Altiplano Tourbillon Infinite Blue
© Piaget

Wanted on my wrist: Piaget’s Altiplano Tourbillon Infinite Blue

The origins of Piaget’s Altiplano can be traced back to 1874. Piaget’s founder Georges Edouard Piaget started his watchmaking business by making high-precision components for the leading watch brands of the day. His ability to create ultra-thin parts brought him immediate recognition across the Swiss Jura region.

Success as a supplier gave Georges Edouard the impetus to start producing his own watches and in 1943 the Piaget brand was formed with this ultra-thin savoir-faire becoming a specialty of the Manufacture.

Ultra-thin movements and timepieces are not a complication per se, but the art of creating components two to three times thinner than regular parts is something incredibly complex. To date, Piaget has developed 35 in-house calibres, of which 23 are ultra-thin.

Art of ultra-thin movement

In 2017, Piaget celebrated the 60th anniversary of its ultra-thin movement with the ultra-thin Altiplano flying tourbillon. This manual-winding movement, featuring the time at eight o’clock and the tourbillon at two o’clock, is entirely made and assembled in Piaget’s Manufacture. With 157 ultra-thin and ultra-light components, such as the carriage measuring a mere 2.88mm, three titanium bridges weighing no more than 0.2g, and some components measuring no more than the thickness of a human hair, the Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon is a feat of engineering.

It also holds a patent for its stem mechanism, featuring an intermediate wheel that looks like a staircase and enables the user to set the time of the off-centred dial — another first for watchmaking.

Piaget’s Altiplano Tourbillon Infinite Blue

At this year’s Watches & Wonders, the Maison unveiled three new Altiplano Flying Tourbillon timepieces in Piaget’s elegant blue colour. These three novelties feature dials that have been designed with a gem-set motif. The motif echoes the infinite symbol formed by the juxtaposition of the tourbillon carriage and the off-centred hour and minute counter. This infinite shape is hand-crafted in Piaget’s Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire and requires the utmost precision and expertise to cut the shape and set the array of diamonds.

Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon Infinite Blue Limited Edition 38

Each of the Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon Infinite Blue Limited Edition 38 is fitted with a blue sunburst PVD dial and is adorned with 135 diamonds (approx. 2.29 cts) on the bezel, lugs, buckle, and dial. An infinite diamond figure encircles the 670P flying tourbillon movement and the off-centred hour and minute counter. The timepiece is completed with a blue alligator strap, limited to 38 pieces.

Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon Infinite Blue Limited Edition 18

The Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon Infinite Blue Limited Edition of 18 pieces features a hypnotising swirl of diamonds that continue the infinite symbol across the blue sunburst PVD dial. The bezel, lugs, and buckle are also embellished with diamonds, totalling 276 diamonds (approx. 3.41 cts). The timepiece is powered by Piaget’s 670P flying tourbillon at two o’clock that forms the Infinite sign with the off- centred hour and minute counter at eight o’clock. The timepiece is completed with a blue alligator strap, limited to 18 pieces.

Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon Infinite Blue Limited Edition 8

This limited-edition version of eight pieces has been decorated with baguette diamonds – a precious and elegant cut that brings out the intense blue of the sunburst PVD dial, the 670P tourbillon movement, and off-centred hour and minute counter. Baguette diamonds adorn the bezel and the dial while brilliant-cut diamonds grace the lugs, the buckle and the case (profile & back) making this timepiece even more precious. The timepiece is set with a total of 386 diamonds (approx. 6.05 cts) and comes fitted with an elegant blue alligator strap.

Technical specifications

Reference:G0A45043
Case: Diameter: 41 mm
18K white gold case
Bezel set with 60 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1,44 cts)
Sapphire case-back
Dial:Blue sunburst PVD dial with 50 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.7 ct) set lucky 8
Movement:Ultra-thin hand-wound tourbillon 670P movement,
Piaget Manufacture
Movement thickness: 4.6mm
Frequency: 3 Herz
Power reserve: approx. 48h
Functions: Off-centered hours and minutes at 8 o’clock, flying tourbillon at 2 o’clock, seconds indicated by the tourbillon carriage at 2 o’clock.
Jewels:23
Haute Horlogerie finishes:Circular Côtes de Genève, hand-circular-grained plate and bridges, hand-bevelled and hand-drawn bridges and carriage, black screws on bridges
Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.09 ct)
Strap:Blue alligator leather strap with 18K white gold folding clasp set with 24 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.05 ct)
Limited edition:38 pieces
Altiplano Tourbillon Infinite Blue | © Piaget
Reference:G0A45045
Case: Diameter: 41 mm
18K white gold case
Bezel and lugs set with 72 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1,61 cts)
Sapphire case-back
Dial:Blue sunburst PVD dial with 179 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.64 cts)
Movement:Ultra-thin hand-wound tourbillon 670P movement, Piaget Manufacture
Movement thickness: 4.6mm
Frequency: 3 Herz
Power reserve: approx. 48h
Functions: Off-centered hours and minutes at 8 o’clock, flying tourbillon at 2 o’clock, seconds indicated by the tourbillon carriage at 2 o’clock.
Jewels:23
Haute Horlogerie finishes:Circular Côtes de Genève, hand-circular-grained plate and bridges, hand-bevelled and hand-drawn bridges and carriage, black screws on bridges
Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.09 ct)
Strap:Blue alligator leather strap with 18K white gold folding clasp set with 24 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.05 ct)
Limited edition:18 pieces
Reference:G0A45044
Case: Diameter: 41 mm
18K white gold case
Bezel set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 2.51 cts), profile, case back and lugs set with 265 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 2,42 ct)
Sapphire case-back
Dial:Blue sunburst PVD dial with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 0.96 ct) set lucky 8
Movement:Ultra-thin hand-wound tourbillon 670P movement,
Piaget Manufacture
Movement thickness: 4.6mm
Frequency: 3 Herz
Power reserve: approx. 48h
Functions: Off-centered hours and minutes at 8 o’clock, flying tourbillon at 2 o’clock, seconds indicated by the tourbillon carriage at 2 o’clock.
Jewels:23
Haute Horlogerie finishes:Circular Côtes de Genève, hand-circular-grained plate and bridges, hand-bevelled and hand-drawn bridges and carriage, black screws on bridges
Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.09 ct)
Strap:Blue alligator leather strap with 18K white gold folding clasp set with 24 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.05 ct)
Limited edition:8 pieces

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