GPHG 2013 Prize List: The Aiguille d'Or Goes to Girard-Perregaux
The jury of the 13th Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) unveiled its prize list on the evening of Friday November 15th 2013. The prize-giving ceremony, presented by Frédéric Beigbeder, took place in the Grand Théâtre de Genève in the presence of the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr Ueli Maurer.
1’500 guests, all influential stakeholders in the fields of watchmaking, politics and the economy, congregated on this occasion to celebrate the excellence and creativity of the 12th art. 15 prizes honoured the year’s finest watch creations, including the supreme distinction, the “Aiguille d’Or”, which was awarded to Girard-Perregaux for the Constant Escapement L.M watch.
The prestigious international jury of this 13th GPHG brought together the skills of watch experts, collectors and authoritative figures in their respective fields, who were called onstage in turn to announce the winners of the various prizes. Notably, designer Philippe Starck, indian jeweller Viren Baghat, architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, all keen watchmaking enthusiasts, officially presented the trophies to the CEOs of the prize winning brands.
“AIGUILLE D’OR” GRAND PRIX
Girard-Perregaux - Constant Escapement L.M.
"Winning the Aiguille d’Or tonight is a genuine emotion that will stay with me deeply. I owe this amazing consecration to the work, passion and love of my team for the art of watchmaking » as quoted by Mr. Michele Sofisti, Girard-Perregaux CEO."
GRANDE COMPLICATION PRIZE
A. Lange & Söhne - 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar
LADIES’ WATCH PRIZE
DeLaneau - Rondo Translucent Champagne
LADIES’ COMPLICATIONS WATCH PRIZE
Van Cleef & Arpels - Lady Arpels Ballerine Enchantée
MEN’S WATCH PRIZE
Voutilainen - V-8R
MEN’S COMPLICATIONS WATCH PRIZE
Romain Gauthier - Logical One
INNOVATION PRIZE
Vianney Halter - Deep Space Tourbillon
JEWELLERY WATCH PRIZE
Chopard - L'Heure du Diamant
ARTISTIC CRAFTS WATCH PRIZE
Chanel - Mademoiselle Privé Camélia Brodé
SPORTS WATCH PRIZE
Zenith - Zenith El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th
“PETITE AIGUILLE” PRIZE
Habring2 - Jumping Second Pilot
HOROLOGICAL REVELATION PRIZE
Ressence - Type 3
REVIVAL PRIZE
Tudor - Heritage Black Bay
PUBLIC PRIZE
A. Lange & Söhne - 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Philippe Dufour
Organised as a live link-up broadcast with New York and simultaneously translated into English for enthusiasts around the world, the ceremony was streamed live on Euronews.com, Worldtempus.com and on the official GPHG website, Gphg.org.
A highlight of the international watch industry calendar, the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix is a yearly salute to the excellence of global watch production and thereby contributes to promoting the influence of watchmaking and its values around the world. These values are shared by the main partner of the GPHG Foundation, the Edmond de Rothschild group, which has since 2011 annually rewarded the best student at the Geneva Watchmaking School by granting a scholarship.
This year, the travelling exhibition presenting the watches pre-selected by the jury featured stopovers in Beijing, Macau, Dubai and Geneva. To conclude this 13th edition, the prizewinning watches in the various categories will be on show from November 21st to 28th at L’atelier by the Hour Glass, in Singapore.
Carine Maillard, director of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève
By Joel Grandjean
, Editor-in-Chief
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