No matter how the organizers of the watch award tried to hold the traditional solemn anniversary ceremony of GPHG in a full hall, the coronavirus epidemic has decided in its own way. As a result, only members of the jury and prize-winners (all wearing masks) attended the event, and to create the effect of presence, a red balloon was attached to each empty seat.
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The nominee watches are selected by a special professional jury of 30 people, headed by the collector's watch expert and renowned auctioneer Aurel Bax. Everything here is like in any competition: watch brands (not only Swiss ones) send selected models, then six nominees are selected from the long list in each category. The decision is taken by a majority vote, and the vote is secret. Therefore, quite often different models of the same brand are not just nominated in different categories, but even receive prizes. So, in 2019, the Audemars Piguet manufactory celebrated a triple victory, including the main prize "Golden Arrow".
At GPHG-2020, several brands received two awards at once. Bovet, represented by Pascal Raffy, won the Exceptional Mechanics nominations for their sophisticated Bovet Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two and Best Female Model for the Bovet 1822 Miss Audrey with a bright green guilloché dial.
Breitling took the honorary "Little Hand" (for the Superocean Heritage 57 Rainbow Limited Edition II) and the prize for the best diving watch (Superocean Automatic 48 Boutique Edition).
Edouard Meilan, the head of the young and very successful brand H. Moser & Cie, took the stage twice to receive from the jury the award for the best chronograph (Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic with an unusual stopwatch indication with central hands), and then for a joint project with other one independent brand MB&F. Their Endeavor Cylindrical Tourbillon watch with a gradient fume dial, three-dimensional movement and a domed sapphire crystal won the Insolence nomination.
The jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels celebrated a double success: for the best jewelry watch Frivole Secrete and “For artistic techniques” - Lady Arpels Soleil Feerique.
1 of 8 Superocean Heritage 57 Rainbow Limited Edition II, Breitling © Press Service Superocean Automatic 48 Boutique Edition, Breitling © Press Service Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic, H. Moser & Cie © Press Service Endeavor Cylindrical Tourbillon Watch, H Moser & Cie X MB&F © Press Service Récital 26 Brainstorm Watch Chapter Two, Bovet 1822 Bovet 1822 Watch Miss Audrey, Bovet © Press Service Frivole Secrete Watches, Van Cleef & Arpels © Press Service Lady Arpels Soleil Feerique, Van Cleef & Arpels © press service
The main prize of the Grand Prix d`Horlogerie de Geneve - the Golden Arrow - went to the 2 mm thick Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept ultra-thin watch. In 2018, the house presented them as an experimental concept, but two years later announced the possibility of a commercial launch. The platinum for the 900P-UC movement is a case back made of a stronger cobalt alloy.
1 of 3 Altiplano Ultimate Concept watches, Piaget © press service Altiplano Ultimate Concept watches, Piaget © press service Altiplano Ultimate Concept watches, Piaget © press service
In the Icon Watches category, the 2020 Bvlgari Aluminum Chronograph has been honored with its new aluminum chronograph, a graphic sports watch made of aluminum and rubber that became iconic back in 1998. Vacheron Constantin received the Calendars and Astronomical Complications award for the Gold Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton. Another calendar, this time a Muslim lunar in the Parmigiani Fleurier Hijri Perpetual Calendar, won the Innovation category.
The "Challenge" nomination, in which watches costing up to 4 thousand Swiss francs compete, was awarded to the new Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight "Navy Blue" (recall that the "big brother" Rolex does not participate in this award). The Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1 watch, 95% handcrafted, became the best “men's watch with complications”, the almost unknown brand Charles Girardier and his watch with Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse “Fleur de Sel” with tourbillon and automaton won in a similar women's category.
1 of 6 Bvlgari Aluminum Chronograph, Bvlgari © Press Service Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton, Vacheron Constantin © Press Service Hijri Perpetual Calendar Watch, Parmigiani Fleurier © Press Service Black Bay Fifty-Eight Watch "Navy Blue" Tudor © Press Service Hand Made 1 Watches, Greubel Forsey © Press Service Tourbillon Signature Watches Mystérieuse "Fleur de Sel", Charles Girardier © Press Service