Altiplano Broderie 38 mm

Piaget Embroidery Altiplano   

From the primitive arts to the most modern explorations, the history of embroidery is closely tied to that of civilisations. Though the needle and thread date back to prehistoric times, a number of writings, such as Homer’s Iliad, as well as ancient bas-reliefs from Egypt, Babylon, and Rome, contain evidence of the richness and beauty of fabric decorated with precious sewn threads of different colours and textures. According to tradition, it is to Asia that we owe the technique of beating gold or silver into gold or silver leaf and cutting the sheets into small ribbons that were then mixed with coloured threads. Embroidery played an important role at the time in cultural exchanges through the fabric-laden caravans that travelled the Silk Road. It attained unequalled heights of sophistication in Byzantium. During the Crusades, Europeans discovered the beauty of Middle Eastern embroidery and brought them back to their home countries, while developing them by means of their own techniques. Embroidery thus became a ceremonial art and artisans devoted the full force of their talent to adorning religious and royal garments.    

Today, gold thread embroidery is quite out of the ordinary. It is used in heraldic art for embroidering city or family coats-of-arms; in liturgical art to restore or create banners and chasubles; and also for uniforms and costumes – such as for bullfighters’ attire or academic gowns – as well as in haute couture, and for special orders from artists and theatre set decorators or interior designers.    

Piaget introduces another world-first in the field of watchmaking by using gold thread embroidery to transcend its dials.  It is difficult and indeed perhaps impossible to give an exact date for the appearance of the art of embroidery. A number of ancient writings from different cultures testify to the ornamentation of fabrics using motifs sewn with colourful threads and featuring various textures. As the first country to produce silk, China soon excelled in the art of embroidering this much sought-after material. This fabric naturally asserted itself as a perfect background for this supremely beautiful skill. Loyal to its tradition of excellence, Piaget has chosen gold thread embroidery and this form of expertise never yet explored on watch dials turns out to be truly astonishing. The silk is first stretched and then attached to a support. Then comes the drawing phase, during which the artisan traces the lines of the motif. The embroidery artist uses the needle to form a cannetille, a small filigree-type element composed of an infinitely delicate spirally twisted gold thread. The cannetille is then embroidered onto the silk, one detail after another, a process calling for a number of operations performed with infinite patience. The laurel leaves are crafted using satin stitching and straight stitching. This motif alone calls for more than five hours of work  and three metres of precious thread.   

Needle painting embroidery  

Needle painting embroidery is one of the most complicated embroidery techniques.  

This technique that gained popularity in 18th century Italy and France first originated in the fabrics of Imperial China. The opulence of the decorative effects, the finesse and the realistic rendering of the motifs enabled the artisans of the era to craft exceptional creations. Like a fine paintbrush, the needle delicately applies thousands of tiny straight stitches to the silk canvas – much as in neo-impressionist paintings. When the watch dial is viewed from a certain distance, the colourful stitches can barely be distinguished from each other, optically merging to form a unified whole. The rose petals are thus perfectly formed and contoured. Six different colours of silk ranging from off-white to dark pink were used to create the rose in a subtly graded array of colours. Crafting this dial called for a full week's work and nine metres of silk thread. 

One thread at a time, Master embroiderer Sylvie Deschamps brings magic to every piece of precious fabric she touches. Some would even say that she has gold fingers. With finesse and fragility she has mastered the art of “goldwork,” the most regal of embroidery techniques using precious metal threads. The French "Maître d'Art" has become the champion for this endangered craft. Combining flawless execution with outstanding creative flair, she applies intricate gold embroidery to some of the most prestigious fashion, art and design creations today.     

In her childhood, Sylvie displayed the particular qualities required for such a delicate craft: patience, attention to detail, and above all, perseverance. With this display of sensibility and remarkable creativity, she was encouraged by a schoolteacher to try her hand at gold thread embroidery. It did not take long for her interest in this most unconventional  occupation to flourish, and become her lifelong passion.    

After receiving a diploma in Gold and Fantasy Embroidery in the Charente-Maritime region of her native France, she pursued her craft at ‘Bouvard et Duviard’, passementiers (or makers of trimmings) in Lyon. Her outstanding aptitude and determination eventually earned her the directorship of "Les Ateliers du Begonia d'Or". Once an emerging gold  embroidery atelier, it has now become the leading centre for goldwork under her leadership. Recognized as one of the best embroiderers in France, she has become an inspiration to enthusiasts around the world, an ambassador who proudly represents all the know how of gold embroidery.    Needle in hand, Sylvie Deschamps has also mastered the art of thread needle painting, one of the rarest and most exclusive embroidery techniques that she is now one of the only artisans to excel at. Once referred to as “embroidery of shade and light”, this intricate approach requires her to play with a multitude of different stitches to create the most  subtle variations in colour, texture and shading. Using needle painting, Sylvie achieves refined artistic detail, the result of hours of precision work.     

Not content to simply preserve the embroidery traditions established hundreds of years ago, Deschamps is always looking for ways to evolve her art in her mission to keep it relevant. Indeed, pioneering new techniques and pushing the boundaries of creativity define her as an artisan. Whether costumes for a renowned visual artist, gold embroidered haute couture pieces or bespoke pieces for prestigious decorators, her high profile collaborations are testament to her role in the resurgence of gold embroidery. With finesse, fragility and imagination, her next creative adventure brings her into the world of Piaget, her first collaboration with a watchmaking manufacture.