Piaget Soups Up The Iconic Polo With An All-New Perpetual Calendar

Piaget has announced a “Pre Watches & Wonders Novelty” with no holds barred. The Swiss watchmaker has bestowed for the first time a mechanical perpetual calendar on the iconic Polo collection. Continuing the legacy of ultra-slim movements, the newest Piaget Polo boasts a 4mm-thin 1255P caliber to power a triple calendar correct until the year 2100 and a moonphase indication. The high-mechanical timepiece aims to blend horological extravagance on a dark emerald-green dial with everyday wearability for the style-forward folks.

The storied past

Since its debut in 1979, the Piaget Polo has been synonymous with the ultimate definition of luxury chic. The brand is all too willing to remind us that the Polo was worn by the luminaries of that time, including Andy Warhol, Roger Moore, and Nancy Reagan. A slew of high-profile endorsements of the unisex sports watch combined with the use of precious metals made it a true statement piece.

The Polo relaunch

The Piaget Polo resurfaced in 2016 with a complete facelift. The new aesthetic aimed to recapture the “luxury sports watch” positioning and caused quite a bit of noise. It certainly divided opinions as a total departure from its original form, with some calling it a lookalike of or a cross between the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. But as they say, no publicity is bad publicity, and the Polo certainly carries enough of its own merits to reestablish itself and win hearts.

The signature gadroons

According to Piaget, the only design stroke in the new-generation Polos inherited from their predecessors are the “gadroons”. These horizontal stripes have been a signature feature on both the case and the bracelet. The gadroons are particularly prominent on the new Polo’s bracelet as a way to reinforce the design element. They also show up on the dial by way of a finely ribbed horizontal pattern against a dark emerald-green backdrop. The green palette is a hallmark of the brand, and this dial hue follows in the footsteps of the Polo Date and Polo Skeleton that we covered here last year.

The perpetual calendar

Laid across the lush verdant veil at 9, 12, and 3 o’clock are three sub-dials displaying the weekday, month, and date respectively, with leap years accounted for until the year 2100. This is thanks to the high complication for which Piaget has acquired considerable expertise over the years. Although the brand has introduced mechanical perpetual calendars in other model lines, this is the first time the Polo collection welcomes its own execution that is correct until the next centurial year.

The emblematic complication

This exceptionally sophisticated mechanism also advances moon phases accordingly. The display for this sits above 6 o’clock, and above it, the Piaget logo and “Perpetual Calendar” designation. The whole dial is well balanced, harmonious, and enriched by the interplay of light from various sub-dial finishes. White text and markings enhance readability against the green backdrop, and Super-LumiNova-filled hands and indexes also aid in legibility.

High craftsmanship

The showcase of horological mastery and craftsmanship is visible through sapphire crystals on both sides of the 42mm cushion-shaped stainless steel case. The contours of the case and H-link bracelet are beautifully defined with alternating satin-polished surfaces and bevels. Mounted inside is Piaget’s newest movement, the 1255P ultra-thin caliber, featuring a gorgeous blued micro-rotor.

The new engine

This 4mm-thick construction comes from a long legacy of engineering feats in ultra-thin movements. Ever since developing the in-house 12P caliber in 1960 as the world’s thinnest automatic movement at the time, Piaget has been one of the forerunners in this field. Fifty years later, this world first was succeeded by the new generation of 1200P calibers.

In turn, the 1200P has given rise to the latest 1255P, which enables the Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin to stand a scant 8.65mm tall. The engine runs at 21,600vph (3Hz) and provides 42 hours of power reserve.

Enhanced wearability

Last but not least, to maximize the wearability of this high-luxury statement piece, the new Piaget Polo comes with a new interchangeable SingleTouch system for easy bracelet swapping. In addition to the bracelet, a green rubber strap with its own version of gadroons offers an informal style option. The whole package of the Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin retails for €60,500.

For more information, visit Piaget’s official website.