Visitors of SIHH 2014 have seen a lot of premieres. Piaget was one of luxury brands who showcased a number of remarkable pieces this week, but this masterpiece certainly stands out – Altiplano Scrimshaw watch with the dial made from 40,000 years old fossilized mammoth ivory. The dial is also engraved with a map of the Eastern Hemisphere using traditional scrimshaw techniques. The calibre is a Piaget 400p ultra-thin housed in a 38mm Altiplano case in either white or pink gold. The dial 1.7 mm thick.
Scrimshaw is a special technique of engraving that dates back to tribes in colder parts of North America like Inuits tribe. One mistake can render the entire ivory piece useless.
Designed by Richard Maier who specializes in the art of scrimshaw, the watch features the hemisphere lines and continent outlines, done with traditional burin engraving techniques. For the shading Maier makes tiny holes in the ivory with needles of various diameters. Then, the dial is inked in various stages and the map takes a very unique pattern. The handwork of this world map requires 65 hours of concentration and physical labor.
Given all this , it is not surprising that Altiplano Scrimshaw will be made in limited quantities, priced at $56,000. There will be approximately 40 pieces each, in white gold and pink gold.
