Piaget

The history of coin watches can be traced back to the early 20th century. A unique blend of horology and numismatics, the timepieces were embedded in a genuine, usually commemorative, gold coin. While not the first brand to make coin watches, Cartier in particular stands out for their exceptional craftsmanship, which can be attributed to the famous salesman turned watchmaker Joseph Vergely. To create the watch, the coin would be dissected at two sides and an interior within each side is carved to house the timepiece. Finally the two sides are rejoined in a hinged fashion. Largely credited with perfecting this technique, Vergely would go on to run the European Watch and Clock Company in Paris and play an instrumental role in the partnership between Edmond Jaeger and Cartier. As the design grew in popularity, we started to see other brands adopt the coin form watch produced in the design of Vergely, such as Piaget, Corum, and Rolex. 

The present example is a coin wristwatch by Piaget. Known for producing ultra thin movements, and their never ending pursuit of engineering even thinner movements, the timepiece is powered by the in house ultra thin 9P movement launched in 1957 that measures only 2 mm thick and boasts a 36 hour power reserve, and a frequency of 19,800 vph.

Our present lot is housed in a special fifty Mexican pesos coin commemorating Mexico's independence. The obverse side of the coin features the Angel of Independence, a symbol of Mexican independence. The reverse side shows the Mexican Coat of Arms, featuring an eagle with a snake in its beak atop a cactus, symbolizing the Mexican people's struggle against their adversaries. The coin is crafted in 22k gold while the watch is crafted in 18k gold. The side by side pairing of the gold gives the watch a two tone effect adding to its beauty. For the numismatists of the watch collecting community, the present lot is a wonderfully preserved example of ingenious design and technical know how.