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Piaget Altiplano
Ref. G0A38130
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Stepping up in Piaget's range
The Altiplano's founding ambition was thinness at all costs, and the 1205P is perhaps the clearest expression of that. At 3.00mm thick, it ranks among the slenderest automatic movements ever made with a calendar complication, achieved partly through an off-centre micro-rotor in 22-carat pink gold that keeps the winding mass away from the dial centre. The result is a total case depth of 6.36mm — a figure that means this 40mm watch disappears under a shirt cuff in a way few automatics at this diameter manage. The dial repays the restraint the movement demands. Small seconds sit at five o'clock, the date window at nine, and the alternating single-and-double baton indexes give the silver surface just enough rhythm without disturbing its calm. Through the sapphire caseback, the Côtes de Genève finishing, bevelled bridges and blued screws are on permanent display — which is where most of the decoration on this watch actually lives.
- Reference
- G0A38130
- Brand
- Piaget
- Collection
- Altiplano
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 6.36mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- White gold
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 1205P
- Functions
- Date, Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 44 hours
- Gem set
- Yes
Learn more about Piaget
Georges Piaget set up a workshop on the family farm in La Côte-aux-Fées in 1874, producing movements for other houses. The name did not appear on dials until 1943, and the decision that defined the company came a decade later.
In 1957 Piaget released the calibre 9P, a hand-wound movement two millimetres thick. The 12P automatic followed in 1960 at 2.3mm, then the thinnest automatic in the world. Thinness became the house obsession and its competitive territory, pursued through decades of records and continuing in the Altiplano line — including complete watches, case and all, under four millimetres.
Extreme thinness forced Piaget into a distinctive aesthetic. There was no room for conventional dials, so the company used hardstone: lapis, opal, turquoise, tiger's eye. The 1960s and 70s cuff watches, with woven gold bracelets and gem-set bezels, made Piaget as much a jeweller as a watchmaker, and the Polo of 1979 gave it an integrated gold sports watch of its own.
The company remained family-run until 1988, when it was acquired by Cartier — later folded into Richemont — and it continues to manufacture ultra-thin calibres at La Côte-aux-Fées while assembling and gem-setting in Geneva.
- 1874
- Georges Piaget founds the workshop at La Côte-aux-Fées.
- 1943
- The Piaget name is registered as a brand.
- 1957
- The 9P sets an ultra-thin benchmark at 2mm.
- 1960
- The 12P becomes the thinnest automatic movement.
- 1979
- The Polo launches.
- 1988
- Acquired by Cartier, later Richemont.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Piaget Altiplano range (7), Back in Stock (2,749), Automatic Watches (1,742), Leather Strap Watches (1,094), Silver Dial Watches (756), Dress Watches (555) and Solid Gold Watches (162).
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 40mm suits most wrists
- 6.36mm is unusually slim for a 40mm case
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Piaget Altiplano alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | G0A38130 | 604018040 | 1201-1200 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £26,200 | £26,938 | £29,700 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 44 hours | 52 hours | 72 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 44 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £26,200. There is nothing to compare it against today.
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