The prize-giving ceremony for the 11th Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix (GPHG) took place in the Grand Théâtre de Genève on Saturday 19th 2011, in the presence of the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mrs Micheline Calmy-Rey, along with Genevan authorities and 1,500 personalities from the watchmaking world.

Press release | November 19th, 2011

Micheline Calmy-Rey

This event has established itself as a highlight in the international watchmaking calendar. The 2011 edition brought together in Geneva some of the most influential figures in the industry, who came from around the world to attend the ceremony, compered by Simon de Pury and Natacha Wenger, and to witness the live revelation of this year’s laureates.

The international jury of this 11th edition, composed of watchmaking professionals, awarded the “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix, the supreme award honouring the best timepiece of the year, to the DB28 model by De Bethune.

Created in 2001, and as of this year 2011 under the aegis of the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix Foundation, this event is intended to salute the excellence of worldwide horological production, and annually rewards the finest creations and the most important figures in the watchmaking world. It thereby contributes to promoting horology and its prime values – namely innovation, a will to pass on expertise and the quest for excellence – that are shared by the Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild, the main partner of the GPHG Foundation.

LAUREATES OF THE GPHG 2011

- “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix: De Bethune, DB28
- Best Ladies’ Watch Prize: Boucheron, Crazy Jungle Hathi
- Best Men’s Watch Prize:  Hermès, Arceau Le Temps Suspendu
- Best Design Watch Prize: Urwerk, UR-110
- Best Jewellery and Artistic Crafts Watch Prize:  Van Cleef & Arpels, Lady Arpels Polar Landscape
- Best Complicated Watch Prize: Zenith, Academy Christophe Colomb Equation of Time
- Best Sports Watch Prize: TAG Heuer, Mikrotimer Flying 1000 Chronograph
- “Petite Aiguille” Prize (for models under CHF 5’000): Montblanc, Star Worldtime GMT Automatic
- Best Watchmaker Prize: Vianney Halter
- Special Jury Prize: Patek Philippe Museum
- Public Prize: Audemars Piguet, Millenary 4101

As every year, the public was also able to express its opinion of the 70 watches pre-selected by the jury. The Public Prize is awarded by visitors to the exhibition held in Geneva and internet user who voted for their favourite watch on the www.gphg.org or www.worldtempus.org websites.

PARISIAN EXHIBITION AT THE SALON BELLES MONTRES FROM NOVEMBER 24TH- 27TH 2011
All the prize-winning and nominated watches in this 2011 edition will be presented at the Salon International de l’Horlogerie de Prestige Belles Montres, which will be held at the Carrousel du Louvre from November 24th to 27th.

This year, the watches pre-selected by the jury were also exhibited in Zurich, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Geneva prior to the prize-giving ceremony.

Relive the highlights and download pictures of the 2011 Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix ceremony on www.gphg.org.