The Piaget Polo was introduced in 1979 on the initiative of Yves Piaget, then head of the family firm. Its case flows directly into an integrated bracelet, and both were made in 18k gold with horizontal ridges, or gadroons, that continue across the gold dial. A typical round example, such as the one Fratello examined from a dealer listing (reference 7761 C701), measures 34 mm, weighs just under 150 grams and sets its crown on the caseback to keep the profile clean. The dial carries only two hands, small dot markers and the brand signature. According to WorldTempus, the first Polos were powered either by the calibre 7P, described as the world’s thinnest quartz movement, or by the calibre 9P, the thinnest manual-winding mechanical movement of its day. A rectangular version was also made. The Polo matters because it was one of the first luxury watches conceived as a piece of gold jewellery and a bracelet first, rather than a watch on a strap.

Yves Piaget wanted to give a “Pop” answer to a clientele whose lifestyles were changing, and he named the watch after polo, which he called the most elite sport, “practiced by warriors and kings”. The case was designed to be water resistant, resistant to knocks and slim. Piaget reinforced the image by sponsoring the Polo World Cup in Palm Beach, Florida, during the 1980s, and the watch became a fixture at society dinners from Miami to Monte Carlo. Press material cited by Fratello links it to wearers such as Andy Warhol, Brooke Shields, Sammy Davis Jr. and Ursula Andress. The Polo was re-released in 2016, and in 2024 the brand marked its 150th anniversary with the Polo 79, a 38 mm gold reissue with the automatic micro-rotor calibre 1200P1.

Collectors see the vintage Polo as a defining jet-set watch of the late 1970s and 1980s, and the success of the 2024 reissue has drawn renewed attention to the originals. Opinion is still divided. Fratello questioned whether serious collectors take it seriously, given its quartz movement and modest size, and several readers found the gold-on-gold dial nearly illegible. Others called it stunning and argued that a watch bracelet should not be judged on legibility. Prices remain reasonable compared with other gold integrated designs: the example Fratello featured, serviced and with box and papers, was offered at 7,490 euros. The original 1979 Polo is no longer produced; Piaget continues the line with the current Polo collection, including the Polo 79.