The Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin commits to green and gold
Fergus NashBright and flashy colours were initially seen as a returning trend when they first started cropping up a couple of years ago, but unlike the Stella dials or funky divers of the 1970s, colours have permeated all corners of watchmaking. A perpetual calendar watch is possibly the ultimate commitment to a colour, as it’s fully intended to be worn for an owner’s entire lifetime. While it would be difficult to imagine a perpetual calendar in a colour like this in any other decade, the Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar has embraced green with a pink gold case that sums up contemporary luxury.
The case
The Piaget Polo has come a long way since its introduction in 1979, with the current design style stemming from the 2016 Polo S which incorporated a bit more influence from its Gérald Genta-designed peers. The bubbly width and soft, flowing lugs lean the watch into a kind of playful dressiness, while the horizontally-brushed bezel hones in the sporty charm with its squared-off frame. The tone of the 18k pink gold is as sweet as honey, which compliments the darker green tones nicely and avoids the cheesiness that green and gold can sometimes have.
Proportionally, the Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin knows how to balance priorities. The 42mm diameter is necessary to keep all of the subdial information legible, but the approximate lug-to-lug length of 47mm ensures wearability on small to average wrists neatly. The 8.65mm thickness might not be as paper-thin as the 5.8mm record set by Bulgari, however it’s slim enough to impress while not feeling like a dinner plate. The 18k gold case lends it some weight to compensate for the thickness, so it doesn’t lose that luxurious sense of heft either.
The dial
For a dial shape that’s really a quirky, bulging square, Piaget have nailed the balance. As with any perpetual calendar, the main challenge is displaying all of the necessary information without seeming cluttered or overbearing. The 12 o’clock subdial bears the majority of the complexity, with the months on the outer ring and an inner section depicting the leap year indicator. The 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock subdials display the weekday and date respectively, while the 6 o’clock ring hosts the printed logos and a modest moonphase. The applied indices are skewed in a pleasing way, and cropped at the quarters while maintaining a bit of luminous paint.
Green is undoubtedly a common dial colour at this stage, right alongside blue and black. Piaget’s choice of hue however is still special, mixing in a blue overtone for a kind of peacock green. Really it’s the texture which makes the most difference, with the grille pattern of the dial throwing forward bright highlights in the right lighting and the sunburst subdials embracing dynamic depth. Overall it hits that same blend of playfulness and sophistication that the case does, leading to a cohesive design that doesn’t feel like it’s just a material swap of the steel version.
The movement
Powering the watch is the Piaget calibre 1255P, which itself is only 4mm tall. It’s visible from the sapphire display caseback which showcases the blued micro-rotor and decoration. The perlage behind it and Geneva stripes on the 3/4 plate aren’t overly glamorous, but they’re done well. Beating at 21,600 vibrations per hour the power reserve lasts for approximately 42 hours, so you may want to invest in a watch winder if you don’t plan on wearing it daily.
The strap
Contributing to an overall sporty vibe is a dark green rubber strap that matches the dial’s tone nicely. It has a ridged texture and a small stamp of the Piaget logo, with the Piaget coat of arms underneath and more ridges for airflow. The folding clasp is also made of 18k pink gold, with seven holes for fitment. If the casual vibe of the rubber strap isn’t quite what you’re after, the watch is also accompanied by a green alligator leather strap that can be quickly changed over thanks to Piaget’s quick-release system.
The verdict
With Piaget, there’s definitely a sense of security that you’re paying for excellence. On a surface level this model is the same as its steel counterpart, but the gold case works even better with this green dial to my eye. It can be difficult to discuss value when the price is this high, but the A$122,000 RRP at least seems appropriate for the level of quality, materials, and brand power.
The Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin pricing and availability
The Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin is now available from Piaget retailers. Price: A$122,000
| Brand | Piaget |
| Model | Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin |
| Reference Number | G0A48006 |
| Case Dimensions | 42mm (D) x 8.65mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 18k pink gold |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Green |
| Strap | Green rubber and green alligator, 18k pink gold hardware, quick-exchange |
| Movement | Calibre 1255P, in-house, micro-rotor |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, perpetual calendar with moonphase |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | $122,000 |