Anyone whoโs ever spent time reading about watches online will have noticed one consistent complaint from collectors about many new watches: theyโre too thick. Sure, there might be a gripe or two about movement finishing, dial proportions, or even the choice of strap, but thereโs a good reason why case proportions are so important to watch collectors everywhere.
Why? Because how a watch feels on the wrist is arguably the most important factor in owning it. A timepiece might have a triple-axis tourbillon, an Anita Porchet cloisonnรฉ enamel dial, or a case hewn from the meteor that killed the dinosaurs, but regardless of how finely crafted or complex it is, if it isnโt comfortable to wear, itโs unlikely to get much time on the wrist.
Yet despite constant complaints about how modern watches wear on the wrist, the brilliant minds at Piaget understood the importance of comfort and proportions decades ago. In fact, Piaget has been one of the most important manufacturers of ultra-thin watch movements for over half a century, with its Calibre 12P โ just 2.3mm in height โ setting the record in 1960 for the thinnest automatic movement ever created.
This understanding of what makes a great watch has since become embedded in Piagetโs DNA as a watchmaker, not only in its pursuit of more record-breaking ultra-thin watches, but more notably in the effortlessly clean and thoughtfully proportioned Polo collection. Originally conceived by Yves G. Piaget in 1979, the Polo was created to offer clients an integrated bracelet sports watch that draped elegantly over the wrist, or in the words of Piaget himself, โitโs a watch bracelet rather than a mere wristwatch.โ
The Piaget Polo wasnโt the first integrated sports watch of the 1970s, but it did take a different approach to other luxury Swiss watchmakers at the time: quartz power. Quartz technology was still in its infancy in the 1970s, but while Piaget had been a part of the consortium of watchmakers that developed the first Swiss-made quartz calibre โ the Beta 21 โ the Piaget team werenโt satisfied with how thick it was and decided to create something slimmer.
The Piaget Calibre 7P made its debut in 1976 โ setting another record for the thinnest-ever quartz movement at 3.1mm โ and with its new movement ready, the Piaget Polo was born. Despite weighing more than 130g thanks to its solid gold case and bracelet construction, it was more than 1mm thinner than the rest of its competitive set, making it wearable, comfortable, and undeniably luxe on the wrist.
The lessons learned by Piaget during these decades havenโt been lost to history or forgotten, but continue to inform its watchmaking today. The Polo collection remains a favourite of international captains of industry, not simply because of its Jean-Claude Gueit design or its eye-catching glint when tucked under a shirt cuff, but because itโs still one of the most comfortable watches on the market.
Take the Piaget Polo Skeleton, for example. While its intricately skeletonised dial delivers an unmistakable touch of contemporary flair, its ultra-thin watchmaking essence remains as prominent as ever, with a case that measures 42mm in diameter and a wafer-like 6.5mm in thickness.
Such a slim case is only possible thanks to the ultra-thin skeleton 1200S1 movement, which features an automatic micro-rotor, 44 hours of power reserve, and a height of just 2.9mm. Further emphasising comfort and wearability, it comes paired with both a stainless steel bracelet and an alligator leather strap, allowing owners to swap between the two via a toolless quick-change mechanism.
Another recent, yet historically inspired, example is the Piaget Polo 79 โ a modern recreation of the very first Polo. Once again, effortless wearability has remained front of mind, arriving with a slimmer case profile than all of its competitors on the market today, despite upgrading from the original quartz movement to a modern ultra-thin 2.35mm Piaget Calibre 1200P1 automatic movement.
It brings with it a hefty presence on the wrist thanks to the generous volumes of yellow gold used in its construction, but the weight is carefully balanced through both the case and bracelet, making its drape around the wrist a delight, not a drag to wear. The result is a watch that, despite being originally designed almost 50 years ago, still feels as current and contemporary as it did when Mr Piaget first imagined it.
The pursuit of ultra-thin watchmaking has always presented a myriad of technical challenges to be overcome, but the watchmakers at Piaget have never lost sight of why such efforts are so valuable. The thickness of a movement, and how those dimensions restrict what a watch case can be, makes the difference between enjoying the experience of wearing a watch and not.
Itโs as simple โ and as difficult โ as that.
So while many watchmakers continue to grapple with constructive criticisms directed at the proportions of their watches, itโs not a complaint youโre likely to hear about Piaget. Timelessly designed, methodically manufactured, and engineered for enduring appreciation, the Polo collection remains a gold standard for watches designed to be worn for generations, not occasions.
This article is presented in partnership with Piaget. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
