Introducing The Piaget Altiplano Concept Tourbillon, The World's Thinnest Tourbillon (Live Pics)

The new Piaget AUC features a cobalt blue case that's blue PVD-treated and measures 41.5x2mm. Most importantly, it's powered by the Piaget caliber 970P-UC, a manual caliber with a one-minute peripheral tourbillon and 40-hour power reserve. According to Piaget, it had to redesign 90 percent of the movement to accommodate a tourbillon, which requires 25 percent more power from the mainspring. It takes the title of world's thinnest tourbillon from the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, which comes in at a positively chunky 3.95mm. 

While the caliber has been reworked, the principle of the AUC stays the same: the case and movement are one. In other words, the movement's components are directly integrated into the caseback. The tourbillon rotates at 10 o'clock and the uncovered mainspring barrel sits prominently at 6 o'clock. The tourbillon uses ball bearings instead of pivots to rotate; this construction also allows Piaget to execute a sapphire opening in the caseback that makes the tourbillon visible.

Price is on request, but to give you an idea, the original record-breaking Altiplano Ultimate Concept (without tourbillon) had a price north of $400,000. So you'll have a thinner watch and wallet. 

Even after picking up the Piaget AUC, it makes no sense. Like, you see the little tourbillon spinning inside, dutifully making its once-per-minute rotations, and you think to yourself, "surely, a watch that's about as thick as my credit card can't accommodate a spinning cage, right?" But it can and it does. 

In many ways, Piaget is ultra-thin watchmaking. While Bulgari has reclaimed the title of the world's thinnest watch with the new Octo Finissimo Ultra (1.7mm thin), Piaget's after a different prize. I'm not sure my eyes are actually capable of perceiving the 0.3 difference between these two watches, nor can my mind comprehend how a tourbillon can spin freely in those cramped quarters. Or how Piaget managed to power that whirring mechanism? Sure, the manufacturer says it had to find a more powerful spring with a thicker blade, and it fit most of the gear train on ball bearings to minimize friction. 

Yes, I want Piaget to focus more on finding ways to revisit its heritage. But ultra-thin watchmaking is in its blood, too. With all of these watches chasing ultra-thin superlatives, we're well beyond the realm of practicality. Brands are shaving tenths of a millimeter off of millimeters just because they can. 

The Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon is a watch that has to be seen to be believed, but even after that, I'm not sure I comprehend it. 

The Piaget Altiplano Concept Tourbillon features a blue cobalt case measuring 41.5x2mm. The Piaget caliber 970P-UC is a manual-wind movement with peripheral one-minute tourbillon and 40-hour power reserve. Price upon request. For more, visit Piaget.com.