Often, a celebrity watch endorsement remains a pretty surface-level collaboration. The talent accepts a big paycheck and dons the timepiece in public, sprinkles in a few photoshoots for magazine campaigns and billboards, and everyone’s a winner. However, for some individuals, it goes a lot further than that. Far from a paid ambassador, Andy Warhol was both a fan and friend of Piaget. During his lifetime he owned no less than seven pieces from the famed Swiss manufacturer, and of these watches, it was the Piaget Black Tie that he was most associated with.
Originally created in 1972 and produced for less than a decade, the Piaget Black Tie helped to reset the standard for dress watches during the 1970s. In part, thanks to its sizable 45mm diameter cushion-shaped case, ringed with signature gadroons. So iconic was the piece that Warhol loved, today it remains a fabled collector’s item.
While the piece was revived in 2014, thanks to a collaboration between Piaget and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, this classic piece has now been renamed: The Andy Warhol watch. Piaget is also releasing a new design interpretation as the first variant to carry the new name, the Andy Warhold Clou de Paris watch.
Featuring a classic signature Clou de Paris finish around the case, which beautifully reflects light and draws attention, the piece also features a bold blue meteorite dial, a material reserved only for special Piaget pieces.
“The Andy Warhol Foundation is delighted to celebrate the bond between Warhol and Piaget through an eponymous watch with an ethos as timeless, iconic and singular as its namesake,” said Michael Dayton Hermann, director of licensing, marketing, and sales at The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
The Clou de Paris detailing – also sometimes referred to as hobnail – is a motif pattern comprised of small, pyramid-like squares. As a critical element of Piaget’s design language, it adorned many of its pieces throughout the 1970s. In order to correctly pay homage to Warhol, for this new piece, Piaget’s Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire spent over 10 months perfecting the detailing on the white gold case. To achieve the desired effect, the complex curved case is hand-finished.
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Looking at the impressive dial, Piaget has utilized a one-of-a-kind blue meteorite, a subtle nod to the brand’s skill in designing with ornamental stones. The piece also utilizes dauphine-style hands, giving it a certain level of elegance. The watch is powered by the in-house 501P1 Manufacture self-winding movement, highlighting Piaget’s commitment to horological design and technique.
In the true spirit of Andy Warhol and to further celebrate the release, Piaget has expanded its made-to-order service, building on its history of allowing customers to customize their timepieces. Clients will be offered numerous options, selecting from over 10 different stone dials, five different colors of leather strap, the original or dauphine-style hands, and either a white or rose gold case.
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“We are deeply honored and delighted by the trust that the Andy Warhol Foundation is showing in Piaget, highlighting the deep and sincere relationship between the Maison and Andy Warhol. A new dawn for this very unique timepiece, beloved by all,” said Benjamin Comar, CEO of Piaget.
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