“always do better than necessary”——Georges-Édouard Piaget
The Piaget brand was born in 1874 in the small village of La Côte-aux-Fées in the Swiss Jura, more than 1,000 meters above sea level. This is where Georges-Édouard Piaget ignited the spirit of the brand.
Founder Georges-Édouard Piaget, who had a passion for watchmaking from an early age, opened his first workshop on the family farm in 1874, at the age of 19. Here, he dedicated himself to creating good precision movements and watch components.
From the very beginning, he was driven by the motto “Always do better than required”, a phrase that remains a constant source of motivation for Piaget today. This dedication to excellence has always driven Piaget, taking the brand from the slopes to the world, from the farm to the workshop.
A masterpiece of timepieces with simple lines and timeless elegance, the Piaget Haute Horlogerie watch is an exceptional representative of the world of watchmaking.
In 1943, Piaget was officially registered as a trademark. Two years later, a new large workshop was inaugurated at La Côte-aux-Fées, laying the foundations for the Piaget we know today, and Piaget’s growth accelerated under the leadership of Gérald and Valentin, the third generation of the family.
As the brand continued to grow, Piaget achieved a reputation for its movements and a reputation for fine watches.
In 1957, Piaget became the focal point of the ultra-thin movement segment with the 9P hand-wound mechanical movement, just 2 mm thick, which made a splash at Baselworld and has since established itself as the Swiss master of ultra-thin watches.
In 1960, the idea of a miniature oscillating weight enabled Piaget to launch its ultra-thin automatic movement, the caliber 12P, which at the time shocked the world and succeeded in setting a model of elegance for men’s ultra-thin watches.
Valentin Piaget once told the brand’s designers: “We have to do what no one has ever done before”. These words became another motto in the history of Piaget.
This indicative statement caused a sensation in 1963 when the first watch with decorative stones on the dial was introduced. It was further interpreted in the contemporary and distinctive “21st Century Collection”.
It was these dazzling and bold designs that were favored by a host of popular stars such as Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren. This artistic display has also laid the foundation for great friendships between the brand and artists, including Salvador Dalí, with whom the brand formed its first friendship in 1967.
Under the leadership of Yves Piaget, the 4th generation of the family, Piaget has become synonymous with elegance, luxury and “glamour”.
In 1979, the Piaget Polo watch, in gold, became a symbol of luxury, a symbol of understatement and elegance of the times, and linked the brand to the polo match, the king of sports.
The brand has mastered the art of setting dazzling diamonds and hard, rare stones in cases, dials and bracelets, while maintaining the lightness and slenderness of a fine watch. Piaget’s glamorous and eye-catching style brings creative flair to the world of men’s and women’s watches.
Since its creation, the brand has designed and produced more than a dozen movements in-house, thanks to a perfect blend of more than a hundred watchmaking and jewelry crafts. The Swiss watch movement and the case are united, breaking several world records in terms of slenderness, and perfectly reflecting the brand’s motto: “Always do better than necessary”.