First released in 2021 as a duet of slate grey and blue models, Piagetโs straightforwardly named Polo Skeleton offers an under-the-radar proposition akin to what collectors will have experienced with releases like the Octo Finissimo โRedโ or Laureato โEarth to Skyโ. Last August, the brand enriched this growing segment with a new reference in green โ otherwise identical, in mechanics and proportion, to its handsome monochrome siblings.
Fortunately, the injection of a healthy dose of primary colour turns this latest Polo Skeleton into a watch deserving of its own moment in the proverbial sun โ aided by a wonderfully thin case, and movement architecture that capitalises on the aesthetic value inherent in non-complicated watchmaking.
Over the course of a 7-day โHands Onโ (during which I was given unfettered access to the green Polo Skeleton) I developed a substantial liking for the piece โ informed by considerations of thinness, colour, movement design and on-wrist presence, all of which Iโve describe in due course below.
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Starting with the obvious stuff, Piaget opted to give this Polo Skeleton model the PVD treatment in green; which youโll see highlighted above in the dialโs labyrinthine mixture of circular and inwardly curving bridgework. More so than its grey and โPiaget blueโ counterparts, the use of colour here is extremely nuanced. The movementโs coating flits between a rich, lustrous shade of blue and what is almost teal green โ mirroring the amount of fluorescent light present in the surrounding environment, so wearers effectively get two colour finishes in a single watch.
This interplay between colours is most apparent when youโre handling the Polo Skeleton in the metal: even under garden variety office lighting, a slight rotation of oneโs wrist causes the bridgework to change from blue to green in an instant; adding a layer of visual interest you mightnโt immediately be aware of when looking at static images.
On the subject of form factor, the watchโs 42mm x 6.5mm sizing is as much about palpable visual drama as it is ergonomics. That doesnโt necessarily mean the Polo Skeleton is all that showy of a daily wearer โ even in green! โ but its expansive diameter, coupled with the exposed gear train tend to hold viewersโ attention once theyโve glanced at it a handful of times.
That distinctive, flat cushion heft (arguably the by-product of all the cues the modern Polo collection borrows from the discontinued Emperador) is in stark contrast to the watchโs thickness. Granted, it would be facetious to describe the Polo Skeleton as one of those watches thatโs โso light, it feels like youโre wearing nothing at allโ; yet the 6.5mm high case lends a degree of refinement to the general design that helps it glide seamlessly through work, leisure, and all but the most irregular of daily settings.
That premise โ one of fascinating contradictions โ continues once you begin to take in the movementโs intricately spaced layout. Internally designated the 1200S1, this is Piagetโs fourth generation of its signature, ultra-thin self-winding calibre: featuring a micro-rotor and see-through construction, easily among the thinnest mechanical watch movements in the world.
For reasons previously alluded to, the thinness of the 1200S1 yields a range of practical benefits for the wearer that outweigh its (relatively) tidy power reserve and 30m water resistance. Beyond that, horology geeks who love the minutiae of watchmaking will probably be unfairly chuffed with this green Polo Skeleton.
The combo of satin-brushed bridges and overlapping going wheels really comes to life once you start winding the watchโs crown โ emphasising the inextricable relationship between the various mechanisms that, together, imbue this skeletal framework with its beating heart.
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Assuming youโve made it this far โ well done, FYI โ it should come as no surprise that I was won over by the Polo Skeletonโs charms. From a selfishly individual point of view, there were a couple of stylistic choices Piagetโs watchmakers made that didnโt fully resonate.
By way of example, the rotund cushion case and perfectly circular bezel โ both signature elements in the original Emperador design โ feel like missed opportunities (particularly in the context of a fully skeletonised watch), but equally, thereโs a credible discussion to be had about how these are intended as links to Piagetโs heritage in elegant, unisex jewellery.
Again, these are minor quibbles as opposed to fatal flaws and do nothing to detract from the seemingly infinite dynamism that is at the heart of this lean, green skeletal machine: a uniquely โPiagetโ take on the ubiquitous high-end steel sports watch.
