Piaget pays tribute to the pop-art pioneer and prolific watch collector with the Andy Warhol Watch Collage Limited Edition in the best way it knows how – with an exotic stone dial. Like the watch owned by Warhol himself, the Collage has a black onyx dial, but in between the onyx is yellow serpentine, pink opal, and green chrysoprase, forming a precious stone puzzle carefully assembled by hand.

To bring things full circle, this 50 piece limited edition has a yellow gold case, the same alloy Warhol himself wore, and a metal that’s absent from the regular production Any Warhol lineup.

Initial Thoughts

The first Swiss quartz watches hit the market mere months after the Seiko Astron, powered by the CEH Beta 21 – a large and rectangular movement that gave the oversized watches it powered a distinctive look that I am fond of. Piaget’s ref. 15101, launched in 1972, was one of the most appealing Beta 21 designs by my reckoning.

The renowned American artist must have agreed with that assessment as he purchased one in 1973, which Piaget bought back at auction after Warhol’s death. It is also worth noting that Yves Piaget, president of Piaget since 1980, knew Warhol personally.

Andy Warhol with Yves Piaget. Image – Piaget

The marquetry dial of the Collage puts Piaget’s expertise to good use. It is surprisingly creative, and is not based on a specific Warhol work as already done many times before. Rather, Piaget attempted to recreate Warhol’s process to create a new work in his style.

While the dial is, unsurprisingly, not open to customisation like the normal Andy Warhol, it is a worthwhile trade-up for the stone marquetry dial. And, the yellow gold case – normally off-limits for the standard models – helps to sweeten the deal.

The only thing I would change is the movement; a watch like this should have a manual wind, rather than automatic, inside.

An example of the regular production Warhol, here in white gold

A Black Tie Affair

In 2014, Piaget reissued the design as the Black Tie for the firm’s 140th anniversary. More recently, the watch was rechristened the “Andy Warhol”, giving it a much more catchy moniker. Unlike the “Paul Newman” Daytona or most similar watches named after celebrities, as of this year the Andy Warhol moniker is now official, following a 2024 deal with the Andy Warhol Foundation.

Perhaps Piaget’s homage would be more authentic without asking for permission – as Warhol himself probably wouldn’t. The relationship between Piaget and the Andy Warhol Foundation also opens doors to more overt references to the artist, including this pop-art inspired edition.

Warhol produced thousands of prints of subjects, but using the same handful of formulas which make them instantly recognisable. One of these formulas starts with a Polaroid photograph of the subject overlaid with sketched contour lines and blocks of bright colours, sometimes embellished with glass dust for sparkle. His Reigning Queens prints are probably most famous in this genre.

Piaget took that formula and applied it to Warhol’s famous 1986 Self-Portrait polaroid – which, as far as I know, the artist never did himself. Then, Piaget reproduced those blocks of colour using stone marquetry.

Glossy black onyx acts as the backdrop for slices of yellow Namibian serpentine, pink opal, and green chrysoprase. Thin slices of stone are cut by hand, and then assembled manually on the dial base like a miniature puzzle. The case back is laser engraved with the polaroid, echoing the dial motif.

Under the back is the cal. 501P automatic. The collage belongs to the second generation of Any Warhol watches, a hair thicker than first wave – launched in 2014, and equipped with the automatic movement.

The movement is arguably the only weak point, as it is technically and aesthetically unimpressive, and far too small for the case. Fortunately it is thin and preserves the elegant profile of the case. Thankfully, it is concealed by a solid case back; out of sight and out of mind.

Key facts and price

Piaget Andy Warhol Watch Collage Limited Edition
Ref. G0A50243

Case diameter: 45 mm
Case height: 8.08 mm
Material: Yellow 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: Green alligator leather strap

Limited edition: 50 pieces
Availability: At Piaget boutiques and retailers
Price: CHF67,000 (US$85,000)

For more, visit piaget.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Piaget.