News Last December, Piaget celebrated a double event in Zurich: the opening of a new boutique on the famous «Bahnhofstrasse», which, with its new decor, will be this year's reference for all existing and future Piaget spaces.
Pursuing its quest for excellence in serving customers, Piaget has decided to give its boutiques a modern touch by endowing them with an all-new architectural concept that was entrusted to Christine Querlioz, from the Atelier Sasha in Paris. The latter has conceptualised a contemporary setting, where fine craftsmanship and elegance live side by side, harmoniously expressing the brand’s great wealth of sophistication.
Loyal to its home country of Switzerland, Piaget is proud to be inaugurating this concept in its new boutique on the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. In December 2011, Switzerland’s premier shopping mile was witness to a twofold event: a new boutique presented in a brand-new setting.
Right from its early days, Piaget has consistently displayed a determination to establish close ties with enthusiasts of its creations. The House has maintained this family-style approach and this sense of service that set it apart within the galaxy of high-end watch and jewellery companies. The tone was set as soon as the brand opened its first boutique in Geneva in 1958. The latter was deliberately called a «Salon», since the intention was clearly to welcome customers into a warm and cosy atmosphere. The establishment on Geneva’s Rue du Rhône remained the brand’s only boutique for over twenty years. Numerous celebrities and royalty have visited the Salon Piaget in Geneva, won over by the welcoming atmosphere and the creativity of the collections on show.
Piaget has now chosen to reaffirm this sense of hospitality within a new setting highlighting its in-house expertise. And the decision to premiere this new decor in Zurich is no coincidence. For Piaget, opening a boutique in Zurich is extremely important, since being close to its Swiss German clients has long been an objective for the brand. This new boutique conveys the Swiss identity of the House and its attachment to German-speaking Switzerland.
In December, the brand’s new architectural concept was expressed in all its elegance at no. 38 on Zurich’s iconic shopping mile. The boutique will move into a 19th century building, replacing a century old flower shop. Its ancient black wood façade and high ceilings, that give it unique charm, have been deliberately preserved. Piaget’s fondness for gardens, its ability to translate the magic of flowers, and particularly the rose, into gold and diamonds, lend a very special meaning to this transition of the premises from one activity to another.
Christine Querlioz’ new concept is an invitation to embark on an evocative journey through the universe of Piaget. Within a generous 160 m2 area, the architecture conveys and highlights the blend of skills in Haute Horlogerie and Haute Joaillerie, two fields of expertise for which Piaget has created separate yet complementary and harmonious presentation areas.
The men’s watch models will be presented in an extremely understated environment on a counter with pure lines, restraint evoking a discreet elegance that is sensed rather than obvious, a tribute to the Swiss identity of the brand. Meanwhile, the festive and glamorous side of Piaget is revealed in its feminine watches displayed on white marble display units in a monochrome environment.
Dressed in black and gold, with subtle touches of opulence inspired by the Viennese Secession period, the new architectural concept intensifies a feeling of preciousness and of the meticulous care lavished on the creation of each piece. From the façade covered with black, gold and blue Sicis mosaics to the patinated walls or furniture covered in woven oak, human touches of ingenuity are everywhere and demonstrate Piaget’s deep-felt attachment to traditional skills. On the floor, a path made of black stones is framed by natural parquet and a soft, warm light leads to an «iconic» piece of furniture featuring a pearly lacquered puzzle-work motif, where the most exceptional pieces are presented. In the window, a treasure casket with gold-leaf covered ornamental moulding is an open invitation to marvel at Piaget’s creations. Symbolising an encounter between understated restraint and seductive aesthetic appeal, this shimmering new setting covers the entire spectrum of nuances composing Piaget’s character.
December 19, 2011
