The Andy Warhol Clou de Paris watch by Piaget
A new timepiece to pay homage to the Piaget Society, celebrating the Maison's golden era.
There is no better homage to Piaget’s 150th anniversary than to shine the spotlight on the Piaget Society, synonymous with the glamorous ’60s, ’70s and ‘80s. A legendary story of family loyalty interwoven with creativity, daring design and exceptional savoir-faire, Piaget was founded by Georges-Édouard Piaget, whose pioneering vision laid the foundations of the Maison, channelled and built upon over generations.
Precision is a cornerstone of the Maison with its invention of the ultra-thin movement in the late 1950s, besides being a master of goldsmithing where its Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire artisans have been transforming gold, ornamental stones and precious gems into not just wearable treasures but also spectacles of art. Salon Piaget, the Maison’s first boutique was opened in 1959, displaying this intriguing blend of craftsmanship and art from the peerless skills of its artisans-cum-artists.
In the early 1960s, fourth-generation Yves Piaget would propel the Maison onto the international stage after establishing La Côte-aux-Fées in the Swiss Jura mountains. The avant-garde collections created there captured the adoration of a legion of aristocratic clientele, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Gina Lollobrigida, besides inviting close collaborations with artists, starting with Salvador Dalí in 1967. Piaget’s reputation as a purveyor of exquisite creations desired and celebrated by the world’s most sophisticated drew the patronage of the jet-set: designers, actors, musicians and models, crossing paths at the Maison’s multifaceted and sparkling boutique.
This would organically pave the way for the Piaget Society, an elitist yet inclusive tapestry of unique relationships, personalities and stories that blossomed at elegant and exuberant parties and events held by the Maison in magical places with spectacular surroundings, from Capri to Saint-Tropez, Palm Springs and Aspen — defining not only Piaget’s stature but also modern glamour. Today, Piaget Society’s community of friends and family is exemplified by Ella Richards: granddaughter of Keith Richards, daughter of Lucie de la Falaise and great-niece of Yves Saint Laurent’s muse Loulou, capturing the Maison’s artistic essence comprising movement, music and dance.
One figure with a deep connection to Piaget is pop artist, music producer and film director Andy Warhol (1928-1987). Straddling the underground scene and high society of intellectuals, Hollywood stars and aristocrats, Warhol is famed as the poster child of the ’80s artistic intelligentsia. Crossing paths in 1979, Warhol and Yves Piaget bonded over art, culture and the emerging media world as they globetrotted from Paris to New York, Palm Beach and beyond, partying at venues such as Studio 54 and Chez Régine.
Flamboyant, spiritual and cultured, the two high-profile men exchanged worlds as Yves was featured in Warhol’s Interview magazine whilst Warhol became the proud owner of a yellow gold Piaget Black Tie watch with a galvanised anthracite-coloured dial, purchased in 1973. Originally launched in 1972, the Black Tie model with stunning curved lines was a Warhol favourite, produced for less than a decade before its revival in 2014. Shaped for artists, thinkers and creators, the audacious and design-forward timepiece that beat to the tempo of the Beta 21 quartz movement sat in the artist’s watch arsenal that included no less than seven Piaget watches, four of which are now part of the Maison’s Private Collection.
Debuting a new design interpretation, courtesy of an official collaboration under licence with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Black Tie now makes a triumphant return, renamed by Piaget and the Foundation as the Andy Warhol watch — just in time for the Maison’s 50th anniversary milestone. The first watch to represent this exhilarating union is the Andy Warhol Clou de Paris watch, featuring a hobnail pattern on the case and a striking blue meteorite dial. Defined by a bold 45 mm-diameter cushion-shaped case elegantly rimmed with signature gadroons, the contemporary iteration is complemented by Piaget’s Made to Order personalisation service.
A reimagination of a true vintage and a timeless style icon, the Andy Warhol Clou de Paris watch reflects the virtuous circle of creative chronology, emblematic of Piaget’s artistry and savoir-faire. Clou de Paris has long been a part of Piaget’s DNA, adorning its stylish watches in the 1970s. The refined decorative technique uses a guilloché motif with a bejewelled pattern of small, pyramid-like squares. For the Andy Warhol Clou de Paris wristwatch, the Maison’s Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire spent 10 months developing and perfecting the Clou de Paris finish on the white gold case, made especially challenging on a cushion-shaped case to achieve the same subtle layering and wondrous play of light.
The watch’s one-of-a-kind blue meteorite dial nods to Piaget’s distinction in designing with ornamental stones, reserved for the Maison’s rare and extraordinary creations. Powered by the in-house 501P1 Manufacture self-winding movement and bearing a vintage flourish in the form of dauphine-style hands and elegant indexes, the Andy Warhol Clou de Paris watch is a collector’s dream — an object of desire imbued with the legacy of a nostalgic era, pop culture and the free spirit of the Piaget Society.
