hidden on the back of each ring. It takes an impressive 50 hours of craftsmanship to complete each ring.
Extraordinary Colours
The tourmaline, also called indigolite or indicolite, is named after the colour indigo. Tourmalines usually come in a deep indigo blue but can also come in a shade of greenish/blue which is intense and luminous in colour. This vibrant greenish/blue brings an impressive depth to each gemstone. The indicolites selected by Piaget come in this greenish/blue colour and are very joyful, a mood that is reflected in all of Piaget’s creations.
These greenish/blue tourmalines are rare and sought-after gemstones. It is extremely difficult to find blue/green tourmalines with such a perfect tone and saturation balance that are not too dark in colour.
The delicate rose-coloured tourmaline has been prized by jewellers for centuries. This exact shade of colour and size is also quite rare to find. Tourmalines are appreciated by jewellers for their hardness and tenacity that means they can stand the test of time. They have also become increasingly rare as the few known deposits are now almost exhausted, adding to the magic of the tourmaline.
Extraordinary cuts
The large pink and green tourmalines are cut into an oval shape, which is the best cut for coloured gemstones to allow the colour to be concentrated where the eye can see it and maximize brilliance and shine. All the stones are also cut in accordance with Piaget’s extremely high-quality standards.
Extraordinary details
The green tourmaline ring comes in rose gold with 154 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.69 cts), one oval green tourmaline (approx. 4.92 cts) and 8 pearshaped green tourmalines (approx. 1.36 cts). The pink tourmaline is set in a white gold ring with 154 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.69 cts), one oval pink tourmaline (approx. 4.94 cts) and 8 pearshaped pink tourmalines (approx. 1.36 cts).
Glyptic and enamel art timepieces
The Piaget Rose timepieces have been interpreted with an array of Métiers d’Art over the years, including micro mosaic, wood and stone marquetry, embroidery, engraving, guilloché, and miniature enamel. This year sees the arrival of four new timepieces that combine a mesmerizing mix of gold engraving, ornamental stones, glyptic, and enamel.
Ornamental stones have been dear to Piaget since the 1960s and the art of micro-sculpting and engraving them is called glyptic or glyptography. Glyptic is mainly used on large stones in jewellery, and it is rare to see it on this miniature scale. Each of the four dials depicts a bouquet of Piaget Roses in all their splendour thanks to the expert work of two artisans: Dick Steenman, who is a watchmaking artisan, jeweller, gem-setter, and engraver, and Anita Porchet, the watch industry’s most renowned enamel artist. Both artists have years of experience and are leaders in their respective fields.
Dick Steenman has created several glyptic timepieces and jewellery for Piaget, including an Extremely Piaget hand-engraved emerald cuff bracelet, a one-of-a-kind Golden Oasis Glyptic & Enamel timepiece, and a Wings of Light timepiece to name a few. His favourite mediums include miniature gold and glyptic sculpture and he never ceases to push the boundaries of his creativity by fusing watchmaking and jewellery techniques.
Anita Porchet has been collaborating with Piaget since 2006, and is renowned for her mastery of all the enamelling techniques, from the most complicated miniature, to cloisonné, champlevé, grisaille and paillonné. In the intimate surroundings of her atelier, surrounded by hundreds of small bottles containing precious powders in every shade imaginable, she experiments like an alchemist mixing them together to create the perfect colours. Armed with her tools, she masterfully applies her paints before firing the enamels in one of her kilns. As the colours set, her artistic vision turns into reality.
Together, Anita Porchet and Dick Steenman have created four unique dials using gold, imperial jasper, coral, chrysoprase, mokaïte, enamel, and mother-of-pearl of various colours. These ornamental precious stones and materials have been combined with Piaget’s ultra-thin 430P movement in the creation of four exquisite limited editions of eight pieces.
The creative process
Each dial comes to life in the hands of Dick Steenman who sculpts and engraves each miniature Piaget Rose in gold so that Anita Porchet can add the perfect shade of enamel. Dick also sends Anita the stones so that she can research the exact hue of colour. Once the enamel is completed, these delicate elements are returned to Dick who works the glyptic of each ornamental stone and meticulously re-sculpts the edges of some of the enamel petals, a process that is not without risk. He also delicately hollows the centre of the flowers to prepare them for the setting of the diamonds, sapphires, and tsavorites that will become the pistils. The final process is the assembly of the final bouquet, which is a real-life puzzle that demands utmost dexterity.
The challenges
Each dial takes at least a month to complete due to the numerous challenges that arise. Firstly, it is important to have the perfect alloy of 22-karat gold to obtain the richest colours of enamel. This is important so the flowers do not oxydise in the kiln or burn around the edges during the enamelling process. Secondly, the stones are particularly fragile and can easily break or crack. Each stone has its own set of constraints: Opals are very fragile, coral can change colour, and rhodonite and chrysoprase are extremely hard and difficult to work with. Dick had to create his own tools and techniques to work each stone and he uses a combination of oils, paste, and diamond powder for the final polishing. Even this step requires utmost attention as it is easy to over-round the petals.
The enamelling process is equally intricate as Anita must not only position the enamel onto a shaped surface but also be attentive to the thickness of the enamel so as not to cover up the underlying sculpture. She must also find the perfect enamel colours, which are unique to each timepiece. She pays particular attention to each colour scheme so that they perfectly match the gemstones, as well as bring light and movement to each petal as it catches the light. Add to these challenges the fact that the dial is only millimetres thick and must respect all the tolerances of a mechanical timepiece further increases the complexity of the creation process for both Maîtres Artisans.
All four limited editions come in an ultrathin 36mm, 18-karat gold cases set with baguette-cut diamonds. Three of the four timepieces are adorned with ornamental stones as well as pink sapphires, green tsavorites and diamonds. The fourth one features an engraved solid gold dial adorned with pink sapphires amethysts and diamonds. Each timepiece is limited to eight pieces.
This audacious and creative series of limited editions celebrate the entire bouquets of Piaget Roses. Bouquets that are so beautiful, you can almost smell them!
Piaget Rose novelties Technical Specifications
Piaget Rose Ring Ref. G34UW500
– 18K rose gold
– Set with 1 oval-cut green tourmaline (4.92 cts), 8 pearshaped green tourmalines (approx. 1.36 cts) and 154 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.69 cts)
Piaget Rose Ring Ref. G34UX200
– 18K white gold
– Set with 1 oval-cut pink tourmaline (4.94 cts), 8 pearshaped pink tourmalines (approx. 1.36 cts) and 154 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.69 cts)
Piaget Rose Altiplano – Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art Ref. G0A46216
– Diameter: 36mm
– Thickness: 7.6mm
– Watch in 18K rose gold
– Piaget Manufacture ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical 430P movement
– Functions: hours, minutes
– Power reserve: 43 hours
– Case set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 1.63 cts) and 279 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.47 cts). Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.06 ct)
– Dial with ornamental stones glyptic, gold engraving and enamel. Set with 9 brilliant-cut green tsavorites (approx. 0.02 ct) and 37 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.18 ct)
– Coral alligator strap with 18K rose gold ardillon buckle set with 23 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.04 ct)
– Limited and numbered edition of 8 pieces
– Boutique exclusivity
Piaget Rose Altiplano – Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art Ref. G0A46217
– Diameter: 36mm
– Thickness: 7.6mm
– Watch in 18K rose gold
– Piaget Manufacture ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical 430P movement
– Functions: hours, minutes
– Power reserve: 43 hours
– Case set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 1.63 cts) and 279 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.47 cts). Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.06 ct)
– Dial with ornamental stones glyptic, gold engraving and enamel. Set with 28 brilliant-cut pink sapphires (approx. 0.14 ct), 8 brilliant-cut green tsavorites (approx. 0.02 ct) and 10 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.05 ct)
– Pink alligator strap with 18K rose gold ardillon buckle set with 23 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.04 ct)
– Limited and numbered edition of 8 pieces
– Boutique exclusivity
Piaget Rose Altiplano – Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art Ref. G0A46218
– Diameter: 36mm
– Thickness: 7.6mm
– Watch in 18K rose gold
– Piaget Manufacture ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical 430P movement
– Functions: hours, minutes
– Power reserve: 43 hours
– Case set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 1.63 cts) and 279 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.47 cts). Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.06 ct)
– Dial with ornamental stones glyptic, gold engraving and enamel. Set with 14 brilliant-cut pink sapphires (approx. 0.07 ct), 11 brilliant-cut green tsavorites (approx. 0.02 ct) and 24 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.12 ct)
– Raspberry alligator strap with 18K rose gold ardillon buckle set with 23 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.04 ct)
– Limited and numbered edition of 8 pieces
– Boutique exclusivity
Piaget Rose Altiplano – Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art Ref. G0A46219
– Diameter: 36mm
– Thickness: 7.6mm
– Watch in 18K rose gold
– Piaget Manufacture ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical 430P movement
– Functions: hours, minutes
– Power reserve: 43 hours
– Case set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 1.63 cts) and 279 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.47 cts). Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.06 ct)
– Dial with gold engraving. Set with 23 brilliant-cut pink sapphires (approx. 0.12 ct), 6 brilliant-cut purple amethysts (approx. 0.04 ct) and 12 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.06 ct)
– Pink alligator strap with 18K rose gold ardillon buckle set with 23 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.04 ct)
– Limited and numbered edition of 8 pieces
– Boutique exclusivity
Anita Porchet, Enameller The Infinite Beauty of Masterpieces in Miniature
Overlooking the idyllic and serene Vaudois countryside in Switzerland, Anita Porchet painstakingly perfects the ancient art of enamelling with patience and passion. In the intimate surroundings of her atelier, surrounded by hundreds of small bottles containing precious powders in every shade imaginable, she experiments like an alchemist mixing them together to create her perfect colour. Armed with her tools, she masterfully applies her paints before firing the enamels in one of her ovens. As the colour sets, her artistic vision turns into a reality.
Anita Porchet did not choose the art of enamelling; it chose her. When she was just 12 years old, her godfather, a self-taught enameller and engraver initiated her to the art form that was to become her lifelong passion. She furthered her training at the École des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne, honing her skills with miniatures, and spending the early part of her career working with enamel in jewellery before focusing on creating enamel pieces for the watchmaking industry.
Anita Porchet is renowned for mastering every enamelling technique, from the most complicated miniature, through cloisonné, champlevé, grisaille or even “paillonné” for example. She has even been known to seamlessly mix them to create the most artistic effects. Whatever the technique, she is a master at playing with light, shades, transparency, creating minuscule tapestries, layering colours one after the other to achieve exquisite nuances.
While the world beyond the walls of her atelier is fast paced and reliant on technology, Anita Porchet’s world is one of absolute calm and focus. Enamelling is an art of perfection that requires the artist to slow down and be patient. Working on a miniature scale is demanding, and unforgiving. If she leaves her art in the fire for a few additional seconds, her work may be ruined, but she knows that for an enameller, only perfection is good enough.
Despite the many challenges that come with this decorative art, Anita Porchet thrives on being tasked with achieving the impossible, to push boundaries, to create new colour mixes or new artistic effects. The possibilities are endless. Apart from her trusted microscope that allows her to achieve the level of detail required from a master enameller, she works entirely by hand with her paintbrushes, her clips, and her tweezers. Fire brings the finishing touch to her miniature masterpiece, lighting it up with a magnificent colourful hue. With her own unique style and her flawless technique, she gives every watch dial luminosity, brilliance and incomparable beauty, expressing herself through an infinite palette of colours.
Anita Porchet has been collaborating with Piaget since 2006, a long-term relationship that has given the artist the opportunity to hone her skills on watches, and given her permission to push the boundaries of her art, taking bold risks to bring her artistic vision to life.
Dick Steenman – Watchmaking Artisan: Creativity without boundaries
Jeweller, gem-setter, engraver and designer, Dick Steenman’s vast savoir-faire makes him a master of many metiers associated with the art of watchmaking. While Dick Steenman may have found his way by accident into the world of fine jewellery and diamonds, it is not altogether surprising that he followed this path. Creativity, attention to detail and patience are qualities that must run in his family. His mother created her own enamel jewellery pieces, while his father spent much of his free time repairing antique clocks.
Born in Amsterdam, Steenman followed his parents to Geneva when he was just 12 only to find himself feeling homesick and return home at the age of 16. The first job he found was with a
diamond dealer, marking the beginning of a life-long passion with precious stones. Determined to turn his passion for diamonds into a profession, he returns to Geneva to start an apprenticeship with an independent jeweller. Thus starts a period of discovery as the young apprentice experiments with every facet of jewellery and watchmaking to fully understand all the skills that contribute to the making of an exceptional piece. Indian lapidary artisans teach him gem-cutting skills, master engravers initiate him to the art of fine engraving and Anita Porchet the master-enameller introduces him to collaborating in the making of dials where enamelling is combined with engraving.
Independent at heart, he sets up his own business in his kitchen in 1989, offering his specialized services to different manufactures. On a constant journey of discovery and always searching to expand his horizons, he refines his skills by interacting with different crafts and carefully studying the gestures of other artists. During his trips to Japan, he deepens his engraving expertise, re-discovering an ancient chiselling technique that was forgotten in Europe centuries ago but still used to decorate Japanese sabres and hunting rifles.
Surrounded by young artisans and technicians who support him in creating works of art that can often take months to complete, Dick Steenman can focus on letting his imagination run free through his favourite mediums. Including miniature gold or glyptic sculpture, he continues to push the boundaries of creativity by fusing watchmaking and jewellery with his jewelled watch cases and dials. For Piaget, he lends his engraving skills to the creation of magnificent dials by patiently and meticulously carving patterns out of gold or ornamental stones, creating subtle textures of gold and glyptic.
About Piaget
Piaget epitomizes daring creativity – a quality that has continued to permeate through the Maison since its beginnings in 1874. From his first workshop in La Côte-aux-Fées, Georges-Edouard Piaget devoted himself to crafting high-precision movements in a feat that formed the very foundations of our pioneering name. In the late 1950s, Piaget unveiled the ultra-thin movements that would later become the Maison’s trademark and the cornerstone of the Altiplano collection. As a true innovator of the watch and jewellery world, Piaget strongly believed in creativity and artistic values. It is within the walls of our “Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire” where master artisans continue to harness rare skills that have been preserved and perfected from generation to generation, transforming gold, stones and precious gems into dazzling works of art. Through its pursuit of masterful craftsmanship, the Maison has created emblems of daring excellence channeled into its collections including Altiplano, Piaget Polo, Limelight Gala, Possession, Piaget Sunlight, Piaget Rose and Extremely Piaget.
