An anniversary homage: similar in appearance but different on the inside.
Jaeger Le-Coultre may still lay claim to the most famous model designed for the game of polo, but the most popular watch that bears the name "Polo" is definitely Piaget's. However, the model which appeared in 1979 would only later become known by this name. That's because back then, Piaget refrained from using names altogether, making do with reference numbers.
The brand's first sports watch, Ref. 761C701, was only given its name after some persuasion from the brand's American agent. In the United States, not only were Piaget's watches sported on the wrists of visitors to New York nightclubs Regine's and Studio 54, they were also worn at the polo club in Palm Beach. The luxury watch and jewelry maison sponsored the World Cup which was held there.
So it's pretty clear where this sporty novelty got its name from. And to make sure no one was left in any doubt, Yves Piaget's polo team promoted the watch in 1985, riding down Manhattan's Fifth Avenue on horseback. This watch's cult status is indisputable. That's exactly why Piaget is marking its 150th anniversary with a homage to the legendary Polo.
The Piaget Polo 79 is still a gold bracelet watch with alternating polished and satin-brushed details. The signature gadroon grooves extend onto the gold dial. Each of the point indexes has been individually engraved on the dial's surface. The main change is hidden inside — the quartz caliber 7P movement has been replaced by an automatic 1200P1.
That being the case, Piaget's defining passion for thin movements hasn't gone anywhere. At 3.1 mm in height, 7P was the thinnest quartz movement when it was launched, and 1200P1 features on today's list of thinnest automatic movements. It measures a mere 2.35 mm in height.Moving with the times, the historic case size of 34 mm in diameter (and that was the large version) has increased to 38 mm.
The caseback is now transparent, revealing a view of the finishing on the micro-rotor. In the late 1970s, Piaget's Polo watches were created with an eye to the brand's bohemian clientele. Fans of Piaget included the likes of Andy Warhol and Elizabeth Taylor. The cult model's reincarnation is sure to find fans among representatives of modern show business too.