Tête-à-tête with Remi Jomard, Piaget’s Director of Product and Innovation

REMI JOMARD, Director of Product and Innovation at Piaget, discusses the maison’s 150th anniversary and how its new novelties epitomise the brand’s enduring commitment to horological excellence.

The year 2024 marks a significant milestone for Swiss luxury watch brand Piaget as the brand celebrates its 150th anniversary. At Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, Maison Piaget once again bridged the gap between past and present. For this year’s exhibition, the maison built upon the momentum built up throughout the previous year by bringing the bright gadroons of the historic Piaget Polo and the casual-chic allure of the iconic Piaget Polo Date while diving into Piaget’s ultra-thin innovation and finding the magic behind the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon, which pushes the boundaries of horological ingenuity.

Prestige Indonesia caught up with Piaget’s Director of Product and Innovation, Remi Jomard, at the historic fair. There, he shared insights into Piaget’s illustrious history, achievements, and challenges, as well as the impressive new novelties showcased at this year’s Watches and Wonders Geneva. Excerpts from the interview:

This year is a huge milestone for Piaget as the maison celebrates its 150th anniversary. As the Director of Product and Innovation, can you share what the design philosophy was for the astonishing timepieces unveiled at WWG 2024?
Piaget can be best described in three words: technicity, craftsmanship, and creativity. Our strong manufacturing foundation and the expertise of our artisans and designers enableus to excel in technical aspects and craftsmanship, allowing us to create these exceptional products.

For Piaget’s 150th anniversary, the motto is “our past and present collided with flamboyance,” meaning innovation techniques serve aesthetic purposes. We have decided to bring the past and the present together, which is our philosophy for this year and for the years to come. For example, we draw inspiration from the ‘70s and ‘80s, incorporating new techniques. The Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon, which is only 2mm thick, represents a breakthrough in technique while maintaining aesthetic goals. The same can be said for the Piaget Polo 79. For us, it’s all about balance.

Speaking of which, what challenges were involved in designing the new edition of the Piaget Polo 79?
The most challenging thing to work on is an iconic watch. Its DNA must be preserved, but you must also ensure it is firmly rooted in the present while not relying too heavily on the past. As we may already know, the name “Piaget Polo 79” comes from when it was launched in 1979. Designing this new edition involved reimagining, re-understanding and reengineering the historical product. We try to incorporate new technologies and design methods while maintaining the historical aesthetics of the piece. Our team created various mock-ups to test different sizes, diameters, and other design elements, ensuring the new pieces met the original’s criteria while incorporating modern advancements.

The original was launched with a quartz movement, whereas the new edition features an automatic movement with a pure gold oscillating weight. Integrating the bracelets and the case retains the original aesthetic but is entirely new, utilizing modern techniques. Put simply, it is like bringing the past to the present.

How does Piaget decide when to introduce a new design or revive a classic one?
The design teams decide to introduce a new design or revive a classic one. The technical team then works to reimagine and manufacture the designs based on the sketches and concepts received from the design team. For example, on the Polo 79, the first sketches we received were similar to the previous one. But for the size of the watch itself, there were different square shapes, round shapes, and so on. So, my team’s job was to mock up various sizes of watches, test them, and choose the perfect one. I mean, “perfect” in terms of diameters and thickness. Our goal is to have the thinnest watch, like always, while ensuring that products adhere to their high standards of aesthetics and functionality.

Can you describe the process behind the Altiplano Ultimate Concept (AUC) Tourbillon?
The project took four years and involved the same team that worked on the previous AUC. The AUC Tourbillon involved creating 70 different concepts. The components were almost entirely new, although the watch looks similar to the original. The team worked on refining various elements, including the balance wheel with a unique design with four arms. The position of the watch components is maintained. The dial displaying the hours and minutes is still slightly off-centre, as it was on its predecessor.

The tourbillon is located at 10 o’clock, with a seconds indicator engraved on the tourbillon ring. Fundamentally, all its parts had to fit within 2mm. Working with the same diameter, the same case height, and components just as thin, our first objective was to enhance the AUC hours and minutes and honour Piaget’s ultra-thin skill for the 150th-anniversary festivities, getting the world record for the thinnest tourbillon was merely the icing on the cake.

In your opinion, what model best represents Piaget’s direction today?
For me, picking just one model is difficult. All of them are special. Behind each model are many people: our artisans, designers, technicians, etc. It’s a big family. Instead, it’s a journey marked by many milestones. Each step reflects Piaget’s commitment to innovation and heritage from the Polo, the Altiplano, and the Swinging Sautoirs to the AUC.

What do you think are modern customers looking for in terms of craftsmanship and design?
Customers today seek authenticity, authentic craftsmanship, and handmade expertise. Piaget maintains its internal manufacturing capabilities, ensuring that every component, like the chain in its jewellery, is crafted with genuine skill and care.

Final question: What major changes have you noticed in the watch industry in the past few years?
Consumers are increasingly demanding new things, but it’s important to remember the cyclical nature of watchmaking. We should never forget that we are watchmakers and jewellers. And especially for Piaget, you have to mix them perfectly. Piaget balances innovation with its heritage, ensuring that it stays true to its roots while meeting modern demands.