The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie, which has been given for 19 years, hold again, despite of pandemic. And again, as always, this was the best opportunity to remember the best times of the year.
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie Awards, which have been given to the best watches of the industry once a year since 2001, were given on December 12. These awards have an extra importance during the pandemic: It is a motivation source for watchmaking industry.
At the award ceremony, where balloons were placed in the gaps at the Théâtre du Léman in Geneva, people seated according to the physical distance rules. This time 350 watch expert, not only 20-30, decided to winners of 18 awards in 14 categories out of 84 hours. Inspired by Michelangelo’s famous fresco “The Creation of Adam” on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, it was Swiss designer Roger Pfund who designed the awards representing Swiss handcrafted watches for centuries.
It was nice to see that besides the most well-known brands, watches from brands such as Theo Auffret, Behrens, Kurono Tokyo by Hajime Asako, and Ming were nominated. Piaget won the 2020 GPHG (Grand Prix d‘Horlogerie de Genève) Grand Prix with its Altiplano Ultimate Concept model (2 mm), which is the thinnest watch ever.
The candidate and winner watches of the 14 categories were:
WATCH OF YEAR “AIGUILLE D’OR”
Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept
LADIES WATCH
Candidates
- Beauregard Lili
- Bovet 1822 Miss Audrey
- Chanel Mademoiselle Privé Bouton perle
- Dior Montres Dior Grand Bal Ruban
- Hermès Arceau Petite Lune Sprinkling of diamonds and sapphires
- Piaget Limelight Gala Precious Sapphire Gradient
COMPLICATED WATCH
Candidates:
- Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon
- Charles Girardier Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse “fleur de sel”
- Jacob & Co Astronomia Fleurs de Jardin Rainbow
- Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Embrace
- Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon
- Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Ballerine Musicale Diamant
MEN WATCH
Candidates:
- Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Blue Dial
- De Bethune DB28XP Starry Sky
- Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin Green
- Petermann Bédat Dead beat second
- Romain Gauthier Insight Micro-Rotor Squelette Manufacture-Only Carbonium® Edition
- Voutilainen 28SC
MEN’S COMPLICATION WATCH
Candidates:
- Bovet 1822 Récital 27
- De Bethune DB28XP Tourbillon
- Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light
- Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1
- Hermès Slim d’Hermès GMT
- MB&F HM10 Bulldog Ti
ICONIC WATCH
Candidates:
- Breitling Chronomat B01 42
- Bulgari Aluminium Chronograph
- Girard-Perregaux Laureato Infinity Edition (42 mm)
- IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Chronograph
- Piaget Altiplano Origin Automatic
- Seiko Professional Diver’s 1000M
CHRONOMETRE WATCH
Candidates:
- Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force Stainless steel
- Bernhard Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer
- Brivet-Naudot Eccentricity
- Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud FB 2RE.2
- H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon H. Moser X MB&F
- Theo Auffret Tourbillon in Paris
Stainless steel
CALENDAR and ASTRONOMY WATCH
Candidates:
- Behrens Apolar
- Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Twin
- IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide
- Parmigiani Fleurier Hijri Perpetual Calendar
- Sarpaneva Watches Lunations Harvest Moon
- Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton
MECHANICAL EXCEPTIONAL WATCH
Candidates:
- Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance
- Bovet 1822 Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter
- Jacob & Co Bugatti Chiron
- MB&F Legacy Machine Thunderdome
- Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept
- Ressence Type 2A
CHRONOGRAPH WATCH
- Atelier de Chronométrie Split-seconds chronograph
- Breitling Top Time Limited Edition
- H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic
- Kurono Tokyo by HajimeAsaoka Kurono Chronograph 1
- Louis Moinet Memoris Superlight
- Parmigiani Fleurier Tondagraph GT Steel Black
Split-seconds chronograph
DIVER’S WATCH
Candidates:
- Breitling Superocean Automatic 48 Boutique Edition
- Doxa SUB 300 Carbon Aqua Lung US Divers
- Grand Seiko 9RA5 Professional Diver’s 600M
- MING Ming 18.01 H41
- Reservoir Hydrosphere Bronze x Revolution The Maldives Edition
- Ulysse Nardin Diver X Cape Horn
JEWELRY WATCH
- Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Intrecciati
- Chopard Magari
- Dior Montres Dior Grand Soir Reine des Abeilles
- Jacob & Co The Mystery Tourbillon Full Ruby
- Piaget Limelight Gala High Jewellery Black Opal
- Van Cleef & Arpels Frivole Secrète watch
ARTISTIC CRAFT WATCH
- ANDERSEN Genève Jumping Hours 40th Anniversary
- Bovet 1822 Amadéo Tourbillon Squelette 7 Jours
- Dior Montres Dior Grand Bal Plume
- Hermès Arceau Into the Canadian Wild
- Jacob & Co Astronomia Sky Phoenix
- Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Soleil Féerique
Jumping Hours 40th Anniversary
“PETITE AIGUILLE”
- Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton
- Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition II
- Habring2 Chrono Felix Panda
- IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 40
- Sarpaneva Watches Sarpaneva x Moomin
- Trilobe Secret
CHALLENGING WATCH
- Behrens Rotary
- Breitling Endurance Pro
- Kurono Tokyo by Hajime Asaoka Kurono Anniversary Green ‘森:Mori’
- Louis Erard Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein
- MING Ming 27.01 Ultra Thin
- Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight
INNOVATION WATCH
Parmigiani Fleurier Hijri Perpetual Calendar
BRAVE WATCH
H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon H. Moser X MB&F
HOROLOGICAL REVELATION PRIZE
Petermann Bédat Deadbeat seconds
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Antoine Simonin
