Piaget and The Hour Glass have partnered up for an exhibition unlike any seen before, in Singapore. This is because, for the first time, Piaget has brought a selection of exceptional creations from the Piaget Private Collection to the Southeast Asian Island nation. These are all precious objects, which form part of the maison’s museum and holds evident to its grand, rich heritage.
The exhibition is being staged with three themes in mind that cover multiple chapters from the Masion’s history books. Starting with “Master of Ultra-Thin,” Piaget and The Hour Glass have brought together pieces from the archives that best exemplify Piaget’s mastery of ultra-thin watchmaking. Here you’ll see an example of the calibre 9P from 1957 and even the groundbreaking 12p with its off center, micro rotor mechanism that changed the landscape of ultra-thin watchmaking thenceforth.
Learn more about Piaget’s ultra-thin watchmaking, here.
Some other noteworthy creations on show under this theme include early ultra-thin watches with incredible stone dials and very impressively the very Piaget Polo skeleton watch that was reportedly gifted to Miles Davis on behalf of the Swiss government in appreciation for his contribution to the art of jazz by Claude Nobs, founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival. Davis is said to have worn the watch gifted to him during his last Montreux performance. How do we know that Miles didn’t just wear the watch out of obligations? Because reportedly, he is known to have spoken of the watch on the wrist when asked about its chronometry and beautiful design saying, “But I don’t care about that. It’s just stunning!”
The next section of the exhibition is titled, “Artisan of Art.” Here Piaget and The Hour Glass have brought together objects from the maison’s collection that were birthed from various friendships that Yves Piaget had forged with some of the most influential artists in human history including, Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali.
Of note and on showcase are watches, jewelry and accessories which integrate Salvador Dalí’s own minted coin currency, or Dali d’Or coins, from 1966. The story goes that owing to the fact that Piaget had already proved its expertise in ultra-thin watchmaking by integrating watches within coins, in 1967 the maison acquired the exclusive rights to issue watches, jewellery and accessories which integrate Dali d’Or coins. These creations were designed by Piaget for Salvador Dali and on the occasion of the launch of these incredible objects, “Dalí demanded a transparent chair so that the audience could contemplate him in all his resplendent majesty.” A supremely calm and collected Yves Piaget cleverly found an inflatable plastic chair that he placed on stage for the eccentric artist. Dalí, thoroughly impressed, not only used the chair for the launch event, but he even posed for a portrait with his cane in hand and his pet jaguar by his side.
The last of the themes from the exhibition has been titled, “Audacity and Femininity”. Here the exhibition crescendos to a showcase of that which the maison is best recognized through all walks of life: Piaget’s artistry in its jewelry making. But because this is an exhibition within the grounds of The Hour Glass, the objects on show here are quite specifically those that exemplify Piaget’s art of jewelry watches. Audacious and daring in design these were creations that continue to appeal to some of the most powerful and creative individuals across generations.
About the Exhibition
Piaget, Artist of Precious Time exhibition runs until December 26th at Malmaison by The Hour Glass, Singapore.
Address: Malmaison by The Hour Glass, 270 Orchard Road #01-01, Singapore 238857
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11:30am – 7:30pm, Sunday 11:30am – 7pm.
All interested visitors are invited to register online at: thehourglass.com/piaget-artist-of-precious-time-rsvp
