Hands on with the Piaget Emperador Coussin Large Moon

One of the watches that made a big impression since the first time I laid eyes on it, was the Piaget Emperador Coussin Large Moon. Yes it’s big, however at the time I only saw some photos of it. Recently I got the chance to get some hands-on time with it and strap it around my wrist. It was still as good (actually better) as when I saw it on photo several years ago.

With the Emperador Coussin Large Moon, Piaget introduced a new movement with a moon phase indication, caliber 860P. The Emperador Coussin Large Moon measures 46.5 mm in diameter, rather large when simply looking at the specifications. However on the wrist it fits perfectly and although it definitely isn’t a small watch, it also isn’t too big. Its size really suits the design with the clean dial and over-size crater surface moon.

 The 18-carat white gold moon is visible through a 12 mm large aperture and the moon phase is gradually revealed by a rotating ‘mask’ to indicate the current lunar situation.The photo below clearly shows the size on my average size wrist. Present, but not too big.

Manufacture Piaget 860P mechanical self-winding movement has 25 jewels and has a beat rate of 21,600 vph. It has a comfortable 72 hours of power reserve, that allows you to put the watch in the safe for the weekend and on Monday wear it to the office again without having to wind or adjust it.

What most people don’t know, is that Piaget started as a movement manufacture and still creates their own movement (and sometimes for others as well).

Caliber 860P is entirely designed, developed and produced by the Piaget and feature the typical Piaget signature finish. Its bridges winding rotor are finished with circular Côtes de Genève, the bridges are bevelled, the mainplate is circular-grained and of course the screws are blued. Another typical haute horlogerie feature: a balance with screws to adjust the moment of inertia. In total caliber 860P measures 6.1 mm in height.

 The case is satin brushed, while the bezel is polished. This gives a nice contrast and puts emphasis on the slate-grey dial with its sunburst satin-brushed silver-coloured center. Besides the 18-carat white gold applied hour-markers the center and moon phase aperture are ‘framed’ by a white gold rim.

The sapphire crystal case-back shows the movement and an engraving of the year of production and the number of watches produced. It comes on a black alligator strap with a white gold folding clasp. Or… you can choose for the pink gold version with blue dial and than you’ll be able to close the strap with a pink gold folding clasp.