A Dream At Dusk: Piaget’s New Collection Pays Homage To Its Artisan Past And Future Prospects In The Middle East
Piaget looked to the solstice to inspire a collection which celebrates the creativity that often comes at magic hour and its artisan mastery in the same breath
This season Piaget, the Swiss watchmaker and jeweller to the stars, fetes the solstice with an exquisite collection that pays homage to its artisan past, as the brand looks to its future in prosperous markets like the Middle East.
“We wanted to transport the client after the pandemic, to bring back this lightness that we lost a little bit during those two years… the idea of having fun and enjoying our time and not take things for granted,” reflects Cynthia Tabet, Piaget’s Global Product Marketing Director.
Harmoniously fit for a solstice celebration – a poetic romance told in a language of blue and pink sapphires from Sri Lanka and Madagascar, Australian black opals and unique Zambian emeralds, all radiating boldness and are brimming with the sort of energy that mimics the sun’s nurturing rays.
Indeed the Piaget Solstice collection represents the perfect blend of two of the maison’s founding principles: excellence and creativity. In the latest Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire collection, mastery meets a whole new regal aesthetic, in a tribute to nature, its wonders and its own clientele who the maison describes as “chic and spectacular”.
“This is what it’s all about when we say Piaget. It’s a lot about radiance. It’s a lot about light, the sunny side of life, joy and playfulness,” Cynthia muses.
This was reflected earlier this year when Piaget gems glistened at the last Cannes Film Festival. There its jewels and watches were spotted multiple times on the red-carpeted steps, worn by Australian actress Katherine Langford of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, Oscar winner Forest Whitaker and Golden Globe-nominated actress Riley Keough.
Inspired by haute couture outfits, the fluid design of the line’s Voluptuous Ribbon and Generous Laces sets replicate the delicate asymmetry of glamorous fabric. The articulated Precious Adornment necklace, for example, matches the movement and adaptability of a couture gown, while the pageantry of the feathers meticulously arranged around the Extravagant Touch watch and earrings are emblematic of the sort of rare artisan craft the Swiss house aims to preserve for the next generation. The Flamboyant Nightfall earrings and rings, crafted in white gold and set in diamonds in the shape of wings and sapphires echo this sort of movement as well. The array culminates in the Dazzling Swirl flying tourbillon watch, adorned with a design that is another nod to the twirling allure of a sumptuous dress.
Founded out of a curiosity for watchmaking in 1874 by Georges Piaget in the village of La Côte-aux-Fée in the Swiss countryside, the Covid pandemic compelled the prestigious maison to shift its customer strategy. Instead of boosting the bottom line with revenue generated from high-end tourists as it did in the past, the company is now looking to cultivate an even deeper relationship with local consumers and the Middle East remains a priority.
“I think Middle Eastern customers are very knowledgeable about luxury because they start early. You have a culture of jewellery there, which is very high [end] among local producers,” Chief Executive Officer, Benjamin Comar, explains, referencing the region’s flair for gold making and its gold-making traditions.
Experts say that luxury firms like Piaget are focusing on this region to bolster their global expansion in the near term, with Saudi Arabia’s buoyant market expected to catch up with Dubai’s in the near future. Along with Dubai and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt are also seen as prime locations for mono-brand luxury high jewellery stores.
What sets Piaget apart from the rest, Benjamin insists, is its unique expertise and preservation of fabled traditions. Case in point, the Extravagant Touch piece which incorporates a near forgotten artisan craft called feather marquetry – an intricate decorative art from the 16th century that Piaget has also re-introduced within past collections like the Wings of Light.
“I think this collection represents a higher knowledge of how we step it up every time and I hope we did two steps up this time because I think the market is ready for it. [Our collections] are very classic on the outside, very audacious on the inside,” affirms Benjamin.
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s July-August 2022 issue.