SIHH 2012 : Piaget's Altiplano Skeleton - setting new records for 'thin'

Although it was announced a couple of months ago, Piaget has now formally launched the stunning Altiplano Skeleton at SIHH 2012. At 38mm, this dress watch holds two ‘firsts’. At 5.34mm it is the world's thinnest automatic skeleton watch and inside, it contains the thinnest automatic movement, the Piaget calibre 1200S, a mere 2.4mm.

Through the open case back you can see that the movement's micro-rotor is platinum and coated in a matte black. The 1200S automatic movement is based on the 1200P automatic movement, which Piaget modified and skeletonised.

The engraving and finishing on the movement is all done by hand, and the contrasts and impact of the mix of surfaces (matte, sunray brushed, sandblasted, polished) with the polished angles, platinum, rhodium and black make this a very modern type of skeletonised dress watch.

Renowned for their ultra-thins, Manufacture Piaget currently has 18 ultra-thin movements and 5 skeleton movements.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Case : 18-carat white gold

Functions: hours, minutes. Black dauphine hands

Movement : Piaget 1200S ultra-thin mechanical self-winding skeleton movement. World's thinnest automatic skeleton movement (2.40mm). Finishing : satin brushed plate and bridges, hand bevelled and hand-drawn bridges and plate,

sunray or circular satin-brushed wheels, black screws, black platinum satin-brushed micro-rotor engraved with Piaget insignia

Jewels : 26

Frequency : 21,600 vph

Power reserve : 44-hour

Strap : black alligator with 18-carat white gold ardillon buckle

Reference : G0A37132 

This new watch screams Piaget, and in a way that I want to see. They really do ‘ultra- thin’ like nobody else, and I have a soft spot for skeletonised watches. The Altiplano Skeleton Ultra-Thin is not for those who want all the bells and whistles on their watch but for those who want a watch pared down to its time-keeping essential, but in a technically and aesthetically remarkable way. It's unlikely that I’ll get to have a look at one in Sydney, but if anyone gets one...

[AP]