Outof TIME
Haute horology houses are reinterpreting their historic pieces for modern times, without sacrificing the spirit of the original
Forty-five years after its creation, the Polo – the emblematic model of Swiss watch brand Piaget – is still one of the most highly sought-after watches on the planet.
Hallmarked by its cushion-shaped dial, rounded case and integrated bracelet with hand-assembled links, the now-iconic design is the brainchild of Yves G. Piaget, the fourth generation current chairman of the watchmaking house, and was an instant hit with collectors upon its 1979 debut. A dazzling homage to Yves’ love of the equestrian world, the Polo’s appeal has spread far beyond the playing field since its unveiling, and onto the wrists of influential figures including Andy Warhol, Nancy Sinatra and Bond girl Ursula Andress, as well as Sylvester Stallone (who wore a Polo in Tulsa King) and actor Michael B. Jordan, who was spotted courtside wearing a vintage Piaget Polo 7P last year.
In contrast to the masculine steel sports watches of the time, the solid gold Polo captured the glitz and glamour of the jet set, and soon came to define the spirit of the 1980s. “We really had to answer to this particular demand of our customers who are used to getting just dress watches,” explained Yves Piaget at the time. “But now our customers like to do more and more sports. That’s part of the evolution of our lives today. They want to be exquisite, even in sport. They want to wear a better watch, even in their sports. So we created this sport line which is waterproof, shockproof.”
With that, 45 years after its debut, the Polo has been reborn as the Piaget Polo 79, in celebration of the house’s 150th anniversary.
This reissue follows a number of other luxury watchmakers reimagining historic models in new ways.
For Piaget, this meant drawing upon the original design with a few subtle updates. Dressed once again in 18k yellow gold, the Polo 79 has eschewed its original quartz calibre in favour of an ultra-thin 1200P1 in-house self-winding movement that beats within a slightly enlarged 38mm case. Meanwhile, the seamless integrated gold bracelet that once dazzled elite society remains untouched.
Longines, another Swiss brand known for its equestrian ties, has also provided an archival model with a modern twist. To mark the anniversary of its signature Conquest collection, the heritage maker has reissued a classic model from 1959 – a design renowned for its one-of-a-kind power reserve indicator consisting of two rotating discs at the centre of the dial. In tribute to this historic model, the new Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve has retained the original concept with a three-part dial, available in a sumptuous champagne shade, as well as anthracite and black. Meanwhile, a redesigned 38mm steel case – with newly designed lugs – houses a fresh self-winding L896.5 calibre, which the wearer can view via a transparent screwdown case back.
When it comes to reviving vintage designs, Timex provides the ultimate throwback. When reworking its World Time 1972, a chunky, vintageinspired quartz timepiece, the American brand stayed true to the design codes of the original model for a retro leaning – as such, its bezel still features the time zones of the early 1970s that don’t align with today’s time zones. The new Q Timex Reissue Dégradé, meanwhile, pays homage to one of Timex’s most iconic Q models from the late 1970s by recreating every detail of its unique domed acrylic crystal, which catches the light with interior facets, as well as its sleek 38mm brushed stainless steel case, matching bracelet and quartz movement.
When Vacheron Constantin reissued the 222 – a classic 1970s gold watch and a cult favourite among connoisseurs – it did so by retaining the exact measurements of the original, but finished to an even higher level of excellence. The model was designed by JÖrg Hysek and debuted in 1977 to celebrate the brand’s 222nd anniversary, before being discontinued in 1985. The new model is part of Historiques, an unashamedly backwards-glancing line of reimagined classics from the world’s oldest watchmaker in continuous operation. It’s based on the Ref 44018 and features a 37mm case in 18k 3n yellow gold, while a reworked bracelet offers improved comfort.
Some might wonder if all this rear-view-mirror glancing might take away energy and attention better spent on horological innovation, but no matter the general consensus of the trend, vintage-reissue watches are generating some serious buzz in 2024.