GPHG 2014: Interview with Aurel Bacs, president of the jury

For the collector, does the prize given at the GPHG have any impact on the value of the watch?

First and foremost, collectors must have their own set of intellectual or emotional criteria for buying a watch.If the watch they really covet has received some special acknowledgement, like a Grand Prix, it will be the cherry on the cake.To know that a jury of 25 experts coming from 15 different countries gave a stamp of approval is probably reassuring.But I really don't think that someone would buy up pack of 12 watches just because they won a prize.I can't say I know that kind of collector.On the other hand, it might count for something for a collector who is in the process of buying a watch.

How about the brand? Does such a distinction add something?

A prize is more important for the brand than for the collectors. There are a number of brands competing, and among them are independent watchmakers who have made significant investments and haven't yet seen a return from the market.In fact, one of the rules of the Grand Prix is that the competing watches have to have been introduced during the past 12 months.So being distinguished with a prize is encouraging, it suggests that the brand is on a good track and that the investment was not in vain. For young brands that are still searching for investors, or for a major brand whose CEO is seeking a greater development budget within the group, a prize like this one can show that they are doing something intelligent. Show either to themselves, in the case of the independent, or to third parties. It means they were noticed for being good, for offering a quality product and a high level of creativity.As such, a prize from the GPHG is significant.

As the president of the GPHG, are you pressured during the year?If so, what kind of pressure?

None. None whatsoever.Luckily.I would resign immediately if I felt that there was something like pressure being applied.Obviously, as a president, I am often asked by the press to give interviews, like this one. But I have never had any pressure or an unpleasant call, even indirectly.On the contrary. I really must offer some praise, because I live very freely in spite of the fact that I know all the CEOs, that I know all the watchmakers. It all takes place with a great amount of professionalism and lots of respect for the jury.

Nevertheless, it's quite a burden for your schedule….

I'll admit that the timetable of a president of the jury sometimes goes beyond what one might expect from volunteer work.

Within the jury, are there differing perceptions depending on the geographical origin of the members or their activity?

Yes, there are some very real differences and it is fascinating.Let me remind you that the jury this year consisted of 25 members and was the largest jury since the founding of the Grand Prix.There are geographical differences, but also differences connected with age.The youngest member is under 30, the oldest hitting 80.We have women and men.And their professions are different as well.Watchmakers, designers, gemologists, historians, engineers, journalists, specialists, collectors, etc… That's obvious and we wanted each person to add a viewpoint, to take a position from a market niche, to offer knowledge and comments.Last year we also had a large and varied jury and we really benefited from the analysis by a watchmaker, the comments from a historian, and so forth. These differences do exist and it's a great advantage for the jury to have this knowledge at their fingertips.

In contrast to other prizes, the rules of the GPHG ask that the candidates have to present a dossier. According to you, what could be done to convince some of the major brands to participate, notably the unavoidable Genevan brands?

My vision is to have the Grand Prix as a ceremony involving all the Genevan brands, the ones from the Vallée de Joux as well, and even the German and English brands.Of course, I will not deny that I do miss some of the brands or groups…I do understand, however, that the timing, the whole ceremony, or the rules don't really appeal to everyone.But from our side, and from the side of the Foundation, we are doing our very best to adapt to the realities as they are, because today, in 2014, the market for watches is very different from the one in 2001 when the Grand Prix was founded.So we have notably adapted the rules to create categories like the chronograph, the tourbillon, the calendar, and so on. In sum, to respond better to the market, to niches, to the portfolios of all these brands.And having an international jury also means that a brand can avoid being penalized by opinions that are focused on the European or Asian markets, for instance.Our work, and above all the work of the Foundation, is to improve the framework, the platform, if you will, year after year, to reassure the brands that the Grand Prix is responding to their culture, their production, their portfolio, and to encourage them wholeheartedly to participate.

What is the category you feel most at ease or in sync with?

I must confess that there is no category that I like more or less, and especially less.You may realize that I do like men's watches, sports chronographs, complications…. but I often think about my wife when I look at women's watches.I really like all categories, even the "Petite Aiguille," the little hand. A large number of people can afford watches that sell for CHF 3,000 to CHF 5,000 and it would be terrible for watchmaking if this were not so. Yes, there are watches that I adore and would love to wear on my wrist.That said, the jury also chooses prizes given to the best re-interpretation of a historic model, that is the "Revival" category.You can imagine that with my vintage background, I love them.There is no prize that bores me, though.On the contrary, I find it even more interesting this year because one can compare a chronograph with another chronograph and a tourbillon with another tourbillon.So I hope that this is going to please the audience and the manufacturers alike.

What watch will you be wearing on Friday night?

I haven't decided yet.Given the sporting spirit of the jury and the participants, I think anything goes.But I don't recall having made any particular choice about what I will be wearing on my wrist these past years on the night of the awarding ceremony.Maybe the jury will accept me even if I wore an iWatch or a smartwatch.As you know, I often wear one of my vintage watches.