The Piaget Polo Chronograph, Now in Emerald Green Panda

A highly important model within the brand’s collection, the Piaget Polo was born in 1979 as a vision of a luxury sports watch with an integrated bracelet. Its distinctive design, which was re-edited in an opulent, faithful full gold model earlier this year (in the frame of the brand’s 150th-anniversary celebrations), the Piaget Polo is better known in its current shape, the result of a complete redesign process initiated in 2016. Following several editions in a signature emerald green colour, including the Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin and the time-and-date Polo Field, it is time for the sporty-chic chronograph to receive the green treatment with this panda edition. 

This new green panda-style chronograph belongs to the modern face of the Piaget Polo, based on the 2016 collection that generated its fair share of debate. While the Polo was originally a striking gold model characterized by its shaped case, flowing bracelet and signature horizontal gadroons (which certainly looked relevant next to a polo game in the 1980s), the brand completely redesigned the model and gave it a contemporary vibe, as well as a case that was much closer to an Emperador than a vintage Polo. Still, the dust has settled, and the modern Piaget Polo is now seen as a consistent, well-represented collection with a perpetual calendar, an ultra-thin skeleton, time-and-date versions and, of course, several chronographs.

Introduced with a silver-toned or a blue dial, as we reported here, the Piaget Polo Chronograph was later updated with contrasting sub-dials, giving it more presence and a sportier vibe. Using the signature emerald green colour seen in many recent versions of the Piaget Polo, this new chronograph combines the classic grooved dial and its sunray-brushed surface with this deep green colour and silver-toned sub-dials. The hands and applied markers are polished steel, filled with Super-LumiNova, and the result is a nicely contrasted layout and a contemporary vibe.

For the rest, this green panda Piaget Polo Chronograph remains the same as previous models, with its cushion-shaped steel case measuring 42mm in diameter and a fairly reasonable 11.2mm thickness – not bad for an automatic chronograph. Water-resistance is rated at 100m, and sapphire crystals are found on both sides. This green edition comes with a steel bracelet closed by a triple-folding clasp, but it doesn’t feature the quick-release system found on the QP model – too bad, as it would also look great on a green rubber strap.

Under the hood is the calibre 1160P, an automatic integrated column-wheel chronograph movement based on the Cartier 1904-CH MC. Compact and relatively thin, it runs at a 4Hz frequency and stores 50 hours of power reserve. Nicely finished with bevelled bridges, blued screws, circular Geneva stripes and a circular-grained plate, its display relies on a bi-complex layout with 30-minute and 12-hour counters but no running seconds.

Now available and part of the permanent collection, the new Piaget Polo Chronograph Emerald Green Panda is (expensively) priced at EUR 21,200 (incl. taxes), CHF 19,100 (incl. taxes) or USD 20,400 (excl. taxes). More details at piaget.com.