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PIAGET Altiplano Saga: Part 6 – Never Say Never Thin Again – Automatic 1200P/1208P

PIAGET Altiplano Saga: Part 6  – Never Say Never Thin Again  – Automatic 1200P/1208P movements
By Dr Melvyn Teillol-Foo

Extra-thin Definition
In the absence of a precise definition for ‘ultra-thin watch’, watch brands are able to use their own vague terminology. We observe that watches can be called ‘ultra-thin’ or ‘extra flat’ or ‘extra plate’. By convention, an ultra-thin, hand-wound or self-winding mechanical watch without complications (i.e. indicating hours and minutes, and possibly seconds or the date) is one, whose movement does not exceed 3.5mm in height, including the mainspring barrel but excluding the attachment stem for the hands (hand staff).

When quartz movements were introduced to watchmaking, ultra-thin watch records were repeatedly broken with each generation of transistor miniaturisation and eventually had no meaning when the thickness of the battery and fragility of the watch became the limiting constraints to further development. The thinnest quartz watches broke or bent easily and good examples are hard to find today.

The technical challenge of extra-thin mechanical movements is to obtain sufficient rigidity in the movement for timing precision and accuracy, whilst reducing the construction material used. As the thickness of components and the clearance gaps between parts are reduced, there is more risk of warping and jamming of the movement. Thinning automatic winding movements are more difficult as the design has to balance reliable winding and long power reserve with smaller and lighter components. The development of extra-thin movements prompted amazing feats of technology advance since the extra-thin pocket watches of the 1840s and extra-thin wristwatches through the 20th century.  It was and still is the mark of an excellent Manufacture to be able to produce the thinnest mechanical wrist watches; few brands attempt it.

Any extra decoration, engraving and skeletonisation of extra-thin movements are fraught with difficulties relating to reduced rigidity and tolerances. Even fewer brands attempt to do so.  Just producing the thinnest movement is no guarantee of producing the thinnest watch because the height of the complete watch case and crystal is the final arbiter for the ‘thinnest watch’ title.  Another factor is reliability in mass production. It is feasible to make thinner watches that require specialists’ adjustments on individual watches just to make them work, if only a few are produced. The difficulty is to maintain reliability for large production runs and achieve longevity for the watches. The current reliable extra-thin mechanical movements that work ‘out-of-the-box’ with 40 hours power reserve are around 2mm thick for manual winding and 2.5mm thick for automatic winding. For extra power reserve, some brands take it close to the 3.5mm limit.

Why Thin is Back In
Since the recent global economic crisis, luxury brands and consumers have focused on justification for luxury. One approach for watch brands is to demonstrate the added value of a brand’s heritage, prowess and legitimacy in horology. They are reverting to the classical definitions of top watchmaking skills and reaching for the traditional superlatives – complications, extra-thin or timing accuracy. This may explain the resurgence of extra-thin watches as a mark of the watchmaking Art.

Thin Titleist  

For over half a century, the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget re-wrote records and filled the finest pages in the history of ultra-thin movements. Piaget made a name for itself in ultra-thin watches, as a record holder in the past with both manual winding (9P) and automatic (12P) movements. In 1957, Piaget caused a sensation by developing Calibre 9P, the world’s thinnest mechanical hand-wound movement (2 mm) at the time. The thinnest hand-wind movement ever made was by Jaeger-LeCoultre for Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. The JLC 803 movement that was never sold in a JLC watch but was called the Cal.1003 by Vacheron Constantin and Cal.2003 by Audemars Piguet, was only 1.64mm thin. As the definition of thinnest watch refers to the complete watch size, some of these movements may not have been in the thinnest watches.

In 1959, Valentin Piaget filed a patent for Calibre 12P (2.3 mm), which was marketed in 1960. It was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's thinnest self-winding movement. More recently, Piaget continued making ultra-thin movements like the 430P (2.1 mm thick) created in 1998 and the 830P (2.5 mm) launched in 2007. This expertise has also radiated to their complicated calibres such as the 600P, the world’s thinnest shaped tourbillon movement at 3.5 mm; the 880P, equipped with a flyback chronograph and a dual time-zone function at a mere 5.65 mm thick; and finally, the 855P that manages to accommodate a perpetual calendar, retrograde displays and a dual time-zone indication within just 5.6 mm. Still, there was a gap in the current line-up at PIAGET – they did not have THE thinnest automatic movement – until now....

Their latest automatic Altiplano with the 1208P movement holds two records as the thinnest current production automatic movement at 2.35mm and in the thinnest watch case at 5.25mm. The nearest two rivals have thicker movements and are in cases up to 6.7mm thick. Behind them, is a pack of brands whose’ thin wristwatches’ have cases between 8.3 and 9.2mm thick. The Piaget 1208P movement has a 40 hour power reserve despite being ultra-thin.

Two World Records in one watch
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the introduction of its legendary world’s thinnest mechanical self-winding movement Calibre 12P in 1960, the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget presented the calibre 1208P. This new mechanism once again is the thinnest self-winding movement currently on the market, at 2.35 mm. A first record.  That's only the thickness of 2 compact discs!

For its debut on the watchmaking stage, Calibre 1208P will power the Altiplano Automatic watch again. Featuring a new case size (43 mm diameter), the latest Altiplano model is just 5.25 mm thick, making it the thinnest watch in its category. A second record. That's the thickness of a plastic CD case.

Piaget Altiplano 43 mm “Anniversary Edition” – Calibre 1200P
This timepiece was conceived from a desire to celebrate a 50th anniversary by setting a new record for flatness and combining it with exceptional reliability. The expertise acquired by the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget in ultra-thin movements enabled it to implement technical solutions that push micro-mechanical limits. For example, whilst traditional gear trains usually measure 0.2 mm, those of the 1200P are just 0.12 mm thick, which is scarcely more than a hair’s breadth (0.08 mm). The thickness of various movement parts was reduced to bare essentials, while guaranteeing impeccable reliability.

The automatic winding mechanism represented one of the trickiest problems to overcome. The winding module calls for a finite volume that tends to make a movement significantly thicker. Like the 12P, the solution consisted of integrating it within the 1200P, using the principle of an off-centred oscillating weight (micro-rotor). This oscillating weight, engraved with the Piaget coat-of-arms, is crafted in platinum. Platinum gives it a weight and inertia ratio to guarantee excellent winding force. The result is a movement that is not only the thinnest in its category currently on the market (2.35 mm), but it also has a balance with low inertia (2.90 mg.cm2), a frequency of 21,600vph and an approximately 40-hour power reserve. In addition to the bevelled bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève, the circular-grained mainplate, the satin-brushed steel parts and the blued screws, the 1200P also features circular sun-ray brushed wheels, as well as a dedicated index assembly bearing the “P” for Piaget as a 'secret signature'.

This large movement –13 ¼ lignes (29.9 mm diameter) – driving the hour and minute functions was designed to power a large-size ultra-thin watch. Altiplano, an iconic model among ultra-thin watches, was the natural choice. Engraved with the inscription “1200P”, the case was designed early in the development process so as to provide the perfect receptacle for the movement, each being specifically made for the other. The glass is deliberately flat rather than convex, to accentuate the slimness of the case. The result is an extremely refined watch creation with tapering lugs and a hand guilloché dial beautifully highlighted by an extremely slender bezel.

The various dial levels – a clever means of further reducing the thickness of the watch while limiting hand-setting heights – and the alternation of simple and double hour-markers, along with the word “automatic” reminiscent of Piaget’s historical pieces and the discreet inscription signalling that this is an anniversary model, all contribute to the pure style and perfect balance of the overall effect.

 
You can see that the new watch has a thinner rehaut inner bezel and distance between dial and watchglass. The new watch hands are set at different heights to "buy" space.

Despite its extreme flatness, the case in 18-carat pink gold matched with a midnight blue dial, or in 18-carat white gold framing a black dial, is equipped with a transparent caseback enabling one to admire the movement and the crown bearing the “P” for Piaget. A pin buckle reflecting the aesthetic of the bezel has been specially created for this watch.

The new pin buckle (right) is exclusive to the new Altiplano 43 mm watch compared with the old model (left)

Piaget Altiplano 43 mm – Calibre 1208P
In parallel with the Altiplano 43 mm Anniversary Edition equipped with Calibre 1200P, the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget also produced the Altiplano 43 mm Calibre 1208P model. Designed to become part of the regular collection, this version has also been treated to the same meticulous finishing of both its movement and its exterior. Tapering lugs, a slender bezel, a pure dial, a calibre finished according to the aesthetic signature codes of the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget: the entire range of features translates the understated elegance that is the keynote of this ultra-thin timepiece. The oscillating weight is crafted from 22-carat gold, while a small seconds display at 4 o’clock enlivens the dial and makes the record 2.35 mm slimness of Calibre 1208P even more remarkable.  Other brands removed their base movement's seconds hand assembly to lower the height but still do not come close to this Piaget ultra-flat record.

Like its Anniversary Limited Edition brethren, the Altiplano 43 mm watch equipped with the new Calibre 1208P is setting two new records: that of the thinnest mechanical self-winding movement on the market at 2.35 mm; and that of the thinnest watch in its category, measuring a mere 5.25 mm. 

The small seconds at 4 o’clock, the various dial levels – a clever means of further reducing the thickness of the watch while limiting hand-setting heights – and the alternation of simple and double hour-markers, along with the word “automatic” reminiscent of Piaget’s historical pieces: all these refined elements contribute to the pure style and perfect balance of this outstanding model. Despite its extreme slenderness, the case in 18-carat pink (Ref. G0A35131) or white gold (Ref. G0A35130) is equipped with a sapphire case-back enabling one to admire the movement and the crown bearing the P for Piaget.

Historical Automatic Altiplano

Wish list:
Theoretically, the 1200P movement could be housed in a 40 mm diameter case and I wish they will
It is inevitable as the market forces in Asia asking for a 40mm Automatic Altiplano will force the issue. PuristS will be lining up to buy one when that happens......

PuristS' Tips on Ultra-Thin

Traditionally, a gentleman should have the use for at least two watches – a daily wearer and an elegant ‘dress watch’.

Extra-thin watches are usually worn as dress watches that are ‘de rigueur’ for formal wear i.e. involving tuxedos and coat-tails. Those are the occasions when a kevlar-reinforced 200m diving watch may not be suitable as a sartorial statement.

A manual-wind watch has better chance to be thinner than its automatic counterpart and by convention, makes a more elegant statement without a seconds hand or date display.

Although modern extra-thin watches are capable of daily wear, they are unlikely to be suitable for robust activity like contact sports and military manoeuvres.

Do not be seduced by the thinnest movement as the only metric that can be seen is the overall case size. Obviously, a thin case must contain a thin movement but the converse may not be true.

PIAGET Altiplano Saga series:

Part 1 - The World is Not Thin Enough – Manual 9P movement:
piaget.watchprosite.com   

Part 2  – GoldenEye – Automatic 12P movement:
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 3 – For Your Eyes Only – Enamel Altiplanos:
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 4 – From La Côte-aux-Fées, With Love – Diamonds Are Forever (Exceptional Altiplanos):
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 5 – The Living Daylights – Skeleton Altiplanos:
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 6  – Never Say Never Thin Again – Automatic 1200P/1208P movements
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 7  – Quantum of Solace – Special Altiplanos and Updates
piaget.watchprosite.com

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