ZERO DIGNITY
When a watch house with lots of heritage and their on technology for making thin movements stops being creative and loses all moral ground. I’m assuming zero dignity is alive and healthy at a point, and so you call up the design team and fabricate an homage watch.
I obviously see it as a desperate move for sales, I hope we can all agree. I don’t think too many people would buy a 15,900+ tax homage watch. On its own it is a nice watch, I like it other than the P applied to the seconds hand, but I wouldn’t feel good about purchasing this type of watch!! It got me thinking who else is doing this?
•Did they succeed in designing a better watch than the Patek Philippe aquanaut?
• Anyone know of any other established, reputable watch manufacturers that are doing this?
• What would you do if you were a CEO of a company with declining sales ?
They intent of this post is for healthy discussion and not to offend.
Thank you
I’m a keen enthusiast of all wrist watches, I have been since the age of 15. Canada is my home but my love is over in Switzerland where my favourite timepieces originate from. I look forward to learni...
I think the Piaget Aquanot is quite nice actually.
You have made me think about Piaget more in the last thirty seconds than I have in the last few years. Now, I will go back to not thinking about Piaget.
That’s the thing I do like it.
Oh the internal conflict…
Thanks , I appreciate your comment.🤝
You have made me think about Piaget more in the last thirty seconds than I have in the last few years. Now, I will go back to not thinking about Piaget.
I accept full responsibility🫣
I think the Piaget Aquanot is quite nice actually.
Well obviously, it’s got all the DNA.
Just hard to justify the asking price as most homage brands are way less than $1500 .
Thanks. 🤝
Lazy perhaps but I think they look quite nice even if I’m not in the market for one. Like many of these nicer brands they should be able to pick up at a decent price on the pre loved market.
I don't mind it.. at the end of the day each brand copied someone at some point -> Patek copied AP with Genta designs (which btw every brands has and they all look alike), Rolex copied Blancpain for its most iconic diver, Cartier went dangerously close to the JLC Reverso.. and yet all of those are still iconic and loved. Piaget builds some awesome watches but to survive they need more than just their jewelery.. so the Polo S is a sports watch to help sales as this is trendy now.
They are notable for how little love they get from the community (here and elsewhere). In the deep end of the pool where they play there is just a very long list of brands and models that would get a look before this. The Polo feels like their flagship design and it's hard not to feel it's derivative of other, better, more distinct grammar from other marques. Like always, would be interested to hear from any Piaget owner on WC who can fight their corner and tell us where they find the charm?
I don't mind it.. at the end of the day each brand copied someone at some point -> Patek copied AP with Genta designs (which btw every brands has and they all look alike), Rolex copied Blancpain for its most iconic diver, Cartier went dangerously close to the JLC Reverso.. and yet all of those are still iconic and loved. Piaget builds some awesome watches but to survive they need more than just their jewelery.. so the Polo S is a sports watch to help sales as this is trendy now.
This is correct observation imo. Piaget is a highly reputable brand with heritage, tech and great synergy between watches and jewelry. But if not mistaken - apart from Altiplano and Polo S other collections are almost all jewelry set watches. Cartier and Chopard are similar - but have greater diversification of non-jewelry watches (many of them iconic). So probably just an attempt by Piaget to diversify and jump on a sport watch trend, though distinctiveness is indeed questionable
I can see your point. But I think at this point we are going to see more and more of companies homagining one another. At least thats my predictions.
"I hope we can all agree." Good luck with that!
Shame because Piaget has a lot of awesome designs in its back catalogue.
My friends and I call it Piaget Polonaut 😂
This comes across like a hit piece… the Polo S watch looking like a Patek was highlighted at launch back in 2016, you are seven years late to the party. It is, however, a nice sporty watch, for a fraction of the price of an Aquanaut, or a Nautilus. It is not a direct competitor, but it is a competitively priced alternative, and it will have its own position as a result. There is a lot of watch for the cash, and the Polo name/line goes back to the late 70s / early 80s, so you will have to factor in some tenuous heritage guff via the marketing. Piaget are often found ranked around the late teens to early 20s in the highest turnover for Swiss watch brands, with around 150-200m CHF, so that is not a bad showing. They find themselves in similar company with brands like Breguet, Rado, Chopard, Montblanc, and Swatch…
Lazy perhaps but I think they look quite nice even if I’m not in the market for one. Like many of these nicer brands they should be able to pick up at a decent price on the pre loved market.
We agree on the looks, and sensible advice on pursuing the secondary market for whom is in search of an alternative to the OG. I’m just coming around to the idea of getting serious for this type of watch and I keep coming back to a cheaper alternative to an Aquanaut but not sure if I can swallow that flavour.
Thanks🤝
I don't mind it.. at the end of the day each brand copied someone at some point -> Patek copied AP with Genta designs (which btw every brands has and they all look alike), Rolex copied Blancpain for its most iconic diver, Cartier went dangerously close to the JLC Reverso.. and yet all of those are still iconic and loved. Piaget builds some awesome watches but to survive they need more than just their jewelery.. so the Polo S is a sports watch to help sales as this is trendy now.
The “submariner” came out mere months after the Fifty Fathoms, and looks nothing like it. What did Rolex actually copy?
And Genta designed both, each for the respective companies.
The "trouble" with Piaget is that at heart whilst it is a fabulous watchmaker it is also haut luxe - a notch above Cartier really. Think Piaget, think slightly absurd watches with lapis lazuli or tiger's eye dials, give or take a few diamonds etc, that sort of thing. Because of the market and it's downgrading of dress pieces it isn't that expensive to enjoy some of these weird and wonderful pieces from the 70's, 80's and 90's at a reasonable price especially given the extraordinary quality of the materials used. These tend to be time only pieces and the movements are equal to anything being churned out by Patek or VC in their comparable watches, often quite a bit better really.
That also makes Piaget's foray into the current trend for sports watches in the Polo line a little awkward at times. You either love or hate them. They feel a little less authentic given the rest of the haut luxe pitch of the brand, even today and can't be an easy sell. It sort of isn't what you go through the doors of Piaget for. At the same time it's yet another reason why the latest Rolex 1908 is ultimately doomed to failure. If you want real haut luxe you'll be going for Piaget, Chopard, Van Cleef and Arpels, Harry Winston, to some extents Patek, some esoteric VC, top end JLC, Breguet, Blancpain, and a few other esoteric makers - you'd be mad to stop off your journey into this part of watchmaking at Rolex.
I own the Piaget polo s chrono and love it. That being said, I got it second hand for a total steal. It is a damn nice watch though.
Calling it an homage, and a Polonaut, really stacks the deck though. It’s less debate, more throwing shade and then doubling-down. If you do not like it, that is one thing, but despite the similarities there is more to this.
The original late 70s Polo’s were integrated bracelet affairs, which would take props from the 222, the Royal Oak, the Ingeniuer… that would be reflective of the market and the trends of the day. The difference there was that whilst AP and others offered their sports watches in steel, Piaget gave you a yellow gold option with a super-thin “modern” quartz movement. It was an option that, whilst not necessarily as talked about, had its admirers for its different approach. It was worn by the likes of Miles Davis, Andy Warhol, and De Niro in Casino - you could call it borderline iconic. It was not just a watch, as Yves Piaget said himself:
Screw it, no one likes change, but nothing stays the same. I doubt that something like the original Polo would sell today as yellow gold and watch bracelets are not as popular, but in the sporty high-end market, of which the Polo skipped around, you could take the line, play with an existing trope keeping the Piaget thin-profile, and offer up competitive piece at the £11-15k market in steel (they did - it’s called the Polo S). You want to shift units, they are a business. There is also a yellow gold version, and one with diamonds, if you want to be a purist, you have that option.
Perhaps we could be reductive and just say everything Swiss is an homage of either a Rolex, or whatever Genta made and be done with it, ironically because that seems to be how the watch industry rolls. Take the PRX, take the excitement around relaunch of the 222 and now everyone wants to bring out an integrated bracelet watch for the last two years, take the fact that AP almost makes nothing much else but ROs now… it’s all Genta-esque tropes.
Piaget’s main “bag” was ultra-thin movements, they did it in the 50s and 60s, and you can see this with the Altiplano and the arms-race with Bvlgari in recent years. They are luxury, but not elite. They sit in a deep pool with a lot of other high-end brands, and that end of the market is just as hard to navigate as the budget end: if you have £15k, you have equal if not more options available to you than at £500. A sporty watch, with a familiar style and a thin profile, with a choice of strap and a nice 4mm thick movement built off the Cartier MC1904 ébauche with Cotes de Geneve is going to be a lucrative option at £11-15k, and more so on the second-hand market. If you are a fan of the Polo then you are probably already half a foot into the boutique. If you want a sports watch with some heritage behind it then it might be an option. Choice is good.
Thank you for your time and the info you’ve provided here, I’m listening to your sensible breakdown. Sometimes the right light needs to shine by a much more knowledgeable person to correct the dialogue.
I appreciate it…🤝
The "trouble" with Piaget is that at heart whilst it is a fabulous watchmaker it is also haut luxe - a notch above Cartier really. Think Piaget, think slightly absurd watches with lapis lazuli or tiger's eye dials, give or take a few diamonds etc, that sort of thing. Because of the market and it's downgrading of dress pieces it isn't that expensive to enjoy some of these weird and wonderful pieces from the 70's, 80's and 90's at a reasonable price especially given the extraordinary quality of the materials used. These tend to be time only pieces and the movements are equal to anything being churned out by Patek or VC in their comparable watches, often quite a bit better really.
That also makes Piaget's foray into the current trend for sports watches in the Polo line a little awkward at times. You either love or hate them. They feel a little less authentic given the rest of the haut luxe pitch of the brand, even today and can't be an easy sell. It sort of isn't what you go through the doors of Piaget for. At the same time it's yet another reason why the latest Rolex 1908 is ultimately doomed to failure. If you want real haut luxe you'll be going for Piaget, Chopard, Van Cleef and Arpels, Harry Winston, to some extents Patek, some esoteric VC, top end JLC, Breguet, Blancpain, and a few other esoteric makers - you'd be mad to stop off your journey into this part of watchmaking at Rolex.
This route would be unknown territory for me.
Thank you🤝
I own the Piaget polo s chrono and love it. That being said, I got it second hand for a total steal. It is a damn nice watch though.
Purchasing it on the secondary market seems to have worked out for you as it does look great. I’m drawn to this type of timepiece.
What made you buy it…what pulled you to this particular model?
Need to see more of it on daily wrist shoots.
A Big thank you for showing it here!
It's a desperate move for sales, maybe, but then again so are 99% of watches. I mean, what other brand doesn't jump on a trend when they see one?
Purchasing it on the secondary market seems to have worked out for you as it does look great. I’m drawn to this type of timepiece.
What made you buy it…what pulled you to this particular model?
Need to see more of it on daily wrist shoots.
A Big thank you for showing it here!
I always like the non chrono and when an opportunity came to get this at a good price I jumped on it. I would not pay retail for it at all. Bracelet is not worth the asking price. The dial is the best part and the mvt.
As you know, I started off this post, asking how Piaget can make a watch very similar to an Aquanaut With no shame. But to popular opinion many think this is quite normal to be inspired by other brands.
This polo S is growing on me despite me not loving anything homagesque, as it can be it’s own thing.
Thanks for your time and coming forward with your watch. 😎
I honestly don't think Aquanaut when I see it because, you know, I'm not Jon Mayer or one of the dozens of people that think of the Aquanaut (as more than the ugly pineapple grenade-looking watch). Are there people pretending that the Piaget is not clearly a better executed design?
I honestly don't think Aquanaut when I see it because, you know, I'm not Jon Mayer or one of the dozens of people that think of the Aquanaut (as more than the ugly pineapple grenade-looking watch). Are there people pretending that the Piaget is not clearly a better executed design?
Hey hey , one of the twelve here🫡and I see that Piaget made some small improvements over the Aqua, like removing the Arabic numerals and worked out a better fastening clasp and that’s it for me. Remember now that we don’t have to agree.
What do you see when looking at the Polo S? You clearly prefer the polo s dial over the pineapple.
I’m curious if you think that polo dial is their design?
Hey hey , one of the twelve here🫡and I see that Piaget made some small improvements over the Aqua, like removing the Arabic numerals and worked out a better fastening clasp and that’s it for me. Remember now that we don’t have to agree.
What do you see when looking at the Polo S? You clearly prefer the polo s dial over the pineapple.
I’m curious if you think that polo dial is their design?
Oh, the dial is sort of lazy but at the same point even that "horizontal stripes that make you look fat" beats the pineapple grenade. Moreso, the bezel shape of the Piaget is very intriguing. The Auquanut bezel is just wide and there.
Personally I dig the OG grenade dial.
But I see your point about the bezel and the “squaround” shape is growing on me.
Thanks for your reply🤝
For me honestly it hard to ever take the angle of saying lazy efforts in design or homage efforts in any design simply because every brand at one point or another dispite what there normal designs are has taken something from one another.
For me honestly it hard to ever take the angle of saying lazy efforts in design or homage efforts in any design simply because every brand at one point or another dispite what there normal designs are has taken something from one another.
Your response is appreciated and recognized as to which direction it is coming from and I will agree that many brands and their models start to resemble each other when building a watch e.g. chronographs, divers, moon phase etc.
I have been looking at watches for a long time, and can not help notice similarities, its become a very common practice and I also accept it. Although I do have a limit as to how much inspiration one can take from another brand.
My point was and still is at $16000 cad msrp and a Brand like Piaget should have designed their own watch when revamping the Polo S watch. I also accept that the higher cost for the Polo S is because of finishing and movement etc. I did mention I like it, and I like it a lot but its always about the money isn't it?
Lets take the Mido TV, they went back into their own catalogue and with very slight inspiration from PP and relaunched a watch that is a stand alone piece BUT at $1450 cad mrsp. So even if it looked 90 % like a Aquanaut / nautilus I'd be like ok this is acceptable, but they didn't do that so they get my full 🤝
The Cartier Tank Francais is the perfect example I can use here, to compare the Piaget polo line from the 70'. They are both integrated bracelets with a watch in it, but if Cartier was to relaunch the TF to look like a sports watch...say “Royal Oak Off Shore” but at $13000 cad. I'd be like where did this come from... it doesn't coincide with their catalogue other than the name!
What would you think?
Its about the price point, the history of the brand and up holding pride as I expect them to be creating and designing something fresh, when it comes to revamping a model in their line that is dying.
Lomborghini does not launch cars that look like a Ferrari.
Hopefully you can sense I am not hatting on homage or anything of that disrespectful tone.