Piaget’s Andy Warhol Clou de Paris Watch Is A Fitting Tribute to The Cultural Icon

by Yanni Tan

Photo: Piaget

One of the most coveted luxury watch collections throughout the past 50 years is the Piaget Black Tie. Representing the Zeitgeist of the Retro era when opulence was all the rage, this precious gold dress watch range gained immense popularity for fusing elegance with bold aesthetics.

Marking an exciting new chapter in the story of the Black Tie, Piaget has just renamed its beloved inaugural model the Andy Warhol Clou de Paris watch. Beyond a simple revival of a vintage creation, this piece is a testament to both Piaget’s rich heritage and its future-forward approach, blending tradition and innovation in a way that echoes the spirit of its namesake — Andy Warhol.

The man’s influence on art, fashion, and popular culture cannot be overstated. As the leading figure in the American Pop Art movement, Warhol’s work blurred the lines between high and low art, commercialism, and fine art. His iconic silkscreen prints of Marilyn Monroe, Campbell’s soup cans, and dollar bills remain some of the most recognisable images in modern art history.

The 45mm Piaget Andy Warhol Clou de Paris watch (Photo: Piaget)

The story of the Andy Warhol watch begins in 1972, with the creation of the original Piaget Black Tie, powered by the Beta21 movement. Produced in limited quantities in white or yellow gold, this model boasted a daring 45mm cushion-shaped case adorned with the maison’s signature gadroons — an aesthetic that became instantly iconic.

Although it was made for less than a decade, the creation quickly gained a following among collectors, especially high-profile celebrities in the US. Warhol himself, a friend of the maison, was captivated by its design and became closely associated with the piece, further cementing its status as a collector’s item.

Andy Warhol taking a polaroid shot while with Jack Ford and Bianca Jagger at the White House in 1975 (Photo: US National Archives and Records Administration/Wikimedia Commons)

The owner of seven Piaget watches, he was more than just a fan of the brand; he was a regular member of the Piaget Society, a glamorous social circle that celebrated the intersection of art, fashion, and high culture. His connection with the Swiss house was solidified in 1979 when he met Yves Piaget in New York City.

The two quickly developed a friendship, often attending lavish events together, from Manhattan’s Studio 54 to Palm Beach soirees. Warhol’s eclectic style and avant-garde approach to life made him a natural fit for the Piaget Society, which embraced creative luminaries from across the cultural spectrum.

In partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Piaget has now christened this iconic timepiece in his name as part of the Black Tie collection, in tribute to the artist’s profound influence on both the watch and the maison.

Among Andy Warhol’s seven-piece personal collection now in Piaget’s private archival collection are this cuff watch and wristwatch (Photo: Piaget)

Established in 1987, after Warhol’s death, the foundation has become one of the foremost supporters of contemporary visual arts in the United States. Since its inception, it has distributed nearly US$300 million in grants to support the creation, presentation, and documentation of experimental and under-recognised art.

The proceeds it receives from licensing projects such as the Andy Warhol watch directly support these grant programmes, ensuring that Warhol’s legacy continues to inspire and fund new generations of artists. The first watch to bear Warhol’s name under this new partnership is the Andy Warhol Clou de Paris watch.

The most striking feature is the shimmering Clou de Paris pattern that adorns the white gold case. A traditional guilloche technique, the Clou de Paris is often referred to as a hobnail pattern, which consists of small, pyramid-like squares that catch and reflect light in mesmerising ways. This intricate design has long been part of Piaget’s DNA, gracing some of the brand’s most iconic watches of the 1970s.

Another vintage Piaget creation treasured by Andy Warhol (Photo: Piaget)

The cushion-shaped case is however curved, not flat, so the artisans at Piaget’s Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire had to spend 10 months perfecting the hand-finishing process to ensure that the Clou de Paris decoration could be applied seamlessly. The result is a breathtaking play of light that enhances the watch’s sculptural quality, bringing a new sense of depth and dimension to the already iconic design.

Complementing the intricate case is a one-of-a-kind blue meteorite dial. A rare and spell-binding ornamental stone, it has long been used by Piaget in its most extraordinary creations. Known for its unique texture and distinctive reflections, it flaunts a deep blue hue that perfectly offsets the vintage-inspired dauphine hands and refined indexes.

The original Beta21 movement powering Andy Warhol’s 70s Black Tie (Photo: Piaget)

This dial serves as a reminder of Piaget’s expertise in ornamental stone dials, a hallmark of the brand since the 1960s, when it first began incorporating unusual and exotic materials into its designs.

This new edition of the Andy Warhol watch is powered by Piaget’s in-house 501P1 manufacture self-winding movement, ensuring that the beauty of the watch is matched by its technical prowess, particularly in its reliability and precision.

As part of the launch, Piaget has also enhanced its Made to Order personalisation service, giving collectors the opportunity to create their own version of the Andy Warhol watch.

Clients can choose from up to 10 different ornamental stone dials, including blue meteorite, Piaget signatures like malachite and turquoise, as well as jade and falcon’s eye. Additionally, they can select from a range of leather strap colours, and opt for either dauphine-style hands or the original baton hands from the 1970s models.

Made-to-order possibilities for the Andy Warhol watch, featuring a myriad ornamental stone dials, such as carnelian, jade, turquoise, and falcon’s eye (Photo: Piaget)

The case can also be customised in either white or rose gold, allowing collectors to create a watch that reflects their personal style — a nod to Warhol’s own belief in the power of self-expression.

This level of personalisation has been a part of Piaget’s DNA since the brand opened its first Geneva boutique in 1959. Over the years, Piaget has catered to its clients’ desires for bespoke creations, and this tradition continues with the new Andy Warhol watch.

This story was originally published on The Peak Singapore.