Piaget unveils new editions of its women’s Limelight Gala, a model with stylish curves, asymmetrical lugs and a gem-set bezel that hark back to Piaget’s heyday of jewellery watches in the 1960s and 1970s. Arranged around four themes – The Art of Movement, The Art of Gold, The Art of Colour and The Art of Light – the new Limelight Gala is the epitome of the ultra-thin jewellery watch with a delightful gemstone twist.
Piaget made its first foray into jewellery watches in the 1960s. Leading ladies of the day, including Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy and Mireille Mathieu, were all fans of the brand that managed to capture the zeitgeist of the 1960s and 1970s with its sensual creations often embellished with stone dials in psychedelic colours. The Piaget Limelight Gala was inspired by an oval-shaped model of 1973 with the distinctive sweeping gem-set lugs that characterise the collection today.
As a master of ultra-thin movements, Piaget’s jewellery watches were not only dazzling but beautifully slim. Almost all the models – except the High Jewellery ones – feature a swathe of precious gemstones on the bezel set with the serti descendu technique. Known in English as a cut-down setting or openwork, the serti descendu technique involves carving gold away from the claws and grooves that grip the stone to allow light to enter the stone from the sides – not just from the top.
As well as ultra-slim movements, Piaget made a name for itself with its beautifully supple handmade gold bracelets. Decorated with designs inspired by nature, the bracelets ripple with hand-engraved motifs: from ocean waves to frost and from foliage to snake scales. Even today, Piaget’s chainsmiths unite the miniature links and solder each one of them by hand.
The Limelight Gala Precious Sapphire Gradient model (Ref. G0A45163) features a hand-engraved white gold bracelet with Palace Décor style, an iconic motif at Piaget. The dial is also made of white gold and engraved with the same motif, decorated by the same engraver to ensure stylistic continuity. Translucent blue grand feu enamel placed on top of the white gold dial underscores the engraving.
Like all Limelight Gala models, the bezel extends well beyond the confines of the circle to swathe the sides of the case. This model features a gradient gemstone setting ranging from icy white diamonds to a subtle blue gradient recreated with sapphires. The stones also vary in size, larger around the dial and gradually decreasing as they drape the sides of the bracelet. A unique, numbered edition, there is also another 88-piece version with a mother-of-pearl dial.
Quick facts: Piaget Limelight Gala Precious Sapphire Gradient Ref. G0A45163 – 32mm diameter – 18k white gold – bezel set with 20 brilliant-cut diamonds and 22 blue sapphires – 18k white gold engraved dial with grand feu blue enamel – Piaget manufacture quartz movement (690P) for hours and minutes – integrated 18k white gold bracelet – numbered edition
Piaget Limelight Gala Precious Sapphire Gradient Ref. G0A45363 – 32mm diameter – 18k white gold – bezel set with 20 brilliant-cut diamonds and 22 blue sapphires – white mother of pearl dial – Piaget manufacture quartz movement (690P) for hours and minutes – dark blue alligator strap with 18k white gold ardillon buckle set with 15 brilliant-cut diamonds – limited edition of 88 pieces
Five new models are grouped in the Art of Light theme. The first is a rose gold model with a natural iridescent white mother-of-pearl dial and a setting of 42 brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel using the serti descendu technique.
Four high jewellery Limelight Gala models with oval cases also form part of this thematic collection. Three of them feature stunning snow-set diamond dials and marquise-cut gemstones on the bezel, lugs and bracelet.
The most colourful and exotic model is the Black Opal with a fiery dial made from rare black Australian opal accompanied by a dynamic setting of yellow, orange, red and blue gemstones adorning the bezel, lugs and bracelet. A unique piece, Piaget kept the precious opal for five years before deciding how to celebrate its chameleonic beauty in a watch.
Perhaps the most suitable watches for everyday wear of this 2020 collection are the Aventurine Glass Limelight Gala models, which come in two case sizes of 32 or 26mm. Obtained by adding copper oxide to glass, aventurine glass is renowned for its magical sparkle that evokes a starry night sky. Used on all three dials of the latest models, the rich blue aventurine sets off the white diamonds framing the dial and the sweeping lugs.
Gala is a historic name for Piaget. The prominent collection bears the name of Gala Dali. Gala, born Elena Ivanovna Diakonova, was the wife of Salvador Dali. Instead of a surreal piece, the Gala watch presents a reverse symmetry and feminine line. Launched for the public in 1973, the Gala watch became a Piaget classic. The watch was reiterated in 2013 and is part of the Piaget’s current collection.
For a better understanding of the collection, I will present you Ref. G0A44160 with leather strap and the extravagant Ref. G0A44167 that bears the brand’s “Décor Palace” motif. As usual, the presentation videos comes first:
When it comes to strap and/or bracelet, Piaget opted for two versions for Limelight Gala. The leather strap versions come with large variations of colours and materials. The Piaget Limelight Gala Ref. G0A44160 comes with a black alligator strap and a diamond-set ardillon buckle.
The watches presented today have each a very distinct personality. Gala Ref. G0A44160 in white gold has a mother-of-pearl dial. The more spectacular Gala Ref. G0A44167 comes with a bold green malachite dial.The beauty of mother-of-pearl is highlighted by daylight. And not only… Each spark of light that touches the dial creates a unique signature. Each piece is unique – property given by the mother-of-pearl features.The malachite dial is bolder. The entire package of the Ref. G0A44167 needs a lady with strong personality. The watch must not overshine its wearer but just to emphasize something that already exists.