Piaget closes the 60th anniversary of its Altiplano collection with a record-breaking watch in the form of the Altiplano Ultimate Automatic: the world’s thinnest self-winding mechanical watch. At just 4.30mm total thickness for the watch, the Altiplano Ultimate Automatic builds on the Calibre 900P manually-wound movement, which achieved its ultra-thin profile by removing, for the first time in the industry, the physical separation between movement and case. In the ultra-thin Altiplano models, the watch’s case back is also the mainplate of the movement and therefore allows a significant reduction in the overall height of the watch.
This is not the only way that Piaget saves height, however. Some of the wheels used in the movement are just 0.12mm thick – nearly half that of standard wheels. More impressive still, and what gives the Altiplano Ultimate Automatic its unmistakable aesthetic, is that the entire going train is fitted within the thickness of the balance wheel and arranged around the circumference of the case. The self-winding is ensured by an almost invisible peripheral winding rotor in black PVD-coated 22-carat gold. Because the winding rotor is arranged around the edge of the movement, it can be also incorporated within its overall thickness.
Piaget has even managed to incorporate the hands within the thickness of the movement, which brings two advantages: on the one hand, it helps to keep the ultra-slim dimensions, on the other, it prevents any problems if the crystal is distorted. Although not an issue in a regular wristwatch, in an ultra-thin watch any slight deformation in, or pressure on, the crystal could bring it into contact with the hands and cause the movement to stop. Housing the hands below the level of the bridges prevents this problem and Piaget has filed a patent for this idea.
While the Ultimate Automatic once again underscores Piaget’s strengths in the world of ultra-thin watches, the new Piaget Extremely Lady does the same for the brand’s expertise in working gold. Inspired by a watch worn by Jackie Kennedy Onassis in the 1960s (which Piaget acquired in the 1990s), the Extremely Lady showcases a rare form of gold engraving. Each bracelet is engraved by hand to create a textured look that resembles fur and thus fits perfectly with the warmer clothes required at this time of year.
