New and reviewed: Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin

Ahead of Watches & Wonders 2023, Piaget announces the new Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin as an addition to the iconic Polo lineup.

New and reviewed: Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin

The new Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin has a retail price of EUR 49,800 excluding taxes.

For the first time, the Piaget Polo collection receives a perpetual calendar. This comes in the form of a perpetual calendar module bolted over the ultra thin 1200P ultra thin movement to give rise to the new caliber 1255P.

The Polo collection is Piaget’s answer to the now extremely popular genre of the sporty steel luxury wristwatch. The collection has steadily gained acceptance in the collector community. The Polo is available in a time only automatic Polo S, in Polo Skeleton with its openworked dial, in Polo Chronograph configuration, and now as a perpetual calendar. The model is also available in different colour motifs, from blue to this blue-green dial chosen for this novelty.

The case, dial and hands

The case is the now signature Polo case. The case diameter remains at 42mm in stainless steel. The case features a brushed bezel with a high polish bevel set on a high polish cushion shaped case and bracelet with polished links. The case, though now with the perpetual calendar is actually even thinner than the automatic time only Polo S’ 9.4mm case beating it handily at only 8.65mm.

The watch we handled and photographed had the stainless steel bracelet, but the watch is delivered with an additional green interchangeable rubber strap with folding buckle.

Piaget describes the dial as a dark green emerald colour, and to our eyes and as seen on the photographs, this is manifested as a kind of blue-green hue. Perhaps this is due to the antireflection coating on the sapphire glass crystal. This green dial has a gadroon pattern of horizontal lines which are punctuated by the sub-dials and the indices. The gadroons have been a Piaget Poloi signature since 1979. Each of the sub-dials are set in their own polished frame, as are the indices.

The dial is a classical perpetual calendar layout. In fact, Piaget has used this perpetual module in their other offerings, but with this novelty, has adapted its use with the ultra thin movement. The layout is well thought out, with the date, month and weekday indicators at 3, 12 and 0 o’clock. The leap year indicator is logically placed within the month sub-dial. And the moon phase indicator is visible through the polished frame of an aperture at 6 o’clock. The hands and indices are infilled with SuperLuninova. Legibility in good light is excellent, despite the large amount of information that is needed to be displayed. And in the dark the lume is only on the time indication – the hands and indices glow in the soft light, making time reading easy.

As a classical perpetual calendar module, the indicators are adjusted by pin pushers around the periphery of the case. The case is rated to a water resistance of 30m.

The movement

The movement is the new caliber 1255P, which measures only a svelte 4mm including the perpetual module. This allows the case to measure a very slim 8.65mm thick.

The perpetual calendar module will advance the day, date and year until the year 2100 when it will need a small adjustment to again correctly indicate passage of time. The module sits on top of the ultra-thin 1200P caliber.

Movement finishing is excellent, with all the essential haute horlogerie elements taken care of. Decoration is judged to be well done, but not with the flashiness that sometimes accompany some of the high end offerings. All the de rigeur touches are present and accounted for. From the circular côtes to the anglage. We would have liked to see more sharp inward and outward angles on the bridges, but this is a nitpick. In classical Piaget style, the micro-rotor is finished in the Piaget blue and ruled with its own circular côtes.

Competitive Landscape

The world of luxury sports watches in steel with perpetual calendar is quite a well populated one. Most of the major suspects have an offering in this arena.

A possible direct is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual at circa SGD 110,000 in steel. The Royal Oak needs no introduction, as it is the genesis of the luxury steel sports watch genre, when it was introduced as a time only watch in 1972.

Patek Philippe does offer a perpetual calendar in the Nautilus lineup. This is the Nautilus Ref. 5740, released in 2018. The reference is not available in stainless steel, and the white gold version is now retailing for SGD 201,000.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar is another possible rival. However, VC does not offer this complication in a steel case. The rose gold version retails for SGD 151,000 in gold bracelet.

Even Moser has an offering with their Streamliner Perpetual Calendar, coming in at a very comparable CHF 49,900. Moser offers their game changing perpetual calendar with its ultra simple, clean display and flash calendar system.

The landscape is littered with these possible competitors, most of which are targetted at a price far above the asking price for the Piaget. Perhaps the exception being the Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato Perpetual Calendar is available in steel, And retails for only CHF 34,500 is the least expensive inhabitant in this landscape.

Concluding thoughts

The Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin is another beautiful offering from Piaget. The dimensions are absolutely well chosen, and the 42mm case with its 8.65mm thick wears nicely and comfortably on the wrist. The watch looks very nice and luxurious. And despite the need to show the entire calendar indicators on the dial, legibility is not compromised.

The perpetual calendar seems to us to be an excellent addition to the Polo family. This is a practical complication, which when combined with the very thin but robust stainless steel case makes for a good case as an every day watch.

Photo Notes

The Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin was photographed today in the Piaget boutique in Ngee Ann City, Singapore. Sony A7R V with Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS lens (review soon!). Profoto strobes.