
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Piaget Protocole 74101 with Onyx Stone & Diamond Dial
- Maker / attribution
- Piaget (maker)
- Date
- c. 1980s
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 25.5 mm
- Stock no.
- Product 9604159242516
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Collectors Corner NY (product 9604159242516)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Piaget Protocole 74101 w/Onyx Stone & Diamond Dial - *Unpolished* (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Collectors Corner NY (dealer), New York (stock number Product 9604159242516), this is a wristwatch by Piaget, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1980s. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 25.5 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Collectors Corner NY
With the rise in popularity of Cartier in recent years, values for the brand have of course risen. Naturally, collectors have been seeking value and as of late have re-discovered Piaget's vintage offerings. Given their use of stone dials, we believe that Piaget should not be overlooked in the hunt for the perfect dress watch. Stone dials are beautiful, elegant and add a level of organic depth to a piece that can't be replicated. They are, of course, unique by example and in other brands like Rolex can drive up pricing for a model by multiple times. We're sure many Cartier collectors wish they were used! Here we have a gorgeous 18k white gold Piaget reference 74101, circa 1980s. The case and bracelet have a "hammered" artisanal finish giving it a monochromatic appearance. The factory black onyx and diamond dial contrasts well against the case and remains in fantastic condition, without any chips or cracks. The case and bracelet are also in fantastic and untouched condition with only light signs of wear. At 25.5mm by 30mm, we believe this piece is equally well suited for anyone, male or female. If you've been looking for a unique Piaget on bracelet we believe this solid gold piece offers excellent value and looks stunning on wrist.
Historical context
Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.
Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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