Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Piaget Quartz Dress Watch 18K YG (Ref. 7142) Onyx Stone Dial, 1980s
- Maker / attribution
- Piaget (maker)
- Date
- 1980s
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- PGQ7142
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (PGQ7142)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1980s Piaget Quartz Dress Watch 18K YG (Ref. 7142) Onyx Stone Dial (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number PGQ7142), this is a wristwatch by Piaget, made in Switzerland, dated 1980s. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. 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 — Craft & Tailored
Piaget was established in 1874 and is widely celebrated as being one of the most creative and esoteric watchmakers, with a deep foundation in Swiss watchmaking. Their avant-garde approach to design was never without a rigorous dedication to quality, the combination of which is expressed through the brand's inherent comprehension of what high luxury and fine watchmaking truly are and should look like. This very stylish, yet subtle dress watch from the '80s is the perfect example of that. This quartz dress watch from Piaget features a quartz movement with a 'hidden' crown' design for extra sophistication and an onyx stone and gold "tapestry" dial in classic Piaget fashion. SPECS Stock # PGQ7142 Brand Piaget Style Quartz Dress Watch Model 7142 Serial 37XXXX Size Unisex Material 18K Yellow Gold Dial Onyx Stone W/ Gold Tapestry Center Millimeters 24 X 28 Strap 2pc Black Strap W/ 18K YG Piaget Tang Buckle CASE & BRACELET The excellent and intricate multi-stepped 18K yellow gold case exhibits honest signs of use with no notable evidence of previous polishing present. The case back retains its original factory finishing and engravings in crisp condition overall and retains the original 'hidden crown'. The watch comes supplied on a 2pc black leather strap with the original 18K yellow gold Piaget tang buckle. DIAL & HANDS The original onyx stone dial with gold tapestry center dial is in exceptional condition, with the stone showing no damage or cracking. The gold text on the onyx portion of the dial displays some subtle fading but still remains fully visible. The original yellow gold hands are in perfect condition. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time, and just received a new battery.
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
Quartz, digital and electronic watches
Electronic watches arrived in three steps. The Hamilton Electric 500 (1957) was the first battery-powered wristwatch, still with a balance; Bulova's Accutron (1960) used a tuning fork. On 25 December 1969 Seiko released the Astron 35SQ, the first quartz wristwatch, closely followed by the Swiss Beta 21 group. In 1972 Hamilton's Pulsar introduced the LED digital watch, and LCD displays soon made digital watches cheap.
The 'Quartz Crisis' that followed devastated the Swiss mechanical industry, which lost two-thirds of its workforce between 1970 and 1984 before recovering with the Swatch (1983) and the luxury mechanical revival. Solar, radio-controlled, kinetic and connected smartwatches continue the electronic line.
What to look for
- Battery hatch in the case back and calibre markings with 'Quartz' or a crystal frequency.
- Display technology: LED (red, push-button) versus LCD (always-on).
- Tuning-fork hum and a smoothly sweeping seconds hand on Accutrons.
- Model and reference numbers, often printed on the back.
Dating clues
- Electric balance watches: from 1957.
- Tuning-fork watches: 1960–c. 1977.
- Quartz analogue: from December 1969; LED digital: 1972–c. 1978; LCD from 1973.
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.
Read next:Seiko calibre 35A (Astron)
Related records
Wristwatches · c. 1980
Piaget wristwatch, ref. 7141 C5, c. 1980
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · c. 1984
Piaget Polo Square ''zebra'', ref. 7131 C 701, c. 1984
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · c. 1990
Piaget Lady Gold and Diamond Watch, ref. 16033, c. 1990
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · c. 2000s
Piaget wristwatch, ref. PI0002, Limelight, circa 2000s
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · 1970
Wristwatch by Heno, Switzerland, 1970
Museum Rotterdam
Wristwatches · 1960–1986
'Tri-Compax' calendar chronograph wristwatch in gold case, by Universal, Geneva, Switzerland, 1960–1986.
Science Museum Group, London
Wristwatches · 1969–1970
Beta 21 Quartz wristwatch movement, made in Switzerland, 1970.
Science Museum Group, London
Wristwatches · c. 1969
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, ref. 145022-69st, c. 1969
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva