Piaget Possession Necklace

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.

We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners.

Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers. 

In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs. 

For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone. 

Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage necklaces designed by David Webb — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt. 

On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.