BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Every year the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève occurs to recognise the efforts of watchmakers across the globe. Anyone can put forward a watch to be nominated with several categories, each of which has a winner. The jury will also nominate one watch to be the crown victor of the competition, winning a prize called the Aiguille d’Or. Here’s the list of companies whose watches have won the Aiguille d’Or, and how many times they’ve won (including this year’s winner):
F.P. Journe – 3
Greubel Forsey – 2
Patek Philippe – 2
Vacheron Constantin – 2
A. Lange & Söhne – 1
Audemars Piguet – 1
Bovet – 1
Breguet – 1
Chopard – 1
De Bethune – 1
Ferdinand Berthoud – 1
Girard Perregaux – 1
Piaget – 1
Richard Mille – 1
TAG Heuer – 1
Without further ado, here is the list of winners with the description for their category.
Men’s
GPHG description: men’s watches comprising the following indications only: hours, minutes, seconds, simple date (day of the month), power reserve, classic moon phases; may be adorned with a maximum 5-carat gemsetting.
Winner: Voutilainen 28SC
Men’s Complication
GPHG description: men’s watches that are remarkable in terms of their mechanical creativity and complexity. These watches may feature all kinds of classic and/or innovative complications and indications (e.g. worldtime, dual-time or other types of model) and do not fit the definition of the Men’s and Mechanical Exception categories.
Winner: Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1
Ladies’
GPHG description: women’s watches comprising the following indications only: hours, minutes, seconds, simple date (day of the month), power reserve, classic moon phases; may be adorned with a maximum 8-carat gemsetting.
Winner: Bovet Miss Audrey
Ladies’ Complication
GPHG description: women’s watches that are remarkable in terms of their mechanical creativity and complexity. These watches may feature all kinds of classic and/or innovative complications and indications (e.g. annual calendar, perpetual calendar, equation of time, complex moon phases, digital or retrograde time display, worldtime, second time zone or other types of model) and do not fit the definition of the Ladies’ and Mechanical Exception categories.
Winner: Charles Girardier Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse « Fleur de Sel »
Iconic
GPHG Description: men’s or ladies’ watches from an emblematic collection that has been exercising a lasting influence on watchmaking history and the watch market for more than 25 years.
Winner: Bulgari Aluminium Chronograph
Chronometry
GPHG description: mechanical watches comprising at least one tourbillon and/or a special escapement and/or another development improving chronometry (precision timekeeping). Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.
Winner: Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud FB 2RE.2
Calendar and Astronomy
GPHG description: men’s mechanical watches comprising at least one calendar and/or astronomical complication (e.g. date, annual calendar, perpetual calendar, equation of time, complex moon phases display, etc.). Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.
Winner: Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton
Mechanical Exception
GPHG description: men’s and/or ladies’ watches featuring a special mechanism, such as an innovative or sophisticated display, an automaton, a striking or any other acoustic function, a belt-driven movement or any other original and/or exceptional horological concept.
Winner: Bovet Récital Brainstorm Chapter 2
Chronograph
GPHG description: mechanical watches comprising at least one chronograph indication. Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.
Winner: H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic
Diver’s
GPHG description: watches linked to the world of diving, whose functions, materials and design are suited to this activity
Winner: Breitling Superocean Automatic 48 Boutique Edition
Jewellery
GHPG description: watches demonstrating exceptional mastery of the art of jewellery and gemsetting, and also distinguished by the choice of stones.
Winner: Van Cleef & Arpels Frivole Secrète
Artistic Crafts
GPHG description: watches demonstrating exceptional mastery of one or several artistic techniques such as enamelling, lacquering, engraving, guilloché (engine-turning), skeleton-working, etc.
Winner: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Soleil Féerique
“Petite Aiguille”
GPHG description: watches with a retail price between CHF 4,000 and CHF 10,000. Smartwatches are admissible in this category.
Winner: Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition II
Challenge
GPHG description: watches with a retail price under CHF 4,000. Smartwatches are admissible in this category.
Winner: Tudor Black Bay Fifty Eight
Innovation Prize
GPHG description: this prize rewards the best competing watch offering an innovative vision of time measurement (in terms of technique, design, materials, etc.) and opening up new development pathways for the watchmaking art. This prize is discretionary, the Jury will decide whether there are grounds for awarding it in 2020.
Winner: Parmigiani Fleurier Hijri Perpetual Calendar
Audacity Prize 2020
GPHG description: rewards the best competing watch featuring a non-conformist, offbeat approach to watchmaking. It is intended to foster creative audacity. This prize is discretionary, the Jury will decide whether there are grounds for awarding it in 2020.
Winner: H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon H. Moser X MB&F
Horological Revelation Prize
GPHG description: rewards a competing watch created by a young brand (less than ten years of existence since its first model was commercialised). It may also reward the mechanical creation of a young talent, in the event that none of the competing watches should be considered worthy of receiving this prize. This prize is discretionary, the Jury will decide whether there are grounds for awarding it in 2020.
Winner: Petermann Bédat Dead Beat Second
Special Jury Prize
GPHG description: rewards a personality, institution or initiative that has played a fundamental role in promoting high-quality watchmaking. It cannot be awarded to a watch, nor to a brand as such. This prize is discretionary, the Jury will decide whether there are grounds for awarding it in 2020
Winner: Antoine Simonin
“Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix
GPHG description: best overall watch among all categories (Best in Show), also deemed the most representative of the watch industry as a whole. It is the most prestigious award.
Winner: Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept
