Piaget Art & Excellence Altiplano Stone Marquetry Tourbillon Sculpting Colour
For this new edition of the SIHH, Piaget reinterprets the hard stone dials epitomising its style within its Altiplano line, ultra-thin icon and Art & Excellence ambassador. Deftly combining Fine Watchmaking mastery with the virtuoso skills of stone marquetry, the Altiplano welcomes a tourbillon and invites malachite and lapis lazuli to adorn its dial. For these two new creations embodying the pinnacle of luxury, the dial has been entrusted to the expert hands of Hervé Obligi, Maître d’Art (Master of Arts). The Altiplano malachite marquetry tourbillon and Altiplano High Jewellery lapis lazuli tourbillon models offer a masterful demonstration of the synergies between the various crafts exercised between the Piaget workshops in La Côte-aux-Fées and Plan-les- Ouates.
Technical refinement
The miniature stone marquetry technique represents a real challenge and calls for great mastery. Crafting such a dial comprises four crucial stages and requires between 2 and 3 weeks of work, during which the slightest inaccurate or clumsy move could irremediably damage the artisan’s work. Everything begins with a rough stone from which blocks are cut into extremely fine slices barely 1mm thick, compared with 3 to 4mm for traditional marquetry. Once cut, the stones are polished so as to precisely determine the tone and colour of the stone, given that reducing thickness also reduces the intensity of the colour. The choice of stones is thus essential. This year, Piaget has opted for malachite and lapis lazuli, two emblematic hard stones that the Maison has been using in its creations since the 1960s.
As the artist explains: “One of the hardest challenges is to make the colour of the stone truly vibrant by creating graphic effects on such a small surface.” The contour of each element is precisely traced on the stone using a pointed brass tool. The plate is cut into extremely thin strips using a tiny bow saw composed of a hazel tree branch and an abrasive-coated steel wire. Once cut out, the elements are adjusted and assembled with neighbouring components.
The facing thus composed is affixed to a smooth red or white gold surface before heat gluing the joints by filing the empty space between the bevelled edges with pine resin. The smooth polished stone works a unique magic, as fascinating combinations of shapes and colours give rise to an objet d’art issued in an edition of 8 truly one-of-a-kind models. The inclusions, nuances and interaction with light indeed ensure that no two are alike.
The Altiplano welcomes a tourbillon complication
In 2017, for the first time in the history of the iconic Altiplano collection, one of these models welcomes a tourbillon, one of the finest horological complications and which naturally also complies with the Piaget codes of infinite thinness. Elegance and aesthetics have always guided the technical choices made by the Manufacture de
Haute Horlogerie Piaget. Developed to ensure a perfect fit with the Altiplano 41mm case, the ultra-thin mechanical hand-wound tourbillon Calibre 670P, measuring just 4.6mm thick, features a patented arbor winding system with setting wheel. It is also equipped with a new barrel ensuring a larger power reserve that now spans a comfortable 48 hours. The decision to opt for a flying tourbillon and an off-centred hour indication, both classic Piaget style signatures, contributes to the beauty of the model. This distinctive tourbillon construction provides an opportunity to admire the ethereal delicacy of the titanium carriage, which, despite its 42 components, weighs just 0.2g. The volute stone marquetry dial motif is off-centred so as to create a “Sunny Side of Life” effect that also epitomises the Piaget style.
Piaget Altiplano malachite marquetry tourbillon (G0A43030)
Framed by a pink gold case, the splendid malachite swirls in magnificent shades of green: emerald, pine, dark and light, criss-crossed by an accurate and meticulous set of dark layers, arranged in such a way as to give the mesmerising dial a very “Sunny Side of Life” look. On the movement side, the Fine Watchmaking finishing features circular Côtes de Genève, manual circular graining on the mainplate and bridges, as well as hand-drawn and bevelled bridges and carriage. The Altiplano malachite marquetry tourbillon reference G0A43030 bears the historical Piaget logo in the hour counter.
Piaget Altiplano High Jewellery lapis lazuli marquetry tourbillon (G0A43031)
With its splendid shades of blue ranging from ultramarine to azure speckled with white and gold, lapis lazuli deploys its incomparable intensity on a dial graced with a whirling pattern highlighted by the work of the master-gem setters. While ultra-thinness is a hallmark of the Piaget identity, the equally demanding art of gem setting is equally emblematic. White gold lights up with the sparkle of diamonds. Baguette- and brilliant- cut gems totalling 5.07 carats thus adorn the bezel, case band, lugs, crown, clasp and case back, through which one can admire the Fine Watchmaking finishes featuring circular Côtes de Genève, manual circular-grained main plate and bridges, as well as the hand-drawn and bevelled bridges and carriage. The historical Piaget logo adorns the hour counter of this Altiplano High Jewellery tourbillon (G0A43031).
SIHH 2018 Métiers d’Art collection
Piaget Altiplano Malachite Marquetry Tourbillon – 41mm
Case in 18K pink gold with sapphire case back
Malachite marquetry dial set with red gold coloured hour- markers
Piaget Manufacture 670P ultra-thin mechanical hand-wound flying tourbillon movement
Thickness: 4.6mm
Patented arbor winding system with setting wheel
New barrel increasing power reserve
Flying tourbillon, (carriage suspended from a single axis) Ultra-thin, ultra-light carriage (2.8mm, 0.2g, three titanium bridges)
Diameter: 31.2mm
Power reserve: 48 hours
Frequency: 3Hz
Number of jewels: 23
Number of components: 157
Fine Watchmaking finishing: circular Côtes de Genève, circular-grained mainplate and bridges, bevelled and hand- drawn bridges and carriage, black screws on the bridge side Green alligator leather bracelet set with an 18K pink gold folding clasp
N°01/08, Boutique exclusivity
Piaget High Jewellery Altiplano Lapis Lazuli Marquetry Tourbillon – 41mm
Case in 18K white gold with sapphire case back set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 2.51 cts) and 265 brilliant- cut diamonds (approx. 2.42 cts) and crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.09 ct)
Lapis lazuli marquetry dial set with silver-toned coloured hour-markers
Piaget Manufacture 670P ultra-thin mechanical hand-wound flying tourbillon movement
Thickness: 4.6mm
Patented arbor winding system with setting wheel
New barrel increasing power reserve
Flying tourbillon, (carriage suspended from a single axis) Ultra-thin, ultra-light carriage (2.8mm, 0.2g, three titanium bridges)
Diameter: 31.2mm
Power reserve: 48 hours
Frequency: 3Hz
Number of jewels: 23
Number of components: 157
Fine Watchmaking finishing: circular Côtes de Genève, circular-grained main plate and bridges, bevelled and hand- drawn bridges and carriage, black screws on the bridge side Blue alligator leather bracelet set with an 18K white gold folding clasp set with 24 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.05 ct)
N°01/08, Boutique exclusivity
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