When I launched WCL eight years ago, I never imagined one day I’d be part of the jury for the most important awards in the watch industry, pretty much the ‘Oscars’ for watches. Last week on Monday, November 1st, 2021, I gathered at the Musée Rath in Geneva, Switzerland along with 29 other jury members to vote for the watches competing at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève —GPHG. Not only I am very honored to have been part of the GPHG but I was very lucky to be part of its 20th-anniversary ceremony that took place on Thursday, November 4, 2021, at the Théâtre du Léman in Geneva.
This year’s GPHG Jury was presided by no other than the legendary author and all-around cool gentleman Nick Foulkes. If you read the Patek Philippe Authorized Biography then you know who I am talking about. Nicholas Foulkes is an internationally recognized authority on culture, watchmaking, and art. He is also the author of around 30 books on art history and material culture and his books have been published by Flammarion, Assouline, and Thomas Dunne Books.
Composed of 30 experts in the field, the 2021 GPHG Jury included a wide variety of members all the way from seasoned watch collectors like Austen Chu —@Horoloupe on IG— and Ahmed S. Rahman —@Time_Mechanic on IG— to top-notch watch journalists like Wei Koh and Sophie Furley; top executives from the watch industry like Jean-Claude Biver and Brian Duffy —CEO of The Watches of Switzerland Group—; watchmakers such as Stephen Forsey and Rexhep Rexhepi; and even artists such as Julie Kraulis who is very well known for her amazing pencil drawings of watches. My apologies for the rest of you that I didn’t list. Here’s a link to the full list of jurors on the GPHG’s website.
The 2021 Jury for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève
After meeting behind closed doors at the Musée Rath we physically evaluated the 84 nominated watches and proceed to cast our individual secret ballots in the presence of a notary. Voting for 14 different category prizes and going through so many incredible watches in one day was simply out of this world. This is hands-down one of the best and most exciting things I’ve done in the watch industry as an expert in the field. With a few coffee breaks here and there, we were treated to a delicious lunch at the Café Lyrique located next to Geneva's historical Grand Theatre.
The Historical Geneva Grand Theatre
Clockwise: Danny Govberg, Wei Koh, Ahmed S. Rahman, Halim Trujillo, Omar Chaoui and Abdul Hamied Seddiqi.
Then, after the decadent lunch, we headed back to continue our voting session and left for the day without even knowing the final results. Finally, on Thursday, November 4th, 2021, at the award ceremony hosted by French actor and director Edouard Baer, we would all find out who the winners were right before each of us would have to go on stage and hand out the 19 prizes.
All dressed up in my Armani velvet tuxedo jacket, my No. 1 velvet loafers by Alberto Moretti, a Thomas Pink pocket square —just to add a touch of color—, and my Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time, I just couldn’t believe I was going to be part of this incredible evening. Furthermore, the thought of presenting the Prix Challenge —Challenge Prize— to the winning brand was exhilarating, to say the least.
After going on stage in the company of Bill Prince —juror and deputy editor of British GQ— to present the Challenge Prize to CIGA Design for their Blue Planet watch, I headed back to my seat to enjoy the rest of the awards ceremony and finally find out who the rest of the winners were. Lots of great surprises for sure and an honor to have been an instrumental part of it.
The “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix was awarded to Bulgari for the Octo Finissimo perpetual calendar watch, while Audemars Piguet, Bernhard Lederer, Chopard, Christiaan Van Der Klaauw, CIGA Design, De Bethune, Furlan Marri, Grand Seiko, Louis Vuitton, MB&F, Piaget, Tudor, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Zenith were presented prizes across different categories. This year’s Special Jury Prize —which rewards a personality or an influential institution on the watchmaking scene— was presented to Dubai Watch Week. Below find the winning watches with some of my live pictures.
The 2021 GPHG Jury and the Winners
2021 GPHG PRIZE LIST
“Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix
Bulgari, Octo Finissimo
Ladies’ Watch Prize
Piaget, Limelight Gala Precious Rainbow
Ladies’ Complication Watch Prize
Van Cleef & Arpels, Lady Féerie
Men’s Watch Prize
Grand Seiko, Hi-Beat 36000 80 Hours Caliber 9SA5
Men’s Complication Watch Prize
MB&F, LMX Titanium
Iconic Watch Prize
Audemars Piguet, Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin
Tourbillon Watch Prize
De Bethune, DB Kind of Two Tourbillon
Calendar and Astronomy Watch Prize
Christiaan Van Der Klaauw, CVDK Planetarium Eise Eisinga
Mechanical Exception Watch Prize
Piaget, Altiplano Ultimate Automatic
Chronograph Watch Prize
Zenith, Chronomaster Sport
Diver’s Watch Prize
Louis Vuitton, Tambour Street Diver Skyline Blue
Jewellery Watch Prize
Chopard, Flower Power
Artistic Crafts Watch Prize
MB&F, LM SE Eddy Jaquet 'Around the World in Eighty Days’
“Petite Aiguille” Prize
Tudor, Black Bay Ceramic
Challenge Watch Prize
CIGA Design, Blue Planet
Innovation Prize
Bernhard Lederer, Central Impulse Chronometer
Audacity Prize
Louis Vuitton, Tambour Carpe Diem
Horological Revelation Prize
Furlan Marri, MR. Grey Ref. 1041-A
Special Jury Prize
Dubai Watch Week
The 2021 nominated watches, including the 18 award winners as well as the 20 watches that won the “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix between 2001 and 2020, are on display at the Musée Rath in Geneva until November 14th, 2021. The 2021 award-winning watches will subsequently be presented during Dubai Watch Week, from November 24th thru the 28th, and then in Paris from December 2nd thru the 5th.
After the awards ceremony, we enjoyed an incredible gala dinner in the company of the winning brands, watch journalists and special guests from the brands. Few other watch experiences compare to what it is like to be part of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève and a member of the jury. Definitely a highlight in my life as a watch collector and a turning point in my career as a watch journalist.
Special thanks to Raymond Loretan —President of the Fondation du Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève—, Carine Maillard —Director of the GPHG— and Nick Foulkes —President of the 2021 Jury— for including me as a juror. Honored and humbled by such gesture.
For more info on the GPHG click here.
