1890 Piaget TWENTY Dollars $20 Gold Coin Watch

Rare 1890 Piaget $20 Liberty Double Eagle Gold Coin watch. 

A little bit of history: this timepiece started its life in 1890, not as a watch but as a $20 Liberty gold coin, struck in the USA from a solid 22ct gold. Minted at the height of the Gilded Age, a time of rapid industrial growth, railroads, and gold - backed wealth.

On the obverse shows Lady Liberty in profile, wearing a coronet inscribed with the word" Liberty". She's surrounded by 13 stars, representing the original colonies. Below her, the date: 1890. The reverse bears powerful image of a heraldic eagle. In one talon, it holds arrows, symbolizing strength and readiness for defense. In the other, an olive branch symbolizing peace. On both side of the eagle, you'll see scrolls with Latin motto: E PLURIBUS UNUM". It is Latin for "OUT OF MANY, ONE", referring to the union of the states into one nation. Just above the eagle is a ribbon with the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST", reflecting a nation redefined, Encircling the design are the words: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "TWENTY DOLLARS".

Decades later, this coin was transformed by Piaget, the Swiss maison known for its elegant, mechanical craftsmanship. The solid coin was carefully split and hollowed and mechanical movement was place inside, protected by an inner case made of 18ct gold. A hidden hinge and clasp were fitted so the face of the coin could open like a locket. 

From the outside, it still looks like a piece of American currency. But inside, it tells a second story: one of Swiss engineering and timeless watchmaking.

Condition: Very Good

Ref: -

Case Size: 35mm

 

Dial: Salmon Colour

Index: -

Material: The outer case is made from a 22ct Liberty Gold Coin; the inner watch case and buckle are crafted from solid 18ct yellow gold

Year: 1980s

Movement: Manual-Winding 

Glass: Sapphire Crystal

Box & Cert: -

Extra: warranty card, Piaget leather pouch