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Piaget wristwatch, ref. 9971, A Set of Two, circa 1985 and 1986 — view 1 of 3
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Piaget wristwatch, ref. 9971, A Set of Two, circa 1985 and 1986

DocumentedDocumented from an auction catalogue; attribution as stated by the auction house.
Maker / attribution
Piaget (brand / maker)
Date
c. 1985 and 1986
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Materials / technique
18k yellow gold
Dimensions
diameter 34 x 31mm. and 28 x 33 mm
Lot
Lot 373-49
Credit line
Auction lot record: LOT 49, Hong Kong,October 26th, 2024
Catalogue title (original)
PIAGET, REF. 9971 AND 9902, A SET OF TWO, BLACK ONYX AND GOLD DIAL, 18K YELLOW GOLD (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva (lot Lot 373-49), this is a wristwatch by Piaget, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1985 and 1986. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: 18k yellow gold. Recorded dimensions: diameter 34 x 31mm. and 28 x 33 mm. The record is illustrated with 3 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

Antiquorum catalogue description

A pair fine and rare, 18K yellow gold, manual-winding, square cushion-shaped, gentleman’s and lady’s wristwatches, each with screwed case-back, black onyx dial with gold applied motif showing a dove holding an hourglass and the artist’s signature, Hans Erni (1909-2015).

Lot specifications (Antiquorum)

Reference: 9971 and 9902; Case No.: 450242 and 449827; Bracelet: 18K yellow gold Piaget pin buckles; Diameter: 34 x 31mm. and 28 x 33mm.; Weight: 50gr. (approx.); Signature: dial, case and movement; Accessories: Piaget fitted box

Inscriptions & marks

dial, case and movement

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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