Given the ubiquitous nature of the peony-like bloom, one might assume that Piaget’s love affair with roses began with the brand itself. However, the signature bud didn't appear in the Swiss maison’s designs for nearly a century after founder Georges-Edouard Piaget set up his first workshop in a humble family farmhouse in 1874.

As for the voluptuous garden muse? You can thank the founder’s great-grandson Yves Piaget for introducing this pretty motif. Having taken the company’s reins in the 1960s, Yves was enchanted by the “Queen of Flowers”—both as a work of art and a symbol of romance—and began incorporating the now trademark roses into Piaget’s pieces.

His passion for roses landed on the world stage at the 1982 International Competition for New Roses in Geneva where Yves Piaget presented Meilland, the winning rose breeder, with a life-size, 18-carat gold Piaget rose trophy. In turn, Meilland dubbed its winning variety (an 80-petal pink rose) the “Yves Piaget.”  

To mark the 30th anniversary of the competition, the brand took its dedication to the next level in 2014. Piaget began restoring the legendary rose garden at the National Museum of Château de Malmaison in Paris (formerly the home of Napoleon Josephine Bonaparte) to its original grandeur. With Piaget as a patron, botanists have planted 750 species of antique roses as a tribute to Yves Piaget—one of the garden’s most frequent visitors. 

Of course, you don’t have to cultivate a royal rose garden to show your commitment this Valentine’s Day... a single enduring rose will do. Whether surprising your loved one with a delicate necklace, studded earrings, a symbolic ring, or a complete set—every Piaget rose is an eternal token of affection.

Discover more at piaget.com.hk