2018 – the prize-winners of the 18th Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG 2018) were unveiled last Friday on the stage of the Théâtre du Léman.
Excellence, creativity and horological expertise were saluted by an international jury which had designated the winners of 17 prizes and awarded the “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix to Bovet 1822 for the Récital 22 Grand Récital watch.
Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2018 winners: Pascal Raffy (Owner of Bovet 1822) Jean-Claude Biver (President non-executive of the LVMH Group Watch division, Chairman of Hublot & Zenith) Uwe Ahrendt (CEO of Nomos Glashütte) Maria & Richard Habring (CEOs and owners of Habring2) Atsushi Kaneko (Director of Seiko Watch Corporation) Rexhep Rexhepi (Watchmaker and Founder of Akrivia) Nicolas Beau (Directeur International Horlogerie et Joaillerie of Chanel) Eric de Rocquigny (Directeur International Operations & Métiers of Van Cleef & Arpels) Laurent Dordet (La Montre Hermès CEO) Laurent Ferrier (Founder) Marco Borraccino (Co-founder and CEO of Singer Reimagined) Pierre Jacques (President and CEO of De Bethune) Stephen Forsey (Co-founder of Greubel Forsey) Konstantin Chaykin (Founder) Rémi Maillat (Founder of Krayon) Christian Selmoni (Style and Heritage Director at Vacheron Constantin ); photo: gphg.org
The prestigious distinctions rewarded the work of the following brands: Akrivia, Chanel, De Bethune, Greubel Forsey, Habring2, Hermès, Konstantin Chaykin, Krayon, Laurent Ferrier, Nomos Glashütte, Seiko, Singer Reimagined, Vacheron Constantin and Van Cleef & Arpels.
The Special Jury Prize, which honours an influential actor on the watchmaking scene, was awarded to Jean Claude Biver, President non-executive of the LVMH Group Watch division, Chairman of Hublot & Zenith.
Men’s Watch Prize goes to Akrivia Chronometre contemporain, while Mens’ Complication Watch trophy was awarded to Laurent Ferrier – Galet Annual Calendar School Piece. The Ladies’ Watch Prize went to Chanel and its Chanel Boy Friend Skeleton. The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2018 has awarded two prizes to Van Cleef & Arpels for
Lady Arpels Planétarium watch and Secret de Coccinelle secret watch.
Presented by actor Edouard Baer and enlivened with songs performed by Véronic DiCaire, this 18th prizewinning ceremony took place before an audience of 1,300 guests – including Swiss Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann – who had congregated in Geneva to celebrate the vitality of the watchmaking art.
Bovet 1822 wins the Aiguille D’Or Grand Prix; photo: bovet x gphg.org
Bovet 1822 wins the Aiguille D’Or Grand Prix; photo: bovet
Bovet Récital 22 Grand Récital watch – a 9-day Flying Tourbillon, Tellurium-Orrery and Retrograde Perpetual Calendar
In 2016, Bovet astonished collectors with the unveiling of the Récital 18 Shooting Star tourbillon, which revolutionized watchmaking design by combining its movement with a registered design asymmetrical case. A year later, Bovet reprised this incredible celestial timepiece with the Récital 20 Astérium, which borrowed the Récital 18’s innovative case, original architecture, and intuitive display of astronomical indications.
Just as the cosmos knows no bounds, so too, the infinite scope of Bovet Owner Pascal Raffy’s imagination takes its latest form in a newly formed trilogy of celestial timepieces. The Récital 22 Grand Récital tourbillon forms the third chapter in the poetic watchmaking narrative begun by Pascal Raffy and the Maison’s artisans two years ago.
Together, they now invite us to observe the three heavenly bodies that set the pace of our lives: the sun, earth, and moon.
UWE AHRENDT, CEO OF NOMOS GLASHÜTTE; image: gphg.org
image: gphg.org
2018 GPGH PRIZE-WINNERS:
- Aiguille d’Or “Grand Prix : Bovet 1822, Récital 22 Grand Récital;
- Revival Prize: Vacheron Constantin, Historiques Triple calendrier 1942;
- Innovation Prize: Krayon, Everywhere Horizon;
- Ladies’ Watch Prize: Chanel, Boy-friend Skeleton;
- Ladies’ Complication Watch Prize: Van Cleef & Arpels, Lady Arpels Planétarium;
- Men’s Watch Prize: Akrivia, Chronomètre Contemporain;
- Men’s Complication Prize: Laurent Ferrier, Galet Annual Calendar School Piece;
- Chronograph Watch Prize: Singer Reimagined, Singer Track1 Hong Kong Edition;
- Chronometry Watch Prize: De Bethune, DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon;
- Mechanical Exception Watch Prize Greubel Forsey, Grande Sonnerie;
- Sports Watch Prize: Seiko, Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Re-creation;
- Jewellery Watch Prize: Van Cleef & Arpels, Secret de Coccinelle;
- Artistic Crafts Watch Prize: Hermès, Arceau Robe du soir;
- “Petite Aiguille” Prize: Habring2, Doppel-Felix;
- Challenge Watch Prize: Nomos Glashütte, Tangente neomatik 41 Update;
- Audacity Prize: Konstantin Chaykin, Clown;
- Special Jury Prize: Jean-Claude Biver, President non-executive of the LVMH Group Watch division, Chairman of Hublot & Zenith.
image: gphg.org
