In 2024, Piaget celebrated the 45th anniversary of its iconic Polo watch with the release of the Polo 79, an updated yellow-gold version of the original design. Enlarged from 34mm to 38mm and upgraded with a slim automatic movement in place of the original quartz, the solid-gold watch was an instant hit—even with its $73,000 price tag. When an equally well-received white-gold version followed in 2025, it felt like a clear shift was underway, moving attention away from the chunky steel sports watches that had dominated the conversation and toward something heavier, shinier, and unapologetically dressy.
Now, Piaget is blending the bold opulence of the yellow-gold Polo 79 with the more understated appeal of the white-gold version in a new two-tone execution. Like its predecessors, it measures 38mm and contains no less than 200 grams of precious metal. The watch stands out through its white-gold base, contrasted by yellow-gold gadroons that run across the bracelet, case, and dial. Alternating brushed and polished finishes in white and yellow gold create a lively play of light, while the integrated bracelet delivers just enough ’70s, Genta-era energy to satisfy luxury sports-watch enthusiasts.
With a pared-back dial featuring only Piaget’s distinctive wordmark and a pair of yellow-gold dauphine hands, the watch sits comfortably at the crossroads of minimalism, brutalism, and pop art. It looks like something a well-heeled European socialite—or a charismatic leading man with an open collar—might wear in St. Moritz in the late 1970s. That’s fitting, given that the original Polo made its debut in 1979. While that first version relied on cutting-edge quartz technology, today’s Polo 79 models are powered by Piaget’s in-house ultra-thin cal. 1200P1, an automatic movement with a micro-rotor, 180 components, a 44-hour power reserve, and finely engraved finishing throughout.
Produced in limited numbers like the versions before it, the new Polo 79 is aimed squarely at a certain type of committed collector. Priced at $91,000, it sits comfortably alongside watches such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked in steel and the Bulgari Octo Finissimo CarbonGold Perpetual Calendar. They may be very different watches, but the two-tone Polo 79 more than earns its place in that company. With its Studio 54–era pedigree and the mechanical refinement Piaget is known for, it’s hard to find fault, especially at a time when the price of gold shows no sign of slowing down.
