Re-opening of the Princess Grace of Monaco Rose Garden Refurbished and Enlarged with the Support of Piaget

His unconditional love for the queen of flowers was rewarded in 1982 when the winning variety of the International Rose Competition in Geneva, a beautiful pink rose with 80 serrated petals and an enchanting fragrance, was named “Yves Piaget”. Established as the undisputed virtuoso of fantasy roses crafted from pink gold and precious stones, Piaget expresses its eternal beauty in a million different ways in the jewels and timepieces imagined by the watchmaker-jeweller. The intensity of the rose is elaborately embodied in the aesthetic of each new creation.

This love and admiration for the rose is shared by both Mr Piaget and the late Princess Grace of Monaco, a muse herself to many fashion designers and artists. As an international style icon, the princess is still admired today for her heavenly beauty, and her legendary elegance. Author of “My Book of Flowers” published in 1980 and founder of the Garden Club of Monaco, she was a passionate gardener recognized during her lifetime for her outstanding expertise in horticulture. Like Mr Piaget, her passion for flowers, and the rose in particular was celebrated in 1956, when a sublime tea rose, feminine and delicate with its silvery pink colour and subtle fragrance, was named “Grace of Monaco” by horticulturist Meilland in honour of her marriage to Prince Rainier III.

Patron of both the rose and the gardens that cultivate it, Piaget remains committed to the preservation of this graceful and seductive flower in its natural form. This commitment is reinforced in Piaget’s support of the refurbishment of the Princess Grace of Monaco Rose Garden, originally planted in 1984 in honour of Prince Rainier’s wife. This idyllic garden located in Fontvieille, has been reopened to the public on 15th June 2014 in the in the presence of LL.AA.SS the Prince and the Princess de Monaco, of S.A.R. the Princess de Hanovre, of Mister Piaget and Mister Philippe Léopold Metzger, after 8 months of work, resulting in the addition of 2,500 new roses thanks to a 1500m2 expansion to accommodate new varieties for the enjoyment of visitors, many of whom travel from all corners of the world to admire these magnificent flowers.

A day of celebrations dedicated to the captivating beauty of the rose will begin with prior to the opening of the Rose Garden ceremony, with the second International Rose Competition of Monaco. For the first edition of this competition initiated and sponsored by Mr Piaget, the Maison created a trophy in its workshops reflecting the stylistic elements of the Piaget Rose jewellery collection. The award doubles up as a piece of fine jewellery in rose gold (30.4g), set with a precious diamond pistil (0.5 ct). When it is not worn as a brooch or pendant, the intricate flower can be clipped onto a stem handcrafted from amaranth wood by a Swiss sculptor and artist. This prized set is presented to the winner of the contest in a triptych case decorated with rose motifs.

With the reopening of the Rose Princess Grace of Monaco and the crowning of a second winner of the Monaco Rose Competition, Piaget expresses once again its admiration for the rose in all its splendour, with a desire to protect its great, yet ephemeral beauty.