Piaget celebrates Chinese New Year with two limited edition timepieces

Piaget celebrates Chinese New Year with two limited edition timepieces

Piaget Timepiece with Rooster for Chinese New Year 2017January 4, 2017: Taking forward its tradition from 2012, using the Grand Feu cloisonné enamelling technique, Piaget has launched the Rooster on its Altiplano model to celebrate Chinese New Year. 

A sign symbolizing confidence, punctuality, loyalty and honesty, the rooster is known for its pride of appearance therefore requiring a staging that was true to its distinguished personality. Turning once again to the cloisonné enamelling technique, enameller Anita Porchet is able to reimagine the rooster in the signature style of the collection defined by its infinite shades of grey. By partitioning the enamel pigments using cloisons before they are fired multiple times at over 800°C in the kiln, she is able to better isolate the shades of grey from light to more intense in order to express the subtlest of detailing.
 
Contrasting with the tones of grey, white and black, the comb on its head and the wattle beneath its chin stands out in a vibrant red. The radiance of the handcrafted enamel with its ethereal glow is enhanced by the natural beauty of 78 brilliant-cut diamonds set on the watch’s white gold case. Limited to just 38 pieces, this collector’s edition is a fitting homage to the ancestral techniques passionately nurtured by Piaget. 
 
Piaget Timepiece for Chinese New Year 2017But that is not it. In keeping with this tradition of paying tribute to the culture of the Asian continent and to mark the 10th anniversary of the famous Tourbillon Relatif movement, Piaget has also created a one-of-a-kind piece inspired by the Chinese zodiac. For this masterpiece in white gold and black enamel, a master engraver and enameller have come together to stage the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac on the dial of a Piaget Polo timepiece combining champlevé Grand Feu enamelling with delicate hand engravings of each of the animals.  From its dial to the back and the sides of the case, this model can be entirely personalized to the wishes of its owner.
 
The theme of the Chinese zodiac is carried through on the profile of the watch’s case decorated with the 12 Chinese characters associated with each of the signs of the zodiac engraved in champlevé with black enamelling. On the case-back, the Chinese symbol for longevity is engraved and then delicately enamelled. Inside this watch beats the 608P Tourbillon Relatif movement, a technical tour-de-force and a revolutionary concept in high watchmaking with the ultra-thin carriage of the tourbillon making a double revolution: one on itself every minute, and one rotation around the dial every hour. The hours are indicated by the central disc, while the seconds are indicated by the carriage of the tourbillon suspended above the dial on the minute hand. In celebration of the movement’s 10th anniversary, the minute hand has been redesigned as a cut-out arrow so as to allow a better view of the decorations on the dial.

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