Piaget Possession Bangle

In 1874, at age 19, Georges-Édouard Piaget (1855–1931) began manufacturing handmade timepiece components and movements in a workshop on his family farm in La Côte-aux-Fées, Switzerland. The company expanded into luxury wristwatches and pocket watches under the direction of Georges-Édouard’s son, Timothée Piaget. Later, Timothée’s sons, Gérald and Valentin Piaget, would lead a team of talented craftspeople into a new era of innovation for the brand in both watches and luxury jewelry.

The Piaget family name was trademarked in 1943 and a large manufacturing facility was established in La Côte-aux-Fées. There they would perfect one of their signatures: ultra-thin movements. Valentin urged his design team to “do what has never been done before.” In 1959, the Salon Piaget was opened in Geneva, where Piaget also set up workshops for goldsmithing and gem setting, introducing the company’s inaugural jewelry creations and establishing a creative hub where artisans were encouraged to push the boundaries of their designs. In 1963, Piaget released its first collection of watches with ornamental stones set into their dials (the brand's stone-dial watches are undeniable classics of watchmaking).

These artful creations caught the eye of such storied tastemakers as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Andy Warhol and Sophia Loren. In 1967, Yves Piaget collaborated with Salvador Dalí on a collection with pieces featuring the Dalí d’Or gold medals of the artist and his wife, Gala. Gala would also inspire the 1973 Limelight Gala timepiece and the subsequent collection. Luxury jewelry designed by the company’s artisans have often cleverly reflected Piaget’s watchmaking origins, like the Possession collection, whose swinging pendants and turning rings nod to the movement of its watches. The Rose and Sunlight collections of bracelets, earrings and necklaces, meanwhile, reflect natural themes with a bit of Art Deco style. Piaget’s watches, likewise, have embodied an inventive approach to design, such as the Piaget Polo watch, which was introduced in 1979, popular for its luxurious refinement and widely imitated in the 1980s.

In 2001, the Piaget Haute Horlogerie was opened outside of Geneva, a facility that advanced its work in watchmaking and jewelry. The Swiss luxury watchmaker and jeweler now operates as part of the Richemont Group.

Browse a collection of authentic Piaget rings, necklaces, watches and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

Today, it would be tough to track down a jewelry lover who doesn’t have a stack of vintage and contemporary bangles and other bracelets ready to go for any occasion.

People have worn bangles and other bracelets for centuries. Examples can be found in the wide range of personal adornments favored by the Ancient Egyptians, some of whom wore bracelets and armlets made of gold and flecked with gemstones such as lapis and turquoise.

Fashion has evolved over the years, but the popularity of bangles has remained the same. Jewelry makers have created cuffs in all manner of styles, and no matter what your taste, you can find antique and vintage diamond bangles, ruby bangles, emerald bangles and more to suit you and to pair with any of your favorite ensembles. And although “bracelets” and “bangles” are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two.

Bangles are solid, one-piece bands that are always characterized by their rigid ring shape. Today, they’re made of metal, plastic, wood or other materials. Because this cuff is a solid piece, you have to slide it over your hand. Bracelets, however, are flexible pieces. Whether they’re charm bracelets, link bracelets, beaded bracelets or another variety, you open and close a bracelet at its ends, where it locks around your wrist with a clasp.

Bracelets and bangles suit most anyone, and there’s a style of bangle for every occasion, whether you’ve opted for an Art Deco bangle, a Victorian-era bangle or another kind. And their versatility doesn’t end there. Jewelry lovers know that when it comes to bangles (and other kinds of bracelets), you never have to choose just one. Just as you might wear a vintage tennis bracelet by itself or pair it with other thin bracelets, you can opt for a simple pared-down look with a single bangle or go big and stack your sculptural modern bangles to deepen their impact or double up your classic gold bangles and pair them with a T-shirt and jeans or a comfortable cotton day dress.

Browse an extensive collection of vintage and contemporary bangles and other bracelets on 1stDibs. Find extraordinary works by iconic jewelry houses such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and David Webb, or peruse the array of link bracelets, cuff bracelets and diamond bangles for innumerable accessorizing options.