In my opinion, Piaget does not get nearly the recognition they deserve from watch aficionados. Cruise any of the major watch forums, and Piaget gets only scant mention now and then. Why? The most common thread seems to be “yes, a brand worthy of great respect, but their jewelry background makes most people think they aren’t a serious watch.”

I humbly propose, dear reader, that if this is a view you have held, that you owe it to yourself to briefly peruse some of the Piaget offerings. Each Piaget watch—yes, even the quartz ladies pieces—use movements which are manufactured by Piaget. Not only do they manufacture their own movements, something which places Piaget within the horological elite, but they have also shown us some very cool complications, including a range of extremely beautiful tourbillons. As for their jewelry background–that is only a strength in my humble opinion, enabling Piaget to offer outstanding case and dial finish. Apparently, all their gem-setting work is done in-house, as well, giving even greater prestige to their Manufacture status.

My favorite Piaget specialty is the gentleman’s dress watch. The Altiplano Large is a fantastic timepiece, which is beautiful in its simplicity, and elegant detailing. Substantial and luxurious, yet refreshingly minimal, the quality is impeccable. The fact that a manually wound mechanical movement animates this very thin watch is most impressive–remember, extremely thin mechanical movements have long been considered a true yardstick for fine watch execution.

On top of all these superlatives, the price of the Altiplano is very reasonable, especially when compared to the worthy competition from other pedigreed brands