Hot Take: The Piaget Polo 79 Looks Even Better In White Gold
In 2024, Piaget celebrated the 45th anniversary of Yves Piaget’s Polo watch by introducing a re-edition, the Polo 79, in full yellow gold. It came out in February of last year, and RJ dared to say that probably nothing at Watches and Wonders 2024 would trump it. We all know RJ is very much into yellow gold watches lately, but he was right. The Piaget Polo 79 in yellow gold was a big hit with its magnificent construction of brushed blocks and polished gadroons. No wonder Piaget decided to make a version in white gold as well for this year’s edition of Watches and Wonders Geneva.
I’m sure RJ will not agree with me here, but I like this white gold version of the Piaget Polo 79 better than last year’s yellow gold one. The yellow gold version tries to catch your attention with its standout colorway. On the other hand, the white gold version makes you concentrate more on the combination of brushed blocks and polished gadroons. It’s more modest, more understated, and still very impressive.
The Piaget Polo 79 in white gold
Regarding the specs, the Piaget Polo 79 is the same as last year’s yellow gold one. The watch measures 38mm in diameter, and thanks to the ultra-thin movement inside, it’s only 7.45mm thick. In yellow gold, the Polo 79 weighed 200 grams. I’m sure the white gold version won’t be far off. Of course, that’s due to its all-gold construction that wraps itself around the wrist. Some say it almost feels like wearing a bracelet instead of a watch. That kind of makes me think about how my beloved Cartier Santos Galbée XL wears.
However, Piaget’s Polo 79 takes it to a whole other level. The case consists of seven interconnected white gold blocks. In the middle, there’s a big hole for the dial and the movement. Then, the polished gadroons sit between the brushed blocks, and the dial mimics the same construction. Ultimately, the whole thing looks like it can bend at any given gadroon. Of course, it can’t because, otherwise, the movement wouldn’t function properly, but the optical illusion is magnificent.
Piaget’s 1200P1 micro-rotor movement
The Piaget Polo from 1979 housed a quartz movement. This re-edition houses an ultra-thin automatic movement inside. It’s only 2.35mm thick and gets its energy from an off-center micro-rotor. It runs at a frequency of 21,600vph, features 25 jewels, and holds a power reserve of 44 hours. The beautiful finishing includes circular Côtes de Genève, perlage, beveled bridges, and blued screws. You can take a look at almost the entire back of the movement through the fairly large sapphire crystal in the case back. It’s also reassuring that the watch is water resistant to 50 meters. However, I wouldn’t take this watch swimming if I were you.
Are you in camp yellow or white gold?
In general, I’m more into white gold than yellow gold, so I’m glad Piaget gave me a chance to take a look at this new version. Will it ever make its way into my collection, though? I doubt it. The yellow gold version is already rather pricey at €83,500, and the white gold version is even more expensive. The new Piaget Polo 79 in white gold costs €92,000. Usually, watches in white gold are a little more expensive than their yellow gold counterparts. Sometimes, that’s because the production process is a little more labor intensive, but I’m not sure if that’s the case here.
Anyway, despite its out-of-reach pricing, I still think this new Piaget Polo 79 in white gold looks downright incredible. What about you? Are you more into yellow gold or white gold? Let me know in the comments below why you like one or the other better.
