Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Midnight Blue Edition

Presented in 2018, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept earned the record for the thinnest watch in the world with its incredibly thin 2mm profile, making it Piaget’s (a brand known for its mastery of ultra-thin) slenderest mechanical watch ever. Since then, Bulgari and Richard Mille have even made thinner watches, but Piaget’s AUC remains a spectacular technical achievement. On the occasion of Watches and Wonders Shanghai 2023, the brand now presents a new midnight blue edition, which brings back a style made once for a unique piece. 

The Altiplano Ultimate Concept was made possible by a radical re-engineering of the architecture of a watch, fusing the case, movement and bezel into one 2mm thin component. It is fashioned in an ultra-resistant cobalt alloy to ensure sufficient rigidity and its development resulted in the filing of no fewer than five patents. Piaget’s remarkable Altiplano Ultimate Concept, once the thinnest mechanical watch in the world, made headlines when it was unveiled in 2018 and took home the coveted ‘Aiguille d’Or’ prize at the 2020  Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). This watch was a true mechanical achievement, as for the last 65 years, Piaget has tirelessly improved upon its ultra-thin movements – a reputation forged since 1957 when Valentin Piaget presented the 2mm high calibre 9P, followed by the 2.3mm micro-rotor calibre 12P.

To get a feel for what this watch is all about, we invite you to take a look at the videos and in-depth articles published on MONOCHROME since its 2018 debut.

One of the key elements that made the Piaget AUC possible was its cobalt alloy case, with the internal face acting as the main plate for the movement. For the brand’s latest version of its Altiplano Ultimate Concept, the recipe is retained but now with a full blue attire thanks to a coated case and bezel. Complement this look that will feel familiar to some – check this unique piece, also in blue – is a tone-on-tone alligator strap (which almost feels thicker than the watch itself…)

The captivating midnight blue theme continues under the ultra-thin 0.2mm sapphire crystal, with the matte main plate, the sun-brushed dial and the complex upper bridge closing the movement all coated in dark blue. Contrasting with this dark base, all technical elements – openworked barrel, balance and escapement, gear train – and the hands are left in silver tone.

The Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Midnight Blue is released as a reproducible reference (the AUC being made only per request). The price isn’t disclosed but should be in excess of CHF 400,000. For more details, please visit piaget.com.