Looking for a Piaget watch that won’t totally break the bank? I’ve rounded up the best options.
Have you ever wondered why Piaget watches are so expensive? This article outlining some of the most affordable Piaget watches to collect may answer that question for you.
If you consider yourself a true horophile, you’ll probably already appreciate that much of the value in a luxury watch lies in the manufacturer itself.
A manufacturer that is steeped in heritage and history is a reliable Maison whose solid foundations are built upon values of authentic craftsmanship and a deep understanding of Haute Horlogerie.
Piaget has created some of the most expensive watches in the world and prides itself on being one of the oldest watch manufacturers on the planet.
The company has a reputation for crafting incredibly thin timepieces — a style that can be traced back to the 1950s. The unique personality of Piaget as a watch brand is reflected in the price of its watches.
Let’s take a look at the history of Piaget as one of the world’s most revered and respected luxury watch brands.
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A Brief History of Piaget Watches
Piaget was founded back in 1874 in La Côte-aux-Fées, Neuchatel by a man named Georges Édouard Piaget.
Like many other Swiss Jura-based watchmakers, Piaget started their life as a movement manufacturer and soon began supplying several prestigious watch companies with its parts.
It was not operating under the Piaget name, however, until the year 1943. Thereafter, all Piaget movements were stamped with this name.
While its movement manufacture has always remained in the heart of the Swiss Jura, Piaget’s large state-of-the-art production facilities on the outskirts of Geneva in Plan-les-Ouate are where the company’s cases and bracelets are made.
Here, all the final assembly of each watch, including its dial and beating heart takes place.
Piaget also put itself on the map for manufacturing impressively thin wristwatches that date back to 1957 when the Calibre 9P hand-wound movement was developed with a breath-taking depth of just 2mm.
After this, Piaget created the world’s first automatic movement measuring a depth of just 2.3mm with the Calibre 12P and in 2014 released the Altiplano 38mm 900P, billed as the world’s thinnest hand-wound watch at just 3.65mm in depth.
Piaget’s innovative approach to mechanical watchmaking has led to the development of a unique case construction, with the caseback itself doubling up as the mainplate upon which many movement components are mounted.
In addition to its ultra-slim watches, Piaget is also renowned globally for developing incredibly complicated wristwatches such as its minute repeaters and tourbillons.
Also reflected in the price tag of some of its most luxurious timepieces is its gem-set designs, which stars of the silver screen like Elizabeth Taylor have sported on their wrists over the years.
Finally, Piaget’s premium price must be realized and appreciated in its exquisite movement finishes.
The company’s anglage, perlage, Cotes de Geneve motifs upon its bridges and oscillating masses, as well as its thermally blued screws and circular-grained wheels, are matchless throughout the industry, making for a truly beautiful timekeeping experience both on the front and reverse side of the watch.
Cheapest Piaget Watches
Here are the cheapest Piaget watches in no particular order.
Piaget Polo Date (Ref G0A43001)
If you’re looking for the most affordable automatic Piaget watch, the Piaget Polo watch collection offers a variety of simplified models with legible displays in classic colors for under $12,000.
Take, for example, the Piaget Polo Date watch with an impressive blue dial.
The model is also available in black or with a stainless steel bracelet, but the blue leather band on this sophisticated companion is a great option for pairing with all attire.
It features a recognizable cushion-shaped case crafted from brushed stainless steel and measures 42mm in diameter.
A horizontal engraved dial forms a legible backdrop upon which a set of central luminous-coated hands and a baton hour track sit.
This affordable Piaget Polo Date watch is also equipped with a date window and is powered by the 1110P self-winding mechanical movement with a blue oscillating weight that can be seen through the back of the case via a sapphire crystal glass lens.
Piaget Altiplano Origin (Ref: G0A31114)
For around $17,500 you can bag yourself a Piaget watch crafted from gold. The 18ct rose gold Piaget Altiplano watch is a contemporary version of a vintage Piaget watch, paying tribute to its classical elegance.
This model measures an unimposing 38mm diameter, making this a great option for slender wrists.
Its characteristics include a classic black alligator leather strap with an 18ct rose gold ardillon buckle, a 30-meter water resistance, and a sumptuous silver dial with blackened hands and stick markers.
This minimalist watch is one of the cheapest Piaget dress watches, pairing beautifully with formal attire or something more elegant during the evening time.
Despite its slight proportions, this affordable Piaget watch is still powered by a reliable and meticulously crafted in-house made manual winding movement.
The 430P ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical movement enables the case to sit at a height of just 6.4mm and showcases its blued screws, circular Côtes de Genève decoration, beveled bridges, and circular-grained mainplate through a sapphire-backed case.
Piaget Polo Chronograph (Ref: G0A42005)
The cheapest Piaget chronograph watches belong to the Polo watch collection and come in at just under the $16,200 mark.
This Piaget Polo Chronograph features legible chronograph sub-counters placed in a bi-compax layout, offering a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 12-hour totaliser at 9 o’clock.
These features, together with a date window in white at 6 o’clock, are set against an anthracite-grey horizontal guilloché dial.
The hands and hour markers featured in this watch have been treated with Super-LumiNova to assist with timekeeping in the dark, whilst an anthracite-grey oscillating weight belonging to the 1160P Manufacture self-winding movement is showcased through a sapphire crystal glass exhibition caseback.
This affordable Piaget chronograph watch measures a 42mm diameter and comes fitted on a stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp and promises a water-resistant rating of 100 meters.
Piaget Gouverneur Perpetual Calendar (Ref: G0A40018)
If you like complication watches and you’re prepared to pay for one manufactured by a renowned watchmaker like Piaget, you’ll be pleased to know that there are a few affordable options in the Piaget Gouverneur watch collection.
More expensive perpetual watches from Piaget include those set with scintillating diamonds on the bezel, yet for $10,000 less, you can own an elegant 18ct rose gold Piaget Gouverneur Perpetual Calendar watch.
The model, this time with an unadorned bezel, features a 43mm diameter and a guilloché dial with counters embellished with threads of 18K rose gold.
Its dual time zone display with day/night indicator and retrograde day of the week, date, month and leap-year indication all point to a “reasonably” priced complication watch (for Piaget’s standards) for its $60,000 price tag.
The 855P calibre self-winding mechanical movement provides an 80-hour power reserve and exposes its Haute Horlogerie finishes through a see-through caseback.
Piaget Polo Emperador Skeleton Tourbillon (Watch Ref: G0A38041)
This Piaget Polo Emperador Skeleton watch is the most affordable tourbillon watch to own from the manufacturer’s catalog.
Crafted from 18kt white gold, the 46.5mm watch puts its tourbillon on show through a cushion-shaped case topped with an anti-glare sapphire crystal glass lens.
The 1270P ultra-thin self-winding tourbillon mechanical movement with its platinum oscillating weight sits within the case, providing a power reserve of 42 hours and offering a power reserve indicator on the back of the case.
Its mainplate, with a guilloché and satin-brushed sunburst motif, displays the hours and minutes off-center in one counter and a small second counter above it.
Despite not being one of the cheapest Piaget watches overall, for a tourbillon watch and an exposed hand-made movement, the Piaget Polo Emperador Skeleton Tourbillon watch is certainly an investment worth considering if you’re a fan of tourbillon watches.
Piaget Polo Skeleton (Cheapest Skeleton Ref: G0A45004)
The Piaget Polo Skeleton watch ref G0A45004 is an automatic model priced around the $30,000 mark.
It’s one of the cheapest Piaget skeleton watches and exposes elements of the in-house manufactured 1200S1 movement through an ultra-thin and sporty stainless steel case.
The sapphire crystal glass front and back sections of the watch reveal the ultra-thin skeleton movement as it performs through a blue surface, with baton indexes and hands that catch the light nicely.
What’s more, this affordable Piaget Polo Skeleton watch comes with an interchangeable bracelet that can be swapped for a casual-come-elegant blue leather strap to complement its thin curving case.
FAQs
With such a storied history, people on the web have questions about Piaget.
Are Piaget Watches Expensive?
Piaget manufactures some of the most expensive luxury watches in the world.
Crafted from superior case materials that include solid gold, some of the most expensive Piaget watches include those lavishly set with diamonds and complication watches that are powered by intricately crafted manual winding movements made in-house.
Is a Piaget Watch a Good Investment?
Piaget watches make great investment pieces because they can be resold on the market without declining in value.
Although not associated with one of the highest resale values, Piaget watches still hold their value, promising exceptional quality and reliability.
Is Piaget a Luxury Watch Brand?
Piaget is a luxury watch brand that manufactures exquisitely crafted timepieces that are considered highly covetable.
The brand is also considered one of the best slim-line watch manufacturers in the world, having set benchmarks throughout the industry back in the 1950s.
Conclusion
Although Piaget is known for manufacturing some of the most expensive watches in the world, “affordable” models from each of its collections can be found.
The Altiplano watch collection provides a couple of cheap models crafted from gold, as well as a skeletonized model for showing off the performance of an in-house movement through the front and back of the watch, while the Piaget Gouverneur collection is where the most affordable complication watch can be found.
Piaget watches are not known to drastically increase in value on the second-hand market, so if you have your heart set on a particular model that exceeds your budget if buying from new, the pre-owned market is sure to offer you some really good deals provided you find a reputable pre-owned watch stockist.
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