Piaget has unveiled a limited edition of the iconic Limelight Gala watch, reinvented by Emirati jewellery designer Shamsa Alabbar.
The extravagant, yet ever so elegant, shimmering curves of the Limelight Gala have mesmerised watch aficionados for more than half a century.
Hovering between a watch and a piece of jewellery, this quintessential Maison Piaget timepiece even now tailors itself to an everyday routine, while bringing a magnificent sparkle to formal evenings.
Piaget was started by the visionary Georges-Édouard Piaget in the Swiss village of La Côte-Aux-Fées in 1874. And, as celebration plans were drawn up for the Maison’s 150th anniversary, an innovative contemporary designer was chosen to reimagine the beloved Limelight Gala.
A leading figure in the Arabic jewellery world since 2013, Shamsa Alabbar has been transposing the ancient codes of the Arabian Peninsula into a series of graphic pieces in which calligraphy and typography take on a new dimension.
“Piaget has always been a brand that captivated me with its unique designs and exquisite craftsmanship,” Shamsa said.
“It holds cherished memories of the most significant moments in my life. Whenever I visited the Piaget stores, I couldn’t help but be mesmerised by their creations, particularly their watches. The opportunity to design a dial for the Gala watch feels like a surreal dream come true.”
In Shamsa’s hypnotic reinterpretation of the Limelight Gala, the dial of the limited edition watch is hemmed with gold and diamonds.
While the mesh work, painstakingly completed by hand in Piaget’s workshops, and the lush, asymmetrical waltz of diamonds immediately bring to mind the codes of the Limelight Gala, your gaze is irresistibly drawn to this enchanting dial, which is utterly one of a kind.
Inspired by the Token motif, which the designer has made her signature by weaving it through her jewellery collection, the dial also pays homage to Arabic typography and the iconic mashrabiya.
For more information, please visit www.piaget.com.