Piaget is a Swiss luxury watch and jewelry manufacture, currently one of the Specialist Watchmakers of Richemont.
In 1874 Georges Piaget founds the «Ateliers de la Côte-aux-Fées», in which high-precision watch movements are produced for well-known watch manufacturers. In 1911 he hands over the company to his son, Timothée Piaget.
The year 1943 brings a significant change for the company’s history Based on the experience and the success of the company the grandsons of the founder, Gérald and Valentin Piaget, decide to obtain protection for the name Piaget as a trademark. From now on, the creations of the house bear its own signature. This does not just apply to watch movements, but also to complete watches. Due to the increasing demand in 1945 in La Cote-aux-Fées a new, more modern facility is built.
In 1957 the famous ultra-thin manual winding Calibre 9P is presented, which has only 2 mm height. In the same year the first edition of the Emperador is launched, which should become one of the best known models of the brand.
In 1959 Piaget opens a jewelry store in Geneva. In 1961 the first foreign branch is founded in Offenbach, the German Piaget GmbH.
The mastery of the extra-flat watch movement is a specialty of the brand and encourages the watchmakers of the manufacture to the wildest creations. In 1960 a revolutionary self-winding movement follows the Calibre 12P with only 2.3 mm height. The design breakthrough begins in the early sixties with the creation of extravagant and colorful models. In 1982 Piaget develops the Calibre 20P with manual winding and in 1983 the calibre 25P. In 1986 they finally produce a movement with perpetual calendar.
As part of the quartz revolution in the 1970s Piaget develops in 1976 the at the time slimmest quartz movement 7P. In 1979 appears for the first time the sporty model Polo, which will later become one of the pillars of the model range. In 1980 Yves Piaget takes over the management of the company.
Piaget impresses by a distinctive style, but also by a number of bestsellers. Both the range of products in the watches area as well as in the jewelry area is located in the highest-price regions of the luxury class.
In 1965, Piaget purchased the Baume & Mercier brand. In 1988 Piaget enters the group Cartier Monde, but keeps Yves Piaget as president. In 1993 Piaget, together with Cartier, joins the Vendôme Luxury Group, which is now merged into the Richemont Group.