The Only Watch-auction, held every two years in Monaco to support the fight against Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is high on every watch collector and -connoisseurs agenda. Besides an opportunity to do good, it is also an opportunity to obtain a piece unique by some of the most famous brands. For many of these brands donating a piece unique to the Only Watch-auction has become a tradition, and one of them is Piaget.
With their entry for the 2013 auction we see a trend emerging, a trend of skeleton’s and PVD-coatings. At the previous auction in 2011 Piaget stunned the watchworld by bringing a PVD-coated Altiplano Skeleton. PVD-coating is something that Piaget’s uses, but it is usually limited to rotors or certain other movement parts. Only some models from the Polo-collection have actually PVD-coating on certain parts of the case. For the 2011-version of the Piaget Only Watch they applied a PVD-coating on the movement, buckle and case, and as understated as that may sound, the watch made quite an entrance because of this!
For the 2013 version Piaget decided to take the same approach but twist. This time Piaget took it’s double record holding Altiplano Skeleton and applied a PVD coating on it. With a height of only 5.34mm the watch is the worlds thinnest automatic skeleton watch. A tremendous feature when you take into account that the watch also has a display back and therefor holds two sapphire crystals as well. Of course this all wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for caliber 1200S, with a height of only 2.4mm the world’s thinnest automatic skeleton movement.
In the Only Watch 2013 Piaget really highlighted this movement with a PVD-coated white gold case. Because the gold rotor of this skeleton movement is also PVD-coated you get a very harmonious combination, actually to the point that you might wonder why Piaget decided to use this combination for a piece unique and not make it a regular collection model. Yes, it is that breathtaking.
Although usually associated with sports watches, Piaget shows us that a PVD-coating can also go very well with a pure dress watch. Apparently this thought was shared by the bidders at the auction because the 2011-version of Piaget’s Only Watch sold for 54.000,- euro’s, while the estimate was between 25.000,- and 35.000,- euro’s. Although the fact that it was for a good cause might helped achieved the high result, in return the new owner got a very unique and exceptionally rare Piaget which might have helped perhaps even more. For those of you interested in Piaget’s entry for Only Watch 2013, all the necessary information can be wound at the Only Watch-website.
