At the intersection between South, Central and East Asia lies the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This majestic landscape of mountains, lakes and alpine meadows stretches 1,000km north to south, touching Sichuan, Bhutan, Pakistan and Nepal, and is the planet’s highest plateau, nestled 4,000m above sea level, and known as “the roof of the world”. Its mountains are said to be homes of gods, yetis allegedly roam its planes, and now it is the inspiration for a limited-edition Piaget Altiplano created in partnership with leading auction house Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo. This is the first time the Swiss luxury brand has created a limited collector’s watch in its 65-year history. It is called the Altiplano Origin China Special Limited Edition and will be available exclusively to China mainland customers only. Just 21 pieces will be made, with the watch marked “00” to be auctioned to a worldwide audience at the JW Marriott Hotel, in Hong Kong, on 28 November this year.

It was not merely because the Altiplano is such an icon that it was chosen to be given this Asiatic makeover. The design of this timepiece is inspired by another plateau – the great, flat expanse in west-central South America, from which it gets its name. For its China Original version, Piaget chose to play with green as a homage to the verdant alpine meadows that populate the Tibetan plateau. Three layers of green were applied to the dial to achieve this rich shade, with a subtle gradient green tint around the edge. Pink gold was used for the hands to complement this rich colour, bringing to mind the rose-tinged lakes under a setting sun. The white gold of the casing evokes the surrounding snow-capped mountains, and the star on the sub dial a nod to the brightness of the Pole Star in a landscape where only natural light remains. Turn the watch over and Piaget’s ultra-slim in-house 1250P, with its 22-ct rose gold micro rotor, is visible under the sapphire crystal, around which is engraved the timepiece’s unique number and the words “Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo”.

‘As a watchmaker with a long and profound history, Piaget has created many celebrated timepieces that are favoured by watch lovers and collectors around the world,’ says CEO Benjamin Comar. ‘Together with Phillips, we have tapped into the heritage of our respective fields and created this iconic watch. We believe it will become a classic with enduring charm.’

Throughout October and November, the Altiplano Origin China Special Limited Edition will be showcased in major cities across Asia including Bangkok, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, giving watch lovers an opportunity to see this beautiful limited edition up close, before global collectors will have their only chance to bid on one timepiece at the auction on 28 November. Piaget has often created designs inspired by nature but with this latest Altiplano, it has captured something else – a rich, wild landscape that few of us will ever see. Except through the lens of this watch.

phillips.com/watches