Rare Tropical Piaget Beta21: Warhols Finest Black Tie

Piaget Warhols Choice: Stepped Case Jumbo Beta21, Tropical Van Cleef Arpels Black Tie


WHY WE LOVE IT: Because Andy Warhol saw & loved it in 1972 (New York Vogue-magazine) and it was the ignition of the AW-Piaget-relationship: unfortunately it was a strictly limited and already sold edition and so the famous artist had to accept the successor ref15102 with the exact same dial. It was delivered to him one year later, in Aug-1973. Ah, and also, because we love vintage Piaget and this seems to be one of the most important vintage Piaget.

Piaget Stepped Cushion Case, also known as Black Tie: One of the most impressive rarest Beta21 and for sure the highest quality 1st Swiss quartz-watch made in the early 1970s. It beats Pateks icon 3587 in size and quality by far and not without reason it was Andy Warhols most loved Piaget. This impressive masterpiece has a beautiful patinaed double-signed Van Cleef-dial and is today a piece-unique.

This icon became a lot of attention in the last months because it was remade in a limited edition -- although not with a similar important and remarkable (humming at 256Hz and sweep second) Beta21 quartz-movement.

Exactly this watch had a scene in the New York Vogue-magazine in November 1972 -- see last photo. And the details for this photo: New York, November 1972, she is leaving his apartment and whispers "Thank you for last night." before moving by Taxi to the JFK-airport for a Paris-Weekend with the girls; to make sure, he wants to see her again she took his favourite Watch from his bedside-table this morning: the Beta21; the One that he bought at Van Cleef & Arpels during summer this year and that made Andy Warhol so jealous yesterday evening;

Photo: NY Vogue, Nov-'72 showing the VCA-doublesigned Piaget Beta21, that was delivered to NY in July 1972;

In short:

- produced by Piaget in 1971 (Beta21 zero-series)

- sold by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1972

- delivered to New York in July 1972

- shot for Vogue NY in November 1972

- making A. Warhol jealous until August 1973


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