Both integral to Southeast Asian history, the Silk Route and the Spice Route introduced the world to lustrous, exotic textiles as well as a heady array of flavours. And because travel is a theme always close to Piaget’s heart, its master craftsmen embarked on this legendary journey, traversing the path that links East and West for centuries. Fortune favours the brave, it is said, and while this was a new undertaking in terms of creativity and artisanship, the reward for Piaget was an extended collection of exquisite timepieces showcasing ancient crafts as they have never been seen before.

Piaget’s artisans engrave every landscape and motif by hand

Each and every stroke requires exorbitant amounts of care and precision

Flora and fauna carved out of gold bring life to the watches

Applying the finishing touches, the artisan buffs and polishes the edges and crevices of the masterpiece 

Piaget Altiplano Double Jeu Gold Engraving in 18k white gold with 40 brilliant-cut diamonds, upper case with hand-engraved 18k white gold Asian landscape

Piaget Emperador Gold Dial in 18k pink gold with 163 brilliant-cut diamonds, gold dial with appliques diamond and ruby-set appliques representing elephants

‘Bullino’ engraving was developed by Italian engravers and refers to extreme fine line engraving.

Named after the specialised tool used by the Italian masters, this technique was favoured for luxurious ornamentation of hunting weapons and knives.

Composed of lines and dots, the detail of the engraving is so fine that it could only be practised under a microscope.

The bullino effect is achieved by applying varying degrees of pressure. In addition, different shades of grey are achieved by engraving at different angles. When the artwork is complete, an oxidising product is then used to enhance its colour, and following that, the craftsmen would polish it with wooden pegs and a polishing paste. Finally, he applies a layer of black colour, which intensifies the masterpiece and gives it depth.

Piaget Altiplano 38MM Bullino Engraving in 18k pink gold with 78 brilliant-cut diamonds, gold dial with elephant engraved in bullino technique

Micro-mosaic is an extremely delicate process using glass pieces to form a picture. 

Strands of heated coloured glass are stretched to its limit, forming glass threads known as tessella.

The tessella is then cut into fine pieces in a process called tessarae and these individual pieces are aligned onto the stucco-layered dial one piece at a time, finally producing a mosaic pattern. 

Different coloured tessella, created by heating the micro-mosaic chips, are used to produce depth and a life-like effect. 

The tessella is then cut into fine pieces in a process called tessarae and these individual pieces are aligned onto the stucco-layered dial one piece at a time, finally producing a mosaic pattern.

Piaget Protocole XXL Micromosaic in 18k white gold with micromosaic, white gold dial with micromosaic Asian landscape

The art of embroidery is undoubtedly rooted in the history of China (being the first country to produce silk and excel in this art form), so Piaget pays tribute to this time-honoured craft with two Altiplano models.

To make the dials, silk is first attached to a support after being stretched, and the pine or plum blossom tree motif is then traced out in lines. 

The artist uses a needle to form a cannetille (a small filigree-type element which is essentially a very small spirally twisted gold thread) and then weaves it in and out of the silk in the straight-stitching technique. 

One by one, each individual pine needle is materialises. The tree’s branches are made of raised satin stitches (a combination of back-stitching and straight-stitching). No less than six hours of work and two metres of thread goes into every dial.

Piaget Altiplano 38MM Precious Thread Embroidery in 18k white gold with 78 brilliant-cut diamonds, black silk dial with precious thread embroidery in pine tree design