Piaget Jumbo 'Beta 21'

There was a moment in the late 1960s when the Swiss watch industry hit reset. The 1969 introduction of the Seiko Astron — the world’s first commercially available quartz wristwatch — sent real tremors through traditional watchmaking. In response, a consortium of major Swiss brands, including Patek Philippe, Rolex, Omega, and Piaget, joined forces to develop their own answer: the Beta 21. Introduced that same year, it was an ambitious electronic caliber, featuring a quartz crystal oscillating at 8,192 Hz, reduced to drive a vibration motor with a smooth, sweeping seconds hand — a detail that set it apart from the “tick” we now associate with quartz. Despite enormous investment, only around 6,000 movements were produced before the project was ultimately abandoned, making surviving examples all the more compelling today.

This Piaget reference 14101, dating to around 1970, captures that moment of experimentation and uncertainty with remarkable clarity. Powered by the Beta 21, it’s as much a piece of horological history as it is a wristwatch. The solid 18K yellow gold “Jumbo” case — measuring approximately 40mm by 33.5mm — embraces the scale of the movement with confidence. Its stepped construction and softly rounded rectangular form give it a distinctly sculptural presence, while the black dial, framed by a subtle inner track and accented with gold markers and 'baton' hands, keeps the overall composition clean and intentional.

Paired with a black leather strap, it wears with presence but never feels overstated. This is Piaget doing what it does best — taking a disruptive moment in watchmaking and translating it into something elegant, forward-thinking, and unmistakably of its time.

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 two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

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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.