Elegant and distinctly 1970s in style, the Piaget Andy Warhol Clou de Paris is modelled on an oversized quartz wristwatch once owned by Andy Warhol. Originally known as the Black Tie Vintage Inspiration, the model has now been renamed thanks to Piaget’s recently inked partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, making it the first timepiece bearing the name of the American artist.

Part of Piaget’s catalogue for a decade, the new Andy Warhol wristwatch gains a reworked bezel decorated with Clou de Paris, replacing the stepped bezel on the preceding version. The latest iteration sports a blue meteorite dial, but the model can be customised via Piaget’s “Made to Order” programme that includes a variety of mineral stone dials as well as dial and case options.

The original version with a stepped bezel, here with a malachite dial

Initial thoughts

Andy Warhol was a watch collector who own over 300 timepieces – all of which were sold at Sotheby’s after his death – including seven by Piaget. One of them as a chunky yellow gold watch with powered by the Beta 21, a pioneering Swiss quartz movement. Piaget is making the most of this association by renaming the Black Tie model and expanding the options offered to clients.

Piaget does several things well, including ingenious, record-setting ultra-thin movements, but it really excels at elegant, retro dress watches like the Andy Warhol. While the original Black Tie model was essentially a remake of the vintage original, the new Clou de Paris version is a period-correct twist on the design. Though this design did not exist in the 1970s, it certainly could have been.

Andy Warhol’s Piaget ref. 15101 with a Beta 21 movement – the model was introduced in 1972

The possibility of customisation adds to the appeal of the movement, though the programme is limited and essentially a mix-and-match from a fix range of options for the dial, case, and hands.

Inside the Andy Warhol is the automatic cal. 501P1 movement. Although it’s a competent calibre, an ultra-thin hand-wind calibre would have been more appropriate given the formal style of the watch, especially since Piaget has a good number of them in its stable.

Andy Warhol with Yves Piaget (left) in 1984

Piaget’s icon

Although the Andy Warhol is a simple design, or perhaps because of that, it is a recognisable creation. The cushion-shaped case is large, oversized even by modern standards, at 45 mm in diameter.

This version is in 18k white gold with clou de Paris guilloche on the periphery of the bezel, which also has a radially-brushed flat top. The dial is blue meteorite, which is conventional iron meteorite that’s been plated to give it a dark blue finish.

The “Made to Order” programme also offers rose gold as an option for the case metal, as well as the traditional stepped bezel.

Like the case, the dial can be customised from a range of ten mineral stones, including falcon’s eye, turquoise and malachite. The hands can either be dauphine-style or batons like the vintage original.

A petrified wood dial with apertures for baguette-cut gemstone markers

The Andy Warhol is powered by the cal. 501P1, a slim, in-house movement that’s compact enough for the case. Introduced in 2020, the self-winding movement is a workhorse found in several of Piaget’s ladies watches.

A slim manual-wind movement, on the other hand, would have been more appropriate for a watch of this style and probably appealed more to enthusiasts.

Key facts and price

Piaget Andy Warhol Clou de Paris
Ref. G0A49238

Case diameter: 45 mm
Case height: Unavailable
Material: White gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 501P1
Functions: Hours and minutes
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 40 hours

Strap: Alligator leather strap

Limited edition: No
Availability: Now at Piaget boutiques and retailers
Price: Upon request

For more, visit piaget.com