For more than half a century, the Limelight Gala has stood as a symbol of Piaget’s artistry, blending elegant design with technical prowess. The collection’s signature features – sensual curves, asymmetrical lugs, and a harmonious fusion of gemstones and precious metals – have made it an icon of timeless sophistication. This season, Piaget adorns a mesmerizing gold engraved pattern on its two new Limelight Gala creations, which embody the Maison’s unparalleled expertise in watchmaking, jewellery and goldsmithing.
“A watch is first and foremost a piece of jewellery", used to say Yves G.Piaget. Founded in La Côte-aux-Fées in 1874 by Georges-Edouard Piaget, the Maison initially focused on high-end movement and component production, developing an unrivalled mastery of ultra-thin calibres throughout the first half of the 20th century. These super-slim movements opened endless possibilities in terms of dial and case decoration, which led Piaget to embark on a unique journey of vertical integration in the early 1960s. The Maison experimented with ornamental stone dials and gemstones, engraving techniques, case designs and bracelet styles resulting in the creation of intricate finishes such as the iconic Decor Palace technique, which features nearly a thousand links individually hand-soldered to achieve a seamless metal surface.
Since its inception in 1973, the Limelight Gala – as it became known retrospectively – has seen hundreds of iterations, from one-of-a-kind pieces to core collection favourites, each one maintaining the distinctive identity of the original, while keeping this creation to be so versatile with this play on shape.
House of Gold
Today, Piaget continues as a pioneer of creativity and excellence in both watchmaking and jewellery with in-house artisans specialising in 40 different skills, ensuring that each Limelight Gala creation is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and design. Here, both watches are powered by the self-winding 501P1 Manufacture movement and have a 32mm case that wears bigger thanks to the sensual curves of the asymmetrical lugs that extend from each side of the case and snake sinuously around the wrist.
The two new Limelight Gala watches revives from the archive a hand-engraved motif across the dial and bracelet that underscores Piaget’s reputation as the House of Gold, a title bestowed on the Maison in 1957 when it decided to work exclusively with precious metals. In a total contrast to the Maison’s signature Decor Palace or snake scales effect that were previously adorning most of the modern Limelight Gala watches, the new engraved finishing creates a wavy effect pattern. An illusion of movement reminiscent of the softly rippling silk of red-carpet gowns, which is enhanced by the fluidity of the bracelet’s design. Each watch is worked by a single master-engraver over two days, ensuring consistency in the engraving from clasp to bracelet to dial.
Mastery of Colour
While one model is a showcase of gold framed by 42 brilliant white diamonds weighing 4.74 cts, the second Mesmerizing Burgundy model is a vibrant celebration of Piaget’s colour expertise. Once again, the entire watch is hand-engraved with the new motif before the dial is flooded with rich, translucent Grand Feu enamel.
Colour has been central to Piaget’s identity since its early take on ornamental stones. The new burgundy hue introduces a fresh richness to the wrist, opening doors to unexplored colour palettes in watchmaking, which echoes some of the most stunning vintage watches featuring the ruby-root stone. The technique allows the underlying texture to shine through while the intense ruby-root shade is complemented by a carefully curated gradient of gemstones ranging from diamonds and pale pink sapphires through to deep red rubies. A perfect tie-and dye of gemstones, which becomes incredibly hard to source in this high quality.
An array of details which pays homage to the glamour and freedom of Piaget Society, the hedonistic 1970s party scene created by Yves Piaget, the fourth generation of the family to oversee the Maison. The members of this jet-hopping high society became the muses for the original timepieces from Gina Lollobrigida and Elizabeth Taylor to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Andy Warhol. Drawing inspiration from the opulent gowns and the deep ‘pigeon’s blood’ shade of the era’s red carpets, these watches are a testament to Piaget’s rich heritage.
Elevating everyday elegance, these Limelight Gala watches represent the pinnacle of Piaget’s craftsmanship. They offer a contemporary interpretation of five decades of history, revealing their secrets with each glance and wear. As the Maison reaffirms its position at the forefront of luxury watchmaking and jewellery, these new Limelight Gala Editions stand as a testament to Piaget’s enduring legacy of creativity, sophistication, and uncompromising quality.
