Piaget

The “Quartz Crisis” of the 1970s sent the Swiss watch industry into a frenzy, with many historic brands succumbing to the onslaught of cheap yet reliable Japanese battery powered watches. One of the ways in which the Swiss responded was by creating their own take on quartz, the now cult classic Beta 21 caliber. Offering the same unmatched accuracy that Japanese movements offered, the movement was born out of an unprecedented collaboration between twenty Swiss manufacturers including Patek Philippe and Rolex. In total, 6000 Beta 21 movements were produced.

Manufactured during a golden age of Piaget design, it is said that inspiration struck designer Jean-Claude Gueit after returning home one evening to see his young son asleep with his hand in his mouth, with three fingers sticking out. From this seemingly unremarkable scene, Gueit sketched out the magnificent stepped case that would become a hallmark of Piaget’s Beta 21 cases.

The oversized proportions, which may have been a little unconventional in the 1970s from a design oriented maison such as Piaget, make the watch extremely relevant for today’s tastes. The striking case paired with the onyx black dial certainly make for an iconic configuration, and together with the historic caliber make this watch unmissable for any serious collector.