An Icon reinterpreted: PIAGET’s Andy Warhol

Produced in a limited series of white or yellow gold until 1977, PIAGET’s Black Tie captured the attention of one of the most groundbreaking contemporary artists: Andy Warhol.

Upon its launch in 1972, the Black Tie, featuring a large dial adorned with distinctive gadroons, possessed all the qualities of a timepiece poised to alter the course of watchmaking-history.

Reintroduced as part of the ‘Extremely Piaget’ High Jewellery Collection, the Black Tie made a stunning return to the watchmaking world in 2014.

Thanks to a new official collaboration licensed by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, PIAGET and the Foundation have officially renamed the timepiece: the Andy Warhol watch.

The inaugural timepiece commemorating this collaboration features a fresh and contemporary reinterpretation of the icon: the Andy Warhol Clou de Paris watch.

Featuring a radiant Clou de Paris finish on the case, the launch is further complemented by PIAGET’s enhanced Made-to-Order personalization service, inviting collectors to craft their very own Andy Warhol timepiece.

The artistic intellectuals of the 1980s, synonymous with creativity, talent, and distinction, were profoundly influenced by Andy Warhol. He was a figure renowned not only for his iconic prints and innovative music production but also for his avant-garde films. Equally noteworthy were his connections with intellectuals, Hollywood stars, and aristocrats, which further cemented his status in the cultural landscape.

Yves Piaget and Andy Warhol did not meet until 1979. Piaget’s most influential, most publicised and most lasting relationship may have been his friendship with Andy Warhol. 

Their friendship was deeply anchored in the realms of art and culture, as well as in the evolving landscape of media and journalism.

Developing a close friendship with Piaget, Andy Warhol became a member of the Piaget Society, traveling with Yves Piaget to events held in New York and Palm Beach, and joining him for long nights at Studio 54 or Chez Régine.

In 1973, in New York, Warhol was captivated by a striking yellow gold watch featuring an anthracite gray galvanic dial that beat to the tempo of the Beta 21 quartz movement.

The Black Tie joined the ranks of Andy Warhol’s six other PIAGET watches, four of which are now kept in PIAGET’s Private Collection.

PIAGET embodies bold creativity– a trait that has consistently defined the Maison since its inception in 1874. From his first workshop in La Côte-aux-Fées, Georges-Edouard Piaget dedicated himself to the art of crafting high-precision movements, a remarkable endeavour that laid the groundwork for PIAGET.

As a true innovator of the watch and jewellery world, Piaget strongly believed in creativity and artistic values. For this very reason, present-day PIAGET continues to attract artists, thinkers, and creators. Like Andy Warhol himself, there will be many to come to be endlessly inspired by PIAGET’s daring vision.