Piaget combines its traditional expertise in stone dials and ultra-thin movements with the Polo Perpetual Calendar Blue Obsidian, a handsome – and more original – take on the complicated Polo. The slim white gold case is combined with a mesmerizing dial in blue obsidian, which is not a mineral as often believed, but instead volcanic glass.

Initial Thoughts

The latest Polo Perpetual Calendar is arguably Piaget’s strongest release of the year. It plays to two of the brand’s traditional strengths, thin movements and natural stone or mineral dials.

Piaget is of course not the only brand with a perpetual calendar sports watch. In fact, the Polo perpetual with a blue obsidian dial is similar enough to the competition to be competitive – it possesses the key characteristics of being slim and blue – but manages to do so without being derivative, which is arguably an issue with the earlier iteration of the model. The blue obsidian dial in particular sets this apart from comparable watches since exotic dial materials are relatively rare in this segment.

The mechanics inside the latest Polo perpetual remain the same. While not the most sophisticated perpetual calendar mechanism in the segment, the ubiquitous Dubois Depraz calendar module is solid and reliable if adjusted according to protocol. Its widespread use also makes it easy for watchmakers to source parts, which is not always a given when it comes to complicated ultra-thin watches. That, paired with a competent ultra-thin automatic caliber, makes the new Polo perpetual compelling inside and out.

Perpetually Thin

Piaget has a long history with micro-rotor movements, going back to the famous cal. 12P micro-rotor movement of the 1960s. The cal. 1255P inside the Polo perpetual is part of the Piaget 1200P family that is descended from the cal. 12P.

Micro-rotor calibres may have lost some of their novelty as the market has been flooded with them over the past decade (many such movements aren’t even particularly thin) but the 1200P family is the real deal in terms of a slim, sophisticated construction that is also reliable.

Like most Piaget movements, the cal. 1255P is finished extensively, but largely by machine. It’s essentially the same calibre found in simpler, time-only models. The cal. 1255P could do with more decorative elements, including flourishes finished off by hand, given the top-of-the-line positioning of the Polo perpetual. That said, while not artisanally decorated, the cal. 1255P is still a movement Piaget can be proud of on technical merit alone.

The base caliber is a mere 2.35 mm thick – it is one of the thinnest automatics ever made. The micro-rotor is only one of several tricks used to reduce the height, in addition to a flat going train, and a flying ratchet wheel. Clearance between the rotor and main plate is so small as to require roller jewels to prevent scraping, a solution also used in the much-revered JLC 920 – which is 0.1 mm thicker.

The Dubois Depraz perpetual calendar module brings the cal. 1255P up to only 4.00 mm, which is still exceptionally thin, even without using a bespoke calender built directly into the mainplate, as found on the competition.

The cadrature is also competently finished, with engine turning on the calendar plate and straight-grained, beveled steel components. It’s not exceptional, but these modules can be had with extremely bare-bones finishing, so it’s nice to see Piaget didn’t take the opportunity to cut corners where no one would notice.

Image – Piaget

The result is a slender watch that’s only 8.65 mm in height despite the obsidian dial, which is competitive with slim perpetual calendar sports watches from Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin – none of which have dials in stone or other natural materials, which are typically significantly thicker than metal dials.

Most of that height is in the midcase, which makes the 42 mm cushion-shaped case look a little thicker and more sporty than its peers, though it’s only 30 m water resistant. This is plenty for most everyday situations, but the psychology that underpins a “sports” watch purchase might demand more.

That didn’t stop Piaget from pairing the watch with a rubber strap that incorporates the effortless “SingleTouch” quick-release mechanism that’s similar to corporate cousin Cartier’s QuickSwitch. While useful for replacing the strap easily, such proprietary quick-release mechanisms can limit the aftermarket strap options.

A button on the back of the strap frees it from the lugs

Blue volcanic glass

The blue obsidian dial debuted two years ago on a Polo Perpetual Calendar that was the same as the present watch, but with the bezel set with brilliant-cut blue sapphires. That was a limited edition of 18 pieces, and it sold faster than expected, so Piaget is giving collectors what they want with this new, regular production model.

Like the micro-rotor, stone dials are a long-running Piaget staple that has recently become popular industry-wide, but Piaget still does it better than most. Obsidian is also tricky to work with as it’s more fragile than onyx, which is more often used in watches and jewellery.

An amorphous glass formed when lava cools too quickly to crystallize, blue obsidian is deep and rich, rather than loud or flamboyant like turquoise or tiger’s eye. As a natural material, no two will be unique, but all cuts should be excellent, given Piaget’s reputation.

The perpetual calendar is presented in the old school format of four registers, as is dictated by the Dubois Depraz calendar module that’s widely used by numerous brands. The sunken sub-dials are framed by raised white gold rings, which give depth unexpected from such a thin watch. The interior of each is filled with concentric grooves finishing in blue lacquer to match the dial.

The moon phase is displayed with a subtle twist. Instead of the usual semicircular window, it is shown as an inverted, upside-down, moon phase that results in a cleaner and more modern look, saving space for more obsidian.

Piaget opted for dark blue Super-Luminova on the hands and indices in order to match the blue palette. The colours are complementary and work perfectly with the modern styling of the watch. That said, dark-coloured lume is less practical as it glows much less brightly than Super-Luminova in its natural colour.

It’s also worth noting the distinctly contemporary sans-serif type used on the dial. Perpetual calendars in particular tend to have a lot of dial text, so it’s nice to see a unique typeface used. Many brands use bland, generic computer fonts for the calendar indications, but it’s these little details that can make a good watch great.

The regular production model launches alongside an 18-piece limited edition with a green obsidian dial, also in white gold but with a bezel set with 56 brilliant-cut emeralds. This is essentially the same as the 2023 blue obsidian edition, but in a different colourway that gives it a much more vivacious look than the staid blue obsidian model.

The green obsidian edition. Image – Piaget

Key facts and price

Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Blue Obsidian
Ref. G0A49006

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 8.65 mm
Material: White gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 1255P
Functions: Hours, minutes, and perpetual calendar with moon phase
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Blue rubber with folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Piaget online shops, boutiques, and retailers
Price: US$109,000 (excluding taxes)

For more, visit Piaget.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Piaget.