Piaget Emperador 'Mini Warhol'

Of the storied Swiss watchmaking houses, few were quick to pivot to quartz when the writing was on the wall in the early 1970s.

One exception was Piaget. Despite its founding in 1874 as a movement manufacturer — and its reputation as a designer and producer of ultra-thin calibers, in particular — Piaget released its first quartz movement, the Calibre 7P, in 1976. This pivot to battery-powered technology, and the brand’s specialization in ultra-thin movements, no doubt had an impact on its ability to weather the quartz storm.

The particular Piaget dress watch we have here is an example of the maison’s quartz watches from that period. Dating to the 1970s, it’s a thin, handsome piece whose clean lines are unbroken by the presence of a conventional crown. (A small wheel on the caseback sets the hands.)

It features a 32mm 18K yellow gold ‘stepped’ case with a mineral crystal, a lovely sunburst 'champagne' dial with applied indices and a matching ‘dauphine’ handset, and black leather strap with a matching signed yellow gold pin buckle.

Powered by a reliable quartz movement, this piece is suitable for almost any wrist and makes for an absolutely perfect option for a grab-and-go dress occasion.

It’s a design-focused piece that nevertheless boasts some serious horological chops — just not mechanical ones!

Piaget is perhaps the foremost player in ultra-thin watches and watch movements in the world. Established in 1874 in Geneva and currently under the Richemont Group umbrella, the maison began producing wristwatch movements in 1911, manufacturing the Calibre 9P, its first ultra-thin, hand-wound mechanical movement, in 1957.

In 1960, Piaget released the Calibre 12P, the thinnest automatic movement in the world at the time, at just 2.3mm. It fitted many of its miniature movements into innovative timepieces hidden in coins, brooches, and cufflinks, becoming known equally for its jewelry.

The Piaget Altiplano Ultimate, released as a concept in 2018, became a full production model in 2020. At just 2mm thick, it took the record for thinnest watch on Earth. Today, Piaget continues to innovate in the realm of ultra-thin watchmaking, creating ultra-thin tourbillons, retrograde movements, and more.

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Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.