The late 1960s were a revolution – not just in culture, but in craftsmanship. It was the era when Piaget unveiled the 21st Century collection at the Basel Fair. Watches were no longer mere instruments; they became sculptural statements, their trapeze silhouettes a bold departure from convention. Sixty years later, that same spirit of avant-garde elegance returns with the Sixtie jewellery watch collection – a tribute to the swinging sixties, reimagined for the modern connoisseur.
As the exclusive Watch and Jewellery Partner of Art Dubai 2025, Piaget bridges horology, high jewellery, and contemporary art with an exhibition that is as much about heritage as it is about innovation. Held at Madinat Jumeirah from 18-20 April, the Maison’s booth is a study in refined artistry, structured around five pillars: Play of Shapes, House of Gold, Vibrant Colours, Ultra-Thin Mastery, and the Piaget Society. Here, timepieces transcend function, becoming wearable art, each a testament to Piaget’s six-decade mastery of form, light, and movement.
The Sixtie: A Cult Shape Reborn
The star of this year’s showcase is the Sixtie, a jewellery watch that distils the free-spirited femininity of the 1960s into a trapeze silhouette both geometric and delicate. More than a timekeeper, it is a talisman. Its a piece that adorns the wrist with the same instinctive allure as a high jewellery bracelet. The design, emerging from the Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire, is a masterclass in balance.
Artistic Dialogues: Alymamah Rashed & Shamsa Alabbar
Piaget’s collaborations with artists have always been more than mere crossovers. They are conversations. This year, Kuwaiti surrealist Alymamah Rashed translates the Maison’s Play of Shapes into a mesmerising painting, “Your Love Moves Around My Trapeze Sun”, where golden celestial forms and deep blue figures evoke the rhythm of Piaget’s craftsmanship.
Meanwhile, Emirati designer Shamsa Alabbar reinterprets her iconic Token motif, a symbol of unity in Arabic culture, into an exclusive Limelight Gala Precious watch. With hand-engraved arabesques on mother-of-pearl, the piece is a tribute to the Gulf’s pearling heritage, blending Alabbar’s contemporary typography with Piaget’s goldsmithing virtuosity.
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Andy Warhol’s Piaget: A Pop Art Legacy
Few artists captured the decadence of the 1970s like Andy Warhol—and few watches embodied his love of glamour quite like the Piaget Black Tie. Originally launched in 1972, the design (now officially renamed the Andy Warhol watch in collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation) was the artist’s favorite among his seven Piaget timepieces. At Art Dubai, vintage pieces from Warhol’s private collection take centre stage alongside playful new animations, celebrating a friendship, between Warhol and Yves Piaget, that thrived in New York’s most electric soirées.
The Art of Time, The Time for Art
Piaget has never merely kept time, but has rather it has shaped it. From the rebellious spirit of the 1960s to today’s dialogues with contemporary artists, the Maison proves that true luxury lies at the intersection of heritage and imagination. At Art Dubai, each piece is a statement: that watches can be art, that jewellery can be revolutionary, and that creativity, like time itself, is boundless.
For those who collect not just objects, but legacies, Piaget’s showcase is a reminder that some designs don’t follow eras but define them.
Art Dubai runs from April 18th-20th at Madinat Jumeirah.
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Images & Feature Image: Supplied
