Piaget - Gouverneur
The Gouverneur line by Piaget is first and foremost a subtle balance between two shapes - round and oval - that are frequently associated and have made their mark on the history of art. It also epitomises the perfect technical mastery characterising the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget. And finally, it stems from an association between a talented father and son representing two generations of designers.
The new Gouverneur line is a concentrated blend of the skills and history of Piaget. Introduced within the Black Tie collection, it reveals an exceptional horological mechanism enhanced by powerful formal expression. It presents three mechanical variations through automatic, chronograph and tourbillon models, each available in diamond-set pink or white gold versions. This exclusive new classic range from the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget is also the story of two generations of designers, a father and his son.
Black Tie is first and foremost about elegant cases with a unique and distinctive design - Emperador, Emperador Coussin, Protocole, Rectangle a a l'Ancienne, and now Gouverneur -exclusively fitted with leather straps. Each of the models in the Black Tie collection features a remarkable level of decoration applied to the case, the movement and the dial. This degree of finishing is made possible by the in-house mastery encompassing not only the movements themselves, but also the production of original cases. The Black Tie collection not only showcases the Manufacture Piaget mechanical movements, but also distinguishes itself each year by incorporating most of the latest complications developed by the Manufacture.
Aesthetic balance and structured shapes
The Gouverneur watch features a cleverly structured aesthetic with round and oval shapes cleverly arranged to achieve a unique sense of visual equilibrium.
An oval shape nested in a round one and then a round shape nested in the oval: moving from the watch exterior to the dial centre, the Gouverneur watch displays this sophisticated, gentle and harmonious formal stylistic approach. A round case with an oval dial opening, and then a round circle in the centre of the dial: these superimposed shapes endow the Gouverneur with a unique character and immerse it within a formal architectural composition offering a wealth of subtle details and symbols.
Painters, sculptors and architects have long since worked on this manner of superimposing shapes while playing with the balance between round and oval forms. A symbol of perfection, of the absolute and of attraction, the circle gives rise to infinite interpretations and implies a sense of movement. The oval evokes more intimate associations such as the symbolism of renewal and protection. When these two shapes harmoniously echo each other in a perfectly balanced manner, the power of the resulting object is undeniable. Countless artists have experienced this and the history of art is full of formal creations drawing their strength from this equilibrium.
The traditional expertise and cutting-edge technologies cultivated within the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget are devoted to serving an exceptional formal design code. This propels the Gouverneur line into a whole new dimension, that of Art with its numerous references that have clearly inspired the in-house designers.
These fields of artistic inspiration have been explored through two pairs of eyes, since the Piaget Gouverneur stems from the passing on of skill and knowledge between two generations of designers: the father who designed all the form models in the Black Tie collection; and the son who has designed the dial of this variation, thereby anchoring it firmly in the present and translating this formal vocabulary into a truly timeless language. The balance thus stems from these exceptional exchanges between two generations that endow the new Gouverneur by Piaget with its truly ageless aesthetic.
The new Gouverneur by Piaget is a unique watch that draws authentic aesthetic strength from the circle while exuding a sense of subtle discretion accentuated by the oval. An exclusive and unostentatious timepiece stemming from a deliberately adopted artistic slant.
Manufacture Piaget: the alchemy of twin fields of expertise
Proudly claiming its place within the Black Tie collection, the new Gouverneur line perfectly embodies the twin fields of know-how of the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget: movement-making and case-making expertise.
An authentic movement manufacturer
The Gouverneur line comes in a range of three models housing mechanical Manufacture Piaget movements, including two new ultra-thin calibres that are an integral part of the brand DNA. The Gouverneur Automatic Calendar watch beats to the rhythm of Manufacture Piaget Calibre 800P; the Gouverneur Chronograph is equipped with the new 882P movement; while the Gouverneur Tourbillon model houses the new 642P movement.
This Gouverneur line has been given an added touch of refinement through the oscillating weights stamped with the Piaget crest and available in two shades in order to guarantee perfect aesthetic harmony.
The white gold models come with a black oscillating weight reflecting the black lining of the strap; while the pink gold models reveal a gold-toned oscillating weight perfectly matching the colour of the case.
These three calibres were all designed, developed and produced by the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget.
Gouverneur Automatic Calendar
The Gouverneur Automatic Calendar model beats to the rhythm of Calibre 800P. Fitted with a large-size balance with screws as well as a balance-stop mechanism, it features two barrels ensuring a comfortable 85-hour power reserve. This movement reputed for its robustness powers the central hour, minute and seconds hands, as well as the date display at 6 o'clock. The calibre bears Piaget's signature finishes in harmony with the brand design codes: circular Côtes de Geneve, a circular-grained mainplate, bevelled bridges, blued screws and an oscillating weight stamped with the Piaget crest.
Gouverneur Chronograph
The Gouverneur Chronograph houses the new Calibre 882P, an ultra-thin mechanical self-winding movement. This classic model is distinguished by its two-counter design reminiscent of vintage chronographs.
In addition to the flyback chronograph functions - featuring a sweep seconds hand and a minute counter at 3 o'clock - the movement also drives the hour and minute hands, a 24-hour dual time-zone display in a subdial at 9 o'clock, and a date indication at 6 o'clock.
This ultra-thin (5.6 mm) mechanical self-winding movement is equipped with a large balance with screws as well as a balance-stop device. It beats at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and is equipped with two barrels ensuring around 50 hours of power reserve in activated chronograph mode. The 882P movement developed in keeping with classic Haute Horlogerie codes features a vertical coupling clutch and a column wheel.
Fitted into the back of this Gouverneur Chronograph, a transparent sapphire crystal pane reveals the movement with its traditional Piaget finishes: circular Côtes de Geneve, circular-grained mainplate, bevelled bridges, blued screws, and the oscillating weight stamped with the Piaget crest.
Gouverneur Tourbillon
The Gouverneur Tourbillon model houses the new Calibre 642P, an extremely slender (4 mm) and exceptional mechanical movement distinguished by its ultra-thin (2.8 mm) and ultra-light (0.2 grams) flying tourbillon bearing the stylised "P" for Piaget - a particularly delicate horological feat given the naturally asymmetrical shape of this letter. In addition to the flying tourbillon visible at 12 o'clock on the openworked dial, Calibre 642P also features an astronomical pointer-type moon-phase display at 6 o'clock requiring a one-day correction only once every 122 years. Offering additional evidence of the determination to place technique in the service of design displayed by the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget, this moon-phase subdial further reinforces the presence of the circle on the dial.
Endowed with an approximately 40-hour power reserve, the Piaget 642P flying tourbillon calibre is distinguished by Piaget's characteristic entirely hand-crafted Haute Horlogerie finishes: circular-grained mainplate, circular-grained, bevelled and hand-drawn bridges, bevelled and hand-drawn tourbillon carriage, as well as blued screws.
The Manufacture Piaget sculpts gold
Available in diamond-set pink or white gold versions, the 43 mm-diameter cases of the Gouverneur line are all crafted in-house - as indeed are all Piaget creations. The impeccable alternation of satin-brushed and polished surfaces accentuates the subtle alchemy of the shapes, resulting in a highly complex case construction. Representing the signature of truly exceptional models, several nested elements offer a delightful variety of finishes: the case and its sides are satin-brushed, while the applied bezel and the back are polished, as are the chronograph pushers which are oval shaped to reflect the spirit of the watch, along with the polished angles of the case.
The three white gold Gouverneur models feature a diamond-set bezel. Performed in the Piaget workshops, this discreet two-row gemsetting is designed to accentuate the soft slender shape of the bezel revealing the double round and oval shape of the Gouverneur line.
The exquisitely structured and well-balanced dials also play with the formal vocabulary characterising the Gouverneur line. Oval on the outside, the shapes grow gradually rounder towards the centre. Another lively and dynamic touch is added by the rich decorative motifs around the dial circumference and which become gradually purer and more discreet as they move towards the dial centre.
The aesthetic appeal of the line is further enhanced by the round shape of the chronograph counters and that of the moon-phase display on the tourbillon model.
The subtly designed case, which contributes to the identity of the Gouverneur models, is fitted with a leather strap either lined in black for the white gold models or in brown for the pink gold versions.
This concern for details, this perfect match between the movement and the case, between the mechanism and the formal expression of the collection, would be unthinkable without the in-house mastery of all the professions involved. In this respect, the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget is home to exceptional range of skills, in that it crafts its own movements as well as the full set of watch exterior components - making it a rare case, even in the exclusive spheres of Fine Watchmaking.
[Rating: 5 / 5 stars]
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