6 Minutes @ Carlo Lamprecht Président of GPHG

 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) world tour, Hong Kong Stop brought 65 entry finalist watches to show their glamour at Elegant Watch & Jewellery boutique in ifc mall recently, manifesting the essence of top-class watchmaking craftsmanship and know-how with the presence of Carlo Lamprecht, the President of GPHG and previous State Councillor of the Republic and Canton of Geneva from 1997 to 2005. The dandy Lamprecht spent an afternoon with mylifestylenews with a quick and efficient chat about importance of time......

The annual Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), or Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix, is the highest honour of the watchmaking trade to reward the world’s best timepieces and watchmakers.

 

Every year, entries are accepted from all watch brands to participate in seven categories, with ten prizes awarded including the most prestigious distinction, the highly coveted “Aiguille d’Or.”

 

The finalist timepieces would travel the world in a tour to allow watch collectors and enthusiasts to appreciate the stars of the trade.

 

In 2011, the GPHG tour arrived in China for the first time with exhibitions held in Hong Kong and Shanghai. To continue the success of last year, we brought 65 of this year’s GPHG finalists to Hong Kong for an exclusive exhibition.

 

The seven categories of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève include Ladies' Watch, Men's Watch, Innovation, Jewellery & Artistic Crafts Watch, Best Complicated Watch, Sports Watch and the "La Petite Aiguille" for watches with retail prices under 7,500 Swiss Francs.

 

Apart from awarding the prestigious distinction "Aiguille d'Or", awarded to a stakeholder, an institution or an initiative having played a fundamental role in promoting high quality watchmaking; and the "Best Watchmaker Prize", awarded to the most creative watchmaker of the year.

 

 

This year's jury of the awards consists of 14 members of the experts and leaders of the watchmaking trade. Together with a jury commissioner, they will select the winners of the ten prizes with their expertise with an impartial selection guideline.

 

An aspect worth nothing is that brand laureate of the "Aiguille d'Or" will not be allowed to take part in the competition in the following year, but a representative of the brand will be invited to participate as a member of the jury instead.

 

The Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix Foundation (GPHG) was created in 2011 in order to give the GPHG the independence and authority required to ensure its longevity and its international development.

 

We wish to raise watchmaking to the rank of the 12th Art- the figure 12 being the ultimate number of time measurement. Circumstances lead themselves ideally to this ambition. Thus, in 2012 sees the 12th edition of the GPHG.

 

In addition to the exhibitions organized in Hong Kong and later in Shanghai and Moscow. Geneva will have a live link-up with New York, where the ceremony will this be broadcast live within the context of an event specially designed to celebrate the 12th Art in a prestigious store on Madison Avenue.

 

Besides, we have also launched a series of consultations aimed at reflecting on the development of the GPHG and to keep steps with a constantly evolving industry, in order to enhance its value and to accentuate the historical with consistency dynamic and innovative role in the watchmaking scene.

 

 

 

For the first round of voting, the jury selects 10 watches per category and ranks them in order of preference ( individually and in secret). 10 points for the first, 9 for the second and so on up to the tenth watch is awarded 1 point.

 

 

Counting of the votes is done by notary and this initial selection allows 10 watches to remain in the competition in each of the seven categories.

 

 

The second round of voting is attended by all the members of the jury and the notary during the exhibition of the preselected watches, to provide an opportunity to physically evaluate each of the items. Once again by secret ballot, the 10 watches preselected during the first round of the seven categories are given a mark from 1 to 10.

 

 

These points are added to the proceeding points, the watch with the highest total of points wins the "Aiguille d'Or" Grand Prix. The watch that won is no longer eligible to compete in the category in which it was entered.

 

 

The Jury also votes for the Special Jury Prize and the Best Watchmaker Prize, the jury members agree on three suggestions for each of the two prizes and the following vote takes place by secret ballot.

 

The winner's names are announced at the Grand Theatre de Geneve during the prize-giving ceremony.

 

 

 

 

 "I like flat watches, classic yet contemporary that best suit my own style. These are the criteria I would consider when I buy a watch. Time is the most precious things for all mankind to keep track. Life is too short to enjoy what is given. I wish I can freeze time and to keep only those beautiful moments and good memories that I've lived in." ~ Carlo Lamprecht

mylifestylenews @  Carlo Lamprecht