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Piaget Make The Competition ‘Green With Envy’ With World’s Thinnest Watch

Earlier this year in February, DMARGE made the bold call that the ‘next big thing’ in watches would be green dials… And it seems as if our prediction has come true, as this year’s Watches & Wonders – the industry’s biggest trade show – has seen a flood of green watches unveiled by some of the world’s top watch brands.

Tudor has unveiled green Black Bays made with precious metals. Cartier has revived the classic green Must de Cartier Tank. Panerai has literally gone green with some very eco-friendly (and colourful) models. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

But the most impressive green watch of the show might just be Piaget’s contribution to the growing craze: the new Altiplano Ultimate Concept ‘Tribute To La Côte-Aux-Fées’ (ref. G0A46503). Not only is this mechanical marvel the world’s thinnest watch, but it also features one of the most elegantly executed green colour schemes we’ve seen on a watch for a very long time.

Since the mid-20th century, Piaget has been the undisputed leader in ultra-thin watches and movements. The Altiplano Ultimate Concept is their latest record holder and a true work of art that last year was awarded the watchmaking world’s highest honour: the top prize of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève; the prestigious Aiguille D’Or.

Piaget have continued the celebrations in 2021 with this special version, dedicated to the Swiss Jura village of La Côte-aux-Fées where Georges Edouard Piaget founded the company back in 1874 and where the design, development and creation of every ultra-thin Piaget movement has been carried out. The deep forest green of the ref. G0A46503 is a homage to the verdant, bucolic landscapes that inform the artistry of Piaget’s watches.

Precision personified: a profile shot of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept shows just how thin it really is.

Measuring up at an astounding 2mm thick (or rather, thin) and weighing only 14.2g without the colour-matched alligator leather strap, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept’s cobalt alloy case is so slight that only 0.12mm separates the movement from the wearer’s skin.

Adding to the watch’s clean look is the unique crown, which has been re-invented to take the form of a flat, telescopic system (with its own, bespoke winding tool) that fits flush with the case band. A semi-skeletonised design shows off the groundbreaking 900P-UC movement for all to see, which despite its thinness, boasts a 40-hour power reserve – more than watches many times thicker than the Altiplano Ultimate Concept. The green of this reference in particular really makes it pop, too.

Just this watch would be enough to satisfy most watch fans but the Altiplano Ultimate Concept ‘Tribute To La Côte-Aux-Fées’ was but one of a score of timepieces Piaget unveiled at W&W.

Other highlights, such as new additions to the Polo Skeleton line and haute joaillerie in the Limelight Gala collection, can be discovered at Piaget’s virtual boutique.

Tank Must

The 80s was a colourful period and a time of real innovation in the watch industry. It also saw the release of the Must de Cartier Tank, a highly colourful, more accessible reimagining of the iconic Tank watch that has since become a cult classic.2021’s new Tank Must range pays direct homage to that groundbreaking collection while introducing some thoroughly modern innovations, and might just be the most exciting Tank range in Cartier’s oeuvre.As seen above, there are three new large models with red, green and blue dials that closely resemble the 80s’ models, but the range also includes also the SolarBeat Tank Must: Cartier’s first solar-powered watch. With photovoltaic cells cleverly disguised behind the numerals, this clever piece can run for 16 years without a service.The Tank Must case design itself is a particularly tasty interpretation of the Tank: very round, very smooth and very slim, it has a sort of universality to it that you could imagine it equally at home paired with a shoulder-padded suit and pumps or a denim jacket and Air Jordan sneakers.

Pasha de Cartier

Another classic 80s design from Cartier is the Pasha de Cartier. An unabashedly grandiose design that predicted the rise of unisex fashion long before Europe’s famous fashion houses started to pay attention, the Pasha has been the focus of a revival over the last twelve months, spearheaded by a diverse crew of celebrity ambassadors.Watches & Wonders has seen Cartier add a 41mm chronograph model to the range, which masterfully pairs the idiosyncratic and artistic nature of the Pasha with the sportiness of a racing timer.It’s a watch that definitely marches to the beat of its own drum. A rotating bezel, chronograph pushers with cabochons that reflect the Pasha’s distinctive crown and an ultra-legible yet magnificently guilloched display… It’s the horological equivalent of Sydney Sweeney drifting a Porsche 911.RELATED: Sydney Sweeney Reinforces ‘Dream Girl’ Status With Porsche Stunt

Cartier Privé

L-R: the Cloche de Cartier in pink gold, platinum and yellow gold.

Cartier Privé is the brand’s collector-focused watch collection, and features some of its boldest, most playful designs. Think the Salvador Dalí-esque Crash or the aggressively chic Tank Asymétrique. W&W 2021 has seen Cartier unveil a new addition to the collection: a revival of the Cloche de Cartier.A design that Cartier first introduced in the 1920s, the Cloche was way ahead of its time when it came to ergonomics and readability. The bell-like case shape is funky, but what’s really interesting is that its dial is oriented 90 degrees to the right of what’s normal – so that you can easily read it with an outstretched wrist, or place it on a table (or nightstand) and turn it into a desk clock.RELATED: This 1940s Cartier ‘Watch’ Might Be The Most Unique Timepiece You Ever SeeLast re-released in 2007, 2021’s redux includes six models: three satin-brushed closed-dial variants and three skeletonised models – a classic Cartier move. All are powered by new in-house movements, too.

Fine Watchmaking

L-R: the Rotonde de Cartier Astromystérieux, Mysterious Skeleton Double Tourbillon and Mysterious Astrotourbillon.

We’ve saved the best till last… Although that’s not what Cartier did. They actually unveiled their Fine Watchmaking pieces for 2021 ahead of W&W. C’est la vie, et c’est Cartier. All three are Rotonde de Cartier models, and all three feature eye-catching tourbillon movements.First up, we have the Astromystérieux, which pulls off the impressive optical illusion that the entire movement is floating, weightless, in the middle of the watch. The tourbillon carriage integrates not only the watch’s regulating organ but also the entire wheel train from the barrel to the balance which is all carried by a sapphire disc. Roman numerals adorn the outer dial for a classic Cartier touch.The Skeleton Mysterious Double Tourbillon also appears to flout the laws of physics. The flying tourbillon completes a full rotation in 60 seconds and appears to be floating completely free in space, with no visible connection to any gear train. The illusion becomes even more striking when the same tourbillon carriage performs a second rotation, completing an orbit every five minutes.Finally, we have the Astrotourbillon, which features a single tourbillon mounted centrally and actually above the rest of the movement structure, which creates a unique visual effect. That effect is further brought into focus by the ultra-clean skeletonised bridge, which integrates the 12 and 6 o’clock numerals into its design. Spectacular stuff.

Marvels for men on the move

Any gentleman worth their salt knows that black is the most stylish colour there is (all those saying that black’s not a colour, we get it, you’re real clever…) So for Chopard to come out with murdered-out editions of their two most handsome travel watches is a no-brainer.

The L.U.C Time Traveler One Black (ref. 168574-3008) is the world traveller’s ideal watch. With a highly legible outer cities display and clever concentric dial construction, it packs a great deal of world time information into one watch without looking too cluttered or overwhelming. Can we also take a quick moment to recognise how fantastic the name ‘Time Traveller’ is?

The L.U.C GMT One Black (ref. 168579-3004) is similar but slightly less busy, losing the cities display and swapping a date hand for a date window. Both boast an innovatively finished 42mm ceramised titanium case, remarkably stylish vegan fabric straps and water resistance to 50m. The black looks dapper as hell, too – and it means that you never have to worry about your watch not matching your outfit no matter how tight your baggage allowance is. Black goes with everything.

Dress to impress

The last two models you should have across your radar this W&W season are two incredibly elegant, particularly limited editions released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Chopard Manufacture.

L-R: the L.U.C QF Jubilee (ref. 168613-3001) and the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 (ref. 161977-5001).

The stainless steel L.U.C QF Jubilee (ref. 168613-3001) is a thoroughly modern watch with an understated, Art Deco aesthetic. The simplicity of its sector-type dial and ultra-clean design belies the fact it boasts a 65-hour power reserve, COSC certification and Fleurier Quality certification; one of the most prestigious and demanding achievements a Swiss watch can ever hope to have.

The second is similarly (if not more) impressive, as not only is it Chopard’s first jumping-hour timepiece, but features a magnificent and tricky-to-pull-off grand feu enamel dial – two real hallmarks of haute horlogerie. The yellow gold L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 (ref. 161977-5001) is not only visually distinct and just screams class, but thanks to its four-barrel Quattro technology, has a gargantuan 192-hour power reserve. That’s 8 days.

And would you believe that we’re only just scratching the surface of Chopard’s 2021 releases? Head to their online boutique to discover the rest of their impressive goodies.

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