New from Piaget comes a fresh Limelight watch collection for 2009. Each Exceptional Limelight collection watch is known for being a serious haute joaillerie item of art. With Piaget's requisite level of beauty (and diamonds) the watches are interesting, original, and most important, beautiful. Brilliant-cut diamonds cover every surface of the timepieces (as much as is possible), and materials like mother-of-pearl make up the watch dials. The cases and bracelets themselves are each done in 18k white gold.

Literally hundreds upon hundreds of hours are dedicated to putting together each watch. This has to do with the copious amounts of time required to cut and set the diamonds, as well as craft the timepieces. Piaget does a remarkable job making metal look flowing. This is real horological art and passion - and again you see their penchant for making the watches "secret." Many Piaget Limelight watches prefer to cover the watch face when not being used, so as to give the pieces a dual watch and jewelry character. Inside, the watches have Piaget caliber 56P Swiss quartz movements. The timepieces have an intense amount of diamonds with weight up to 40 carats, and hundreds of stones per timepiece. These women's watches are marvelous to look at, exceedingly rare and exclusive, and of "word-class" expense. Look for them at select Piaget boutiques around the globe.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Sort of like getting two expensive watches for the price of one very expensive watch right? No, not quite, but you do get a "day" and "night" side for both the evening and daytime character of the timepiece. Piaget always like to play around with luxury designs when it comes to the Limelight series. Not being particularly en vogue right now among women's watches, I found it interesting for them to release a reversible watch. The timepiece has two complete dials, each with its own Piaget 56P quartz movement that is independently adjustable. Theoretically you have a watch with two timezones as well.

The watch case is in 18k white gold with a "hidden" time adjuster for each movement. There are three versions of the watch. Two with a black satin strap, and the cream of the crop model with the white gold and diamonds chains (six vertical ones that connect on each of the two ends) bracelet (total of 680 brilliant cut diamonds for this Haute Joaillerie version of the Limelight Twice watch). Both dials are off-centered and about as easy to read and Piaget could have made them (meaning bring you phone as a back up clock). The dauphine hands help though while looking stately, and the "night" side with the Roman numerals is probably the easier to read, but both sides quite pretty to look at. This watch just might be the cure for that "I can't spend big during the recession" problem you've been having lately. It is about now during mention of possible economic upswings after a long recession when big spenders get tired of not spending cause it was politically incorrect to do so.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com

This is probably the first regulator watch from Piaget that I have seen, and it is the Emperador Coussin Regulator. For those who don't know, a "regulator" is a watch that uses the main dial for the minutes, and a smaller dial for the hours. Piaget even took the traditional regulator watch theme a step further and added a 30 second retrograde seconds counter. The counter located at the top of the face will count 30 seconds and then the indicator hand will snap back to zero position and start over. The retrograde seconds counter isn't about functionality, but is merely a fun complication to observe. To do this, Piaget uses its in-house made Calibre 835P hand-wound mechanical movement that is just 3.92mm thick (very thin). Power reserve is 65 hours.

The Emperador Coussin Regulator features the Emperador Coussin's 42.5mm wide 18k rose or white gold case with a midnight blue or charcoal gray dial. Hands and indexes on the face are gold as well. Although this is not a limited edition watch, each piece will have its individual serial number and year of manufacture engraved on the back of the case. Piaget did a nice job of taking the concept of a regulator watch and "making it their own." I don't know if this cushion shaped Emperador case is what I would have personally chose to house the complication ( I would have likely opted for their rectangular Emperador, or a Polo case), but the overall effect is nice. The watch should be available now.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

2009 marks 30 years of the Piaget Polo watch. Over that time the character of the watch has remained really consistent, though for 2009 the Polo watch gets very sporty looking. First announced was the new chronograph version of the Piaget Polo Forty Five, but this three hand model is attractive and unique in its own way. The silver or black toned faces give the Polo Forty Five a strong look akin to more mainstream luxury sport watches. There is also a serious diving watch style influence in the dial design in my opinion.

Nothing is mainstream about the powerful Piaget 880P in-house made automatic movement contained within the Polo Forty Five watch. Such a movement is at the heart of what makes up exclusive Swiss luxury timepieces. The sports theme of the watch continues to the high-quality rubber strap with butterfly locking signed clasp. I am unfortunately not a big fan of the extended date window. The case is in steel, with precious metal models to come eventually. I see the Polo model becoming sportier in the coming years.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

This is probably the sportiest Piaget watch I've ever noticed, and an interesting addition to the traditionally formal watch maker's collection. Taking the classic Polo watch, Piaget uses titanium instead of gold for this luxury sport model (a metal that is notoriously hard to get a polish from). Segments of the 45mm wide case (as well as on the dial) are in steel though. Going along with the sport theme, the watch is water resistant to 100 meters while the strap is rubber for a secure fit.

Inside the watch is an automatic in-house built Piaget caliber 880P. The movement features a 30 minute flyback chronograph (you can reset it without having to stop it), along with a second timezone. At the top of the dial Piaget places their quirky reverse revolving date. The dial design is uplifting and clear. The subdials are labeled, which I expect will be appreciated when attempting to read the subdials quickly. The second timezone is displayed in 24 hour (GMT) time. Despite all these complications, the movement has a power reserve of 50 hours due to double mainspring barrels. You can't deny that this is one of the most beautiful sport watches out there, fitting from anything over haute horology's poster child, Piaget.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Piaget presents a new watch with its novel in-house Piaget caliber 860P automatic movement with a 72 hour power reserve. The striking composure of the symmetrical design emphasizes the moon phase display with a heat formed cratered white gold moon plate. Super heated gold will form an uneven rough look. This typically undesirable look is integrated cleverly in this instance. Emphasis of the moon surface is surrounded by a darkened plate that makes a full revolution each 29 and a half days; enhancing the illusion of the moon in the sky. The unique approach taken in the Emperador Coussin Grande Luna is that the dark shape plate moves rather than the moon disc itself. This gives the moon phase a new and refreshing look that is easy to appreciate visually.

The Piaget Emperador Coussin case is famous for its best-in-industry cushion shape has been enlarged to a width of 46.5mm with the crown (the dial is 43mm wide); a large size for the typically conservative watch size brand. The case itself is a pleasing mixture of polished and brushed white gold, with an impeccably styled minimalist dial. There is also a rose gold case model available. Traditional faceted Piaget hands are sharp and assertive, allowing for a plainly legible case. Piaget has a talent for mixing shapes and textures creating a timeless, yet modern look that is clearly epitomized in the Emperador Coussin Grande Luna watch. This is an almost perfect luxury watch for formal occasions and boardroom meetings. Easy reading combined with the visual interest of the daily moon phase makes for another desirable timepiece from Piaget.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com

One thing I've learned after spending time with serious watch collectors is that their obsession is only limited by their wallets or what their spouses might let them get away with. For serious Piaget aficionados there is the Piaget Collector's Trunk created by luxury trunk maker Pinel & Pinel. It is made of poplar wood covered with cowhide with palladium-electroplated brass with mirror-polished finish. It holds 51 watches and there is a movement integrated into the center window to wind automatic watches. It comes with a travel case that holds three watches. "Essential collector's tools" and a remote control to switch the lights inside on and off are also included. It is available in 20 different colors of leather for both the inside and the outside and can be personalized with an engraved plate. Custom trunks take three months to create.

The latest watch in Piaget's Polo Tourbillon Relatif series will delight fans of the city of Paris. The new watch, which will be shown at the upcoming SIHH 2008 watch and jewelry show has a mechanical hand-wound one minute flying tourbillon and uses the Manufacture Piaget caliber 608P movement. The dial features names of famous Parisians. The coolness factor here though is on the sides of the watch. The sides of the watch are decorated with amazingly intricate etchings of the city. The design shows monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and others. No details on price or production are available yet.

The new watches from Piaget take the concept of an envelope that might conceal a love letter as their primary design concept. The Piaget Love Letter Limelight watches are compact envelopes that open to reveal a black or mother-of-pearl dial set with diamond markers. The envelopes come wraped in stingray leather or paved with diamonds that are set with either a ruby or a yellow diamond at the opening. There is also a jewelry line for valentines day that features freeform hearts in rubies or diamonds.

[via WatchLuxus]

Nope that's not three watches you see above, it's three in one. The Piaget Limelight Magic Hour watch uses a mechanism developed in the Piaget workshops to create three different looks. It can be worn horizontally, at a rakish angle or straight up where it reveals diamond-set golden numerals. The model has an integrated case and bracelet, no lugs, and 36 diamonds around the bezel. It is also available on a black satin strap with a white gold case (the other is pink gold on a white satin strap). The watch has a Piaget 56P quartz movement and a retail price of 16,800 euros.

There is also a Limelight Magic Hour ring that pivots in the same three directions. This one is a white opal mounted in 18K white gold and surrounded by diamonds.

[via Time Zone]

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Is this a gorgeous summer watch or what? Piaget has launched a new summer line of watches in their Miss Protocole collection. The four watches feature grand feu enameling and images of the sea including starfish, coral and seashells highlighted by diamonds. The watches are done in 18 carat yellow and white gold and use the Piaget Calibre 57 quartz movement 57P. The watches all come on a satin strap that can be easily changed. Sure, the time is a little hard to read on this one but know one would buy this just to tell time.

[via WatchLuxus]

This isn't the first watch with two mechanical movements that I have seen but it is one of the least gimmicky, just two simply beautiful watches, one on top of another. Piaget has released a new version of their classic Altiplano, that has two separate watches with two mechanical movements to tell two different timezones. It uses two Piaget caliber 450P movements with 18 jewels, beating at 21,600 bph. At 38mm, the 18K white gold case is smaller than a lot of the wrist dominators I have seen lately. It sells for $27,000.

JCK reports on the winners of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève ceremonies which were announced last week in Geneva, Switzerland. The jury-judged competition is one of the major awards for luxury watches.

Here are the winners:
--The top prize, the "Prix de L'Aiguille d'Or" went to F.P. Journe for his Grande et Petite Sonnerie Souveraine timepiece shown above.
--The Jury Prize went to Lange & Söhne for the Tourbograph timepiece.
--The Lady's Watch Prize went to Patek Philippe for its Gondolo Gemma.
--The Men's Watch Prize was awarded to Roger Dubuis' Excalibur Triple Time Zone timepiece.
--The Prize for Watch Design went to the limited edition Cartier Santos Mystérieuse.
--The Lady's Jewelry Watch was given to Piaget's Limelight Party timepiece.
--The Prize for Watch with Complication was awarded to H. Moser & Cie for its Moser Perpetual 1.
--The Sports Watch Award went to two watches, Chopard's L.U.C. Extra Plate and TAG Heuer's Carrera Calibre 360.
--The Digital Watch Prize was awarded to Seiko for its 'Electronic Ink' Watch.
--The Public's Prize went to Breguet's Classique 5177.

Spring has sprung, the time when watch companies get ready for the spring shows and bring out their tourbillons. Piaget will be unveiling the Polo Tourbillon Relatif at the upcoming SIHH 2006. This watches has a flying tourbillon suspended on the minute hand. The tourbillon spins once per minute on its own axis and then circles the watch face once her hour. The case is done in 18K white gold with a silver dial with gold Arabic numerals and hour markers. It uses an in-house manual-winding caliber 608P with 27 jewels, beating at 21,600 bph and with a 70 hour power reserve. The watch has a black alligator leather strap with an 18K white gold folding clasp.