La Cote-aux-Fees · founded 1874 by Georges Edouard Piaget
Vintage Piaget
Piaget was founded in 1874 by Georges Edouard Piaget in La Cote-aux-Fees in the Swiss Jura, first as a movement maker and later under its own name. It is known for ultra-thin movements and, from the 1960s, for gold watches with hardstone dials in lapis, malachite, tiger's eye and onyx, which are the pieces most often found in estates.
The house
The workshop supplied movements to other houses before selling watches under the Piaget name from the mid twentieth century, and the ultra-thin calibres of the 1950s and 1960s established its technical reputation.
In the 1960s and 1970s Piaget produced gold jewelry watches and cuffs with hardstone dials and woven gold bracelets, a look that is now strongly collected.
The Polo line, introduced in 1979, extended the same idea of watch and bracelet made as one object.
How to recognize the work
- Very thin cases and movements, with proportions that other makers could not match at the time
- Hardstone dials in lapis, malachite, tiger's eye, onyx or opal, cut to fit exactly
- Woven and textured gold bracelets integrated into the case rather than attached to it
- Signatures on the dial, case and movement that agree with each other
What the marks mean
- Piaget signed on the dial, and usually inside the case back
- A case reference and serial number
- A movement number and calibre marking
- A metal standard such as 750 for 18K gold, with Swiss control marks on many cases
Buy carefully
Hardstone dials crack and are sometimes replaced, and cases are married to movements from elsewhere. We check that the dial, case and movement agree and describe any replacement we can identify.
Common questions
Are hardstone dials original?
Not always. Replacement dials exist and are sometimes hard to spot, so we describe the dial condition and note when we cannot establish originality with certainty.
Can an ultra-thin Piaget be serviced?
Yes, by a watchmaker experienced with thin calibres. Parts availability varies by movement, and we say what we know about the specific reference.
Are you an authorized dealer?
No. We are an independent estate jeweler and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the house. We buy signed pieces from European estates, examine and photograph the signature, numbers and metal marks, and describe exactly what we can and cannot establish.
Shop the pieces
Signed Piaget in stock
Estate pieces signed Piaget, photographed mark and all. Each one is a single example.
Nothing matching this is available right now. Every piece is a single example and sells once, so this changes weekly. Browse everything in stock or ask our buyers to look for it.