Watches & Wonders 2026: Piaget’s Newest Polo 79 Is A Rhapsody In Blue
One of the world’s great classic luxury watches steps out in midnight blue sodalite.
The Piaget Polo was originally released in 1979 and it was intended from the outset to be an exercise in deliberate conspicuous consumption, with the price at launch a then-astronomical CHF 3000 (according to Piaget CEO Benjamin Comar). In 2024, Piaget relaunched the original design as the Piaget Polo 79, and although the prices are obviously different, then and now (for various reasons – the price of gold, adjusted for inflation, was between $1300 to $1700 per ounce in 1979; today, it’s closer to $4,800) the Polo 79 remains a symbol of affluence and prestige – and, just as importantly, a symbol of Piaget’s history as a part of broader popular culture, and of its history in watch design.
The Polo 79 is characterized by an integrated case and bracelet design, in which horizontal curved, raised elements, or gadroons – which is a term from architecture and the decorative arts, which means a series of curved convex shapes in a series – form horizontal bars across the bracelet, which are continued through the case and on the dial, giving the impression of a single continuous surface. Originally launched in yellow gold in 2024, the Polo 79 is now available in a new version with a dial made of sodalite, a decorative hardstone.
As with previous versions, the overall diameter is 38mm, reflecting the dimensions of the original, although the new era Polo 79 watches use Piaget’s in-house caliber 1200P microrotor automatic movement, rather than the quartz movement that powered the original models. The new Polo 79 watches are noticeably thicker and heavier than the originals, with around 200 grams of gold total, although they are neither awkward nor unwieldy on the wrist, which is partly due to the even distribution of mass you get from bracelet. Caliber 1200P was originally launched at the SIHH in 2010; it’s an extra flat caliber, coming in at 29.9mm x 2.35mm, with a 44 hour power reserve. The microrotor design is essential to the slim dimensions of the movement as it can, unlike a full rotor design, sit in the same plane as the other movement components; the microrotor has been carefully engineered to have as large a diameter as possible and the recess in which the rotor runs, takes up the entire radius of the mainplate overall.
The sodalite dial is composed of five distinct segments of the mineral.
These are divided by white gold gadroons. Sodalite dials are a relative rarity in watchmaking – there is an extremely exotic Daytona from 1979, which Tim Mosso described as “perhaps the ultimate Daytona” – and occurs naturally in massive deposits, although it wasn’t until the late 19th century that it started to be used more frequently as a gemstone. The deep blue color, plus the white veins of calcite, give it a rich and lustrous appearance that fits the character of the Polo 79 very well, especially in combination with white gold.
Sodalite is a relatively soft mineral, which is generally straightforward to cut and shape and as you can see, it easily takes a high polish, although as with hardstone materials in general, cutting it into thin shapes for watch dials requires careful handling.
Until the release of this model, my favorite Polo 79 watch was the OG in yellow gold; it has a weight, size, and warm glow I find irresistible (I find myself gravitating more and more to precious metal watches every year). I think this might be a new favorite, though, the combination of white gold and the midnight blue of sodalite is pretty compelling (and it also makes me wonder what a rendition of this color scheme might look like in platinum – I shudder at the probable cost, but it would be an intensely attractive watch on every level). The white veining of the sodalite dial matches very well with white gold, emphasizing the visual continuity that’s the signature of the Polo 79 watches.
Price is by request at launch but given the prices of its fellow Polo 79 models, expect it to be right around the very high five to very low six figures. The new model is a visually stunning, physically compelling restatement of the luxury proposition first established in 1979.
The Piaget Polo 79 in white gold: case, 38mm x 7.45mm, with sapphire crystals front and back; water resistance 50M. Five piece deep blue sodalite dial with white gold gadroons and white gold dauphine hands. Movement, caliber 1200P1, designed and manufactured in-house by Piaget; 29.9mm x 2.35mm, running in 25 jewels at 21,600 vph; with a 44 hour power reserve.
The 1916 Company is proud to be an authorized retailer for Piaget watches. Price on request; please contact us for current pricing and availability.