In this final round table discussion, my Quill & Pad colleagues and I discuss the amazing evening of November 8, 2017 and what we thought of the big night’s winners. Our panel consists of:

Elizabeth Doerr (ED), co-founder and editor-in-chief
Ian Skellern (IS), co-founder and technical director
Joshua Munchow (JM), resident nerd writer
GaryG (GG), resident collector
Martin Green (MG), resident gentleman
Ryan Schmidt (RS), author of The Wristwatch Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Mechanical Wristwatches and contributor

Co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele accepts the award for the Aiguille d’Or for Chopard’s L.U.C Full Strike

MG: Another edition of the GPHG has come and gone. And even more so than in the previous edition, I feel that the jury members voted with their hearts, awarding the highest honors to watches well deserved them. The jury did not always vote the way I would have, but then again most categories were very, very close calls to begin with as the quality this year was exceptionally high with more big brands than ever.

GG: Well, once again this year for me the results of the GPHG were a mix of the obvious, the understandable, and (in a few cases) the puzzling.

The audience of the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

IS: The apparent carelessness in a few of the pre-selected categories had me wondering if this was going to be a GPHG that disappointed. And a few of the night’s winners did disappoint me as I thought others in certain categories clearly superior, just as in most years. And there were winners that I didn’t pick but could well understand why, just as in most years. And there were winners that I wholeheartedly supported, just as in most years. So all and all, the results of the evening turned out to be so-so: okay but not more than that.

Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin used his (to me) unexpected two turns at the pulpit to expound a theme dear to my heart: the need for and rewards of investing more in innovation and less in reliving the past. However, I felt that the message came across far too strongly as from the bully pulpit and unfortunately that the messenger destroyed the message.

Besarta Murti receives the award for Best First Year Watchmaking Student at the Geneva Watchmaking School

One of the standout non-watch highlights of the evening for me well worth mentioning is Besarta Murti, a young woman who collected the prize for Best First Year Watchmaking Student at the Geneva Watchmaking School. She handled herself with such aplomb at the seriously stress-inducing podium, especially with an off-the-cuff final retort to the presenter that I predict she will be a future watchmaker to keep an eye on.

ED: I’m glad you mentioned that, Ian. I was in awe of her! I would be sure that we’ll hear more of her some day – and hopefully it’s a not-too-distant day!

JM: It is great to see good people being honored and even better when those honored are talented women in the field. It bodes well that young women are competing to be at the top of the class just as much as the guys!

Suzanne Wong in that dress presenting with journalist Nick Foulkes at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

IS: And with that gown, Suzanne Wong, our colleague from Revolution magazine, basically hijacked the Grand Prix ceremony for a few minutes and turned it into her own personal debutante ball, announcing to the great and good of Swiss horological society, “I’m here!” Welcome to Switzerland, Suzanne, Singapore’s loss is our gain.

GG: There were five categories in which the jury and I picked the same winners, and four of those were perhaps the most obvious choices: Voutilainen in Artistic Crafts, Greubel Forsey in Calendar, Van Cleef & Arpels in Ladies High-Mech, and Ulysse Nardin in Sports.

Five other 2017 GPHG winners were in my top three choices within their categories, including both Parmigianis, the Bulgari watch in the Men’s category, the Chanel as best Ladies watch, and the Chopard Lotus Blanc in the Jewellery category.

It wasn’t much of a year for the small independents (here I’m leaving out Greubel Forsey and Parmigiani) as only the Voutilainen won its class, while others like Habring2 in the Petite Aiguille category went home empty-handed.

My fantasy (put forward in our Artistic Crafts round table) of the Joker from Konstantin Chaykin shocking the world by taking the Aiguille d’Or obviously wasn’t realized, but at a minimum Konstantin received some well-deserved recognition during the GPHG process for his work and for the way the Joker captured the spirit of the times in the watch industry.

Singer Reimagined Track 1

JM: My strongest words about the 2017 edition of the GPHG must be this: the fact that the Fabergé Visionnaire Chronograph Ceramic or the Singer Track 1 – both containing the Agenhor AgenGraphe – didn’t win anything is a travesty and a general disappointment this year. I understand there were many great watches, but to not win a single award really discourages development of actual, concrete improvements to the technology of watchmaking. The (rewarded) Zenith Defy Lab did this, the Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta did this, the Greubel Forsey QP à Équation did this, even the Chopard L.U.C. Full Strike did this, and they were appropriately awarded.

Fabergé Visionnaire Chronograph Ceramic

That the incredible and groundbreaking movement created by Agenhor was not awarded in at least some way is rather ridiculous. We all know the watches work fantastically, and the mechanism has been widely discussed, so I am just in awe at this turn of events. It casts a bit of a shadow on the rest of the show this year, and makes me lose some faith in the entire spectacle.

Commenting on the rest of the presentation even seems a bit empty. The announcers were a bit of a mess in the beginning, especially when combined with some of the speakers. It smoothed out a bit later in the broadcast, which I heard with English simultaneous translation on our livestream, but the flow felt uneven over all. I understand that even though this is the “Oscars” of the watch industry, the winners and presenters aren’t actors or performers, so most people involved don’t have an innate stage presence usually needed for a smooth awards show. I guess this may always be an issue and is to be expected.

That being said, some great watches were certainly awarded for their awesomeness as well as some fantastic people. I wouldn’t say it was a completely top-notch year as the results were concerned, but overall the outcome was still rather positive. I am happy with many of the choices, even if I wanted others to win, and nearly all the watches competing deserved to be fighting for top honors.

I will probably hold a grudge regarding the AgenGraphe for a while (see The AgenGraphe By Agenhor: The Most Significant Chronograph Since . . . Since The Invention Of The Chronograph), but, hey, it wouldn’t be the GPHG without some big surprises!

Special Jury Prize: Suzanne Rohr and Anita Porchet

IS: While I was disappointed, perplexed even, with a few of the laureates, there were enough sensible winners that left me thinking that there might be hope yet. Especially with the inspired first award of the evening, the Special Jury Prize going to the extremely well deserving and popular miniature painting enamellers Suzanne Rohr and Anita Porchet. The genuine, heartfelt popularity of that choice lifted the mood in the whole hall.

ED: Ian, I can tell you that I shed a tear or two when Anita Porchet and Suzanne Rohr took the stage after jury president Aurel Bacs’s moving introduction of them. I was already amazed when this subject came up in our jury discussions and was so enthusiastically received. As we don’t know the results of our voting until the evening’s awards ceremony, I was truly moved at both the obvious interest in the subject and the passionate spirit with which all words were spoken on stage as well as the enthusiastic applause.

GPHG 2017 Special Jury Prize: Suzanne Rohr and Anita Porchet

GG: A big thumbs-up to the Jury for awarding its special prize to enamel artists Suzanne Rohr and Anita Porchet; each is a legend in her own right and it was wonderful to hear that Rohr had passed much of her knowledge to Porchet. Whether it’s music, dance, or the visual or mechanical arts, this sort of mentorship and apprenticeship is the essence of preserving the savoir-faire behind the highest levels of performance so that future generations will be able to create their own masterworks.

JM: This was a great choice for the special jury prize, as these two women have given so much to the industry, and it is impossible to imagine the artistic crafts of the industry being where they are without them. Honoring two women is also a great step for an industry that is famously a boys’ club with a history of failing to recognize the huge contribution women make in watchmaking, finishing, assembly, and the artistic crafts.

MG: Talk about well deserved! The enamel art that Suzanne Rohr and Anita Porchet bring to the world of watchmaking is never less than breathtaking, regardless of the brand they create it for. These two women are highly valued now, and I feel that their work will even be more valued in the years to come as the watches (and their dials) age and come up at auction. Their work shows that watches might tell the time, but more than that that they are wearable pieces of art!

Further reading: FHH 2016 Homage To ‘Passion’ And ‘Talent’ Awards For Chopard’s Karl-Friedrich Scheufele And Enameler Anita Porchet and The 2015 Gaïa Awards: Giulio Papi, Anita Porchet, And Jonathan Betts Honored.

Ladies: Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton

IS: The Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton was my pick for best ladies watch this year, describing it in our predictions as, “The watch that I think will win the Ladies category is the Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton, which was one of my highlights from Baselworld 2017, not simply because of the impeccable skeletonization and gem setting, but the genius in making a rectangular case (and movement) shape so alluringly feminine.”

ED: It was a most deserving watch for this honor, Ian. And seeing it again at the jury meeting, where we have all the watches live at the table to compare, I was also convinced this was one of the nicest creations for the feminine wrist to appear in 2017. It gives me hope that manufacturers are taking women more seriously by creating bespoke movements for such watches!

Chanel Première Camellia Skeleton

JM: I chose this piece as my winner, and even though there were many great Ladies watches in the category, I am very happy to see the Première Camélia Skeleton win. The design of the movement and the case, combined with the excellent execution of the construction, made for what I think could become an iconic watch for women. As ladies’ watches tend to be wildly varying in style, since they tend to double as fashion pieces and jewelry, the Première Camélia Skeleton isn’t just a great ladies watch, it is a great watch, period.

Nicolas Beau accepts the award for Best Ladies’ Watch: Chanel Premíère Camellia Skeleton

MG: A very well-deserved win for Chanel as well as a clear sign that so-called fashion brands can make a mean watch these days! It overtook many favorites, but in the end I think that this was the most balanced choice.

Further reading: Chanel Introduces Première Camellia Skeleton With Manufacture Movement.

Quick Facts Chanel Premíère Camellia Skeleton
Case: 28.5 x 37 mm, white gold set with 92 brilliant-cut diamonds; bezel set with 104 brilliant-cut diamonds; white gold crown set with 24 brilliant-cut diamonds
Movement: manually wound Chanel Caliber 2 with 48-hour power reserve and skeletonized bridges shaped like a flower, 107 components; 28,800 vph, variable inertia balance
Functions: hours, minutes
Strap: black satin, double folding clasp set with 30 brilliant-cut diamonds
Total diamond weight: 5.54 ct
Price: €130,000 / 122,222 Swiss francs

Men’s: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic

MG: I feel about the men’s category as I do the Ladies High Mech category this year: the winner was obvious, at least to me, and I guess also to the jury. The others were strong contenders, but I felt that the Octo Finissimo Automatic brought the best, most complete package of horological delight and innovation to the table. I am only surprised that it wasn’t enough to convince the jury to award it with the Aiguille d’Or, but then again I do have a thing for ultra-thin movements . . . especially those with a micro rotor!

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic

IS: Well I could hardly have been more wrong about the popularity of the Bulgari Octa, which took home two awards for two different Octa models on the night. Not only did I not pick it as the winner — my choice was the Voutilainen 28ISO Enamel — I didn’t even have this one in my top three, writing, “If only the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic had come out in a different year, I could easily see it taking the Men’s category, but in 2017 this world record holding ultra-thin automatic with a phenomenal movement and 5.15 mm case doesn’t even make my top three.”

The jury disagreed, obviously placing a higher value than I did on being the world’s thinnest automatic, which is no small achievement, as well as the distinctive Octa case. And it wasn’t just this year’s jury that likes the Octa: Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin shared in his acceptance that the relatively new collection was already the second bestselling line for the Italian brand.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic

JM: The Men’s category is kind of like the Petite Aiguille; there isn’t a ton of direction for choosing, so this is a highly contentious category that can often go any which way. I chose a different watch for the winner, but that was my personal opinion based on what I made for my criteria. The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic is a fantastic thin watch, super light, and very intriguing. While I wanted another to win, the Bulgari is definitely deserving of the title of best Men’s watch, especially since it was among good company in the category.

ED: I will be honest: this watch impressed me far less than others that were shortlisted, but only because it is too light! It only weighs a few grams because of the small movement and titanium case and bracelet, so it almost felt like a Swatch to me. I was not aware that my own perception of a luxury needs a bit of weight to justify the luxurious feeling until I had this one next to its peers.

RS: Really scratching my head over this. With Bulgari and Parmigiani picking up two prizes each from the back or middle of their respective packs according to our panels, I am wondering what happened in that jury room. I can only assume the jury rejected the extraneous complications of the Lange 1, which we discussed in our round table predictions, the reduced readability of the Voutilainen, while the Greubel Forsey . . . nope, I’m lost.

Further reading: Our Predictions In The Men’s Category Of The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, And They Are All Different.

Quick Facts Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic
Case: 41 x 46 x 5.15 mm, titanium
Movement: automatic manufacture Caliber BVL 138, 3 Hz / 21,600 vph frequency, power reserve of 60 hours, 2.23 mm in height, world record for thinness of an automatic movement
Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds
Price: 12,900 Swiss francs

Ladies’ High-Mech: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate

JM: Van Cleef & Arpels has a solid history with this category, and given the delicate beauty and mechanical mastery of the Lady Arpels Papillon Automate, it is no surprise that it won. The competition may not have been very strong this year, but all that did was seek to emphasize how truly awesome the watch is. 

MG: I would have been very surprised if the Van Cleef & Arpels wouldn’t have won this category, but at the same time it wouldn’t have been the first time for the jury of the GPHG to surprise me with a final verdict.

Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate with wings closed (left) and wings open

IS: The GPHG Ladies categories did well for me this year as I correctly picked both the Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton as best Ladies’ Watch 2017 and the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate in the Ladies’ High-Mech category. The Lady Arpels Papillon Automate was a clear winner for me here.

Eric de Rocquigny accepts the award for Ladies’ High-Mech: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate

ED: I think this was a clear winner all the way around in this category, Ian. I even heard the audience audibly gasp when the GPHG played the short video of the watch at the awards ceremony, and the butterfly’s wings moved. Again, major kudos to Van Cleef & Arpels for its continuous and excellent mechanical developments for women.

RS: I’m very pleased that the jury recognized this outstanding watch.

Further reading: Give Me 5! Five Fabulous Ladies Watches From SIHH 2017 From Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Quick Facts Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate
Case: white gold, 40 x 16.6 mm
Movement: unspecified automatic movement with a random automaton and on-demand animation module
Functions: hours, minutes; on-demand and en passant automaton
Gem setting: round and pear-shaped diamonds, snow-set diamonds; blue, mauve, and violet sapphires
Artistic techniques: champlevé, paillonné, plique-à-jour and curved plique-à-jour enamel, miniature painting
Price: $290,000/€260,000/290,260 Swiss francs 

Jewellery Watch: Chopard Lotus Blanc

IS: While I may have had a good run with picking the winning ladies watches, I thought that the Chaumet Frise Divine would win the Jewellery Watch prize. I did write, “While I’m voting the Chopard Lotus Blanc Watch my number two pick, it would not surprise me at all if the GPHG jury voted it number one.” So I can’t complain there.

GG: I was surprised that the Chopard prevailed over the phenomenal Chaumet jeweled piece that our panel favored.

Chopard Lotus Blanc Watch flower open

ED: While I can understand your surprise, Gary, the choice is easily explainable. The Jewellery Category is for almost every single GPHG jury member the hardest category to judge because – with one notable exception of gem expert Claude Sfeir – we are not experts in gemstones or settings, but rather mechanics (well, most of us anyway). Going into the judging day, I do my best to research each of these watches, which are generally also of a one-off nature, to be prepared. But I generally end up changing my mind somewhere along the way as I talk to Claude and actually handle the pieces.

One other thing that I personally look for – which makes it so important to actually handle the pieces before casting a vote – is wearability of the piece. Last year I noticed that the Audemars Piguet Diamond Punk, the second watch in AP’s high-profile gem trilogy, was completely unwearable. And this year’s Diamond Outrage was even less wearable with its admittedly beautiful punky spikes.

The Chopard Lotus Blanc probably won for two reasons: the extreme wearability of the Fairmined gold case and beautifully set bracelet and the lively animation of the opening and closing of the lotus flower, an element that is impossible to represent in photos. I was absolutely smitten by it, and I would be sure others were too.

Chopard co-president Caroline Scheufele acctepts the award for Best Jewellery Watch: Chopard Lotus Blanc

MG: Another win for Chopard! A very elegant choice, and I guess the moving petals enticed the jury more then they did me. The competition was tough, though, and I could have seen the win sway equally easy to any of the other contenders.

JM: Jewelry is always tough to call as it is so incredibly subjective once you look at all the finalists. Any pre-selected watch is already a fantastic example of craftsmanship and design, so many times it comes down to personal taste. I may not have chosen this as my winner due to my feelings about how it looks closed (since a transforming watch should look awesome both open and closed), it definitely is a stunning piece and the opening blossom is a tough trick to beat.

Further reading: Our Predictions In The Jewellery Category Of The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie De Genève.

Quick Facts Chopard Lotus Blanc Watch
Case: 26.75 x 19.2 mm, platinum and titanium
Gems: 25.66 ct white diamonds
Movement: quartz caliber
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: one unique piece
Price: 798,000 Swiss francs

Calendar: Greubel Forsey QP à Équation

IS: The Greubel Forsey QP à Équation was another easy choice for me as it simplifies and revolutionizes the perpetual calendar movement, which has until recently been one of the most prone-to-damage complications, and makes it much easier to read. The Krayon Everywhere – Universal Sunrise & Sunset is sure to have impressed quite a few on the jury as well, but I think it was the sheer ease-of-use of the QP à Équation that made it such a well-deserving winner: it has no correctors; all setting and adjusting is done with the crown.

Greubel Forsey Quantième Perpétuel à Équation

RS: I took a gamble in this category, assuming that the Greubel Forsey would take top prize, so I voted for the Krayon. It’s a shame because GF is showered with well-deserved praise, but the Krayon is a far lesser known brand producing a completely unique calendar complication. I hope that this creation from Krayon continues to be recognized and appreciated, assuming it works, and bravo to Greubel Forsey. As I said, well deserved!

JM: While I may not have chosen the Greubel Forsey QP à Équation as my only winner for the category, my choice of a tie was mainly due to the unique nature of the Krayon Everywhere mechanism and that it is a new and independent brand fresh on the scene, the perfect underdog for this competition. I personally couldn’t choose between the two but was happy to see one of them win, and so I was in no way disappointed to see the awesome people at Greubel Forsey take home another trophy! The QP à Équation is a fantastic mechanical marvel, and a perfect example of the creativity that Greubel Forsey brings to the table.

Stephen Forsey accepts the award for Best Calendar Watch: Greubel Forsey QP à Équation

MG: A well-deserved win for Greubel Forsey. It is an amazing watch, and its mechanics most certainly put it on another level. It is intriguing to see that the jury went for the most complicated contestant in this category, but in the end, I think that the Greubel Forsey watch offered not only a series of complications that was too good to pass up but also presented them in an exquisite way on the dial.

You might also enjoy: Mechanical Computers From Then To Now: Greubel Forsey Quantième Perpétuel à Équation and Our Predictions In The Calendar Category Of The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève: We Are Split Between Two Watches.

Quick Facts Greubel Forsey QP à Équation
Case: 43.5 x 16.4 mm, white gold
Movement: manually wound caliber based upon Greubel Forsey’s seventh invention with 24-second tourbillon at a 25-degree incline; 72-hour power reserve; 21,600 vph/3 Hz frequency
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; 24-hour indicator, power reserve; perpetual calendar with day, date, month, digital year, leap year; equation of time, season, solstice, equinox
Price: 670,000 Swiss francs

Travel Time: Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemisphères Rétrograde

JM: This watch was my third choice in the category mainly due to the more unique styles of the Czapek and the Manufacture Royale and the fact that both of them feel the most balanced out of the bunch. But it cannot be avoided that the Parmigiani is a very cool option, especially with the retrograde date and odd day/night indicator. It might have been just quirky enough while remaining the more traditional option that caught the jury’s eye with this one. Definitely worthy of the prize in the category.

Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hémisphères Rétrograde

MG: Again a win for Parmigiani, which I find interesting as I personally thought it was the least interesting of the six contenders in this category. I am very curious what made the jurors go for this watch, and quite honestly I’m a bit baffled. Even the tourbillons of the Czapek and Manufacture Royale entrants weren’t enough to tempt the jury or the easy-to-use and robust Hublot, nor the exotic looks of the Louis Vuitton and the Frédérique Constant with its classic looks and manufacture movement. Yes, I am still wondering what gave the Parmigiani its edge.

IS: Our panel was split between, my choice, the Czapek Genève Tourbillon Suspendu Ici et Ailleurs and the Manufacture Royale ADN Jumping Disk. So the announcement of the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemisphères Rétrograde was a surprise.

But perhaps it should not have surprised: we superficially dismissed the Parmigiani because we didn’t like its looks, but perhaps the jury was looking with more maternal eyes? Here’s was I wrote about the Toric Hémisphères in my category prediction comments, “It has everything going for it, well nearly everything: a potentially useful second time zone for the frequent traveler (a large demographic in this category) that can be set to the minute, and each time zone has its own day/night indicator; great pedigree; and a beautiful movement. But its face is one only the baby’s mother could love: that day/night indicator at 2 o’clock on the dial just spoils the look too much for me.”

I can’t argue against people having different personal taste and can well see that if you like the dial layout and design that the Parmigiani is a good choice.

Michel Parmigiani accepts the award for Best Travel Time Watch: Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemisphères Rétrograde

ED: I was actually completely with you on that one, Ian: I do not like the lopsided design of the dial of the Toric Hemisphères Rétrograde. But, like you, I can well appreciate that others might.

RS: I’m surprised by the storming that Parmigiani made this year. I’m certainly pleased for the brand, but I am surprised, though more surprised for the chronograph category. I did feel confident that the Czapek would get the prize in this category, but I would hazard the guess that the 43.5 mm diameter might have freaked some of the more conservative jurists out!

GG: Clearly the jury was inclined to favor the practical utility of the Parmigiani travel watch over the competing technical showpieces from Czapek and Manufacture Royale, which I selected at the top of my list.

Further reading: Our Predictions In The Travel Time Category Of The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie De Genève: Our Panel Is Split (Again).

Quick Facts Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hémisphères Rétrograde
Case: 42.8 x 14.6 mm, pink gold
Movement: automatic Caliber PF317; 50-hour power reserve; 28,800 vph/4 Hz frequency, twin spring barrels
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; instantaneous retrograde date, day/night indication, second time zone
Price: 29,500 Swiss francs

2017 GPHG jury member Elizabeth Doerr on the way to the stage to present a prize with a Fabergé Lady Compliquée Peacock on her wrist

Artistic Crafts: Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure

RS: Well, we all get a big gold star for “guessing” this one. Kari! Who would have thought it?!

JM: The Aki-No-Kure did what we all thought it would, so there is no surprise here. This category might be officially renamed the Voutilainen Artistic Crafts category in the future as it seems there are always great things coming out of his workshop. The competition was definitely stiff, but the Voutilainen stood out among the pack thanks to the incredible detailed and beautiful enamel and marquetry.

Kari Voutilainen being widely cheered on his way to pick up his prize for best Artistic Crafts watch at the 2017 GPHG for his Aki-No-Kure

MG: I find it terribly difficult to judge all these different arts on the same level. In the end, I think that the jury made a just decision. With the dial alone the Voutilainen wouldn’t have secured a win, in my opinion, despite how beautiful it is. But the back of this watch took it over the top and gave it the edge needed to win among the heavy competition.

Sensational back of the Kari Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure

IS: In my successful prediction of the Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure as the winner of this category, I explained how I did not give the watch an easy ride because it’s not so dissimilar to what Voutilainen has been rewarded for at the GPHG in the past, “If you have read more than a couple of our GPHG predictions, you are likely to be well aware of my strong preference for innovation over repetition.

The reason I bring that up again here is that Kari Voutilainen won the 2014 GPHG Artistic Crafts category with Hisui, which was created by the same Japanese lacquer studio (one of the world’s best) that created the Aki-No-Kure, and so I’ve savagely deducted points for lack of originality and then knocked a few more points off because it’s a unique piece (I think it’s harder making art in a limited series than a unique piece). However, even that hasn’t been enough to knock Voutilainen’s Aki-No-Kure from the number one spot. While there are other watches in this category, ‘. . .  demonstrating exceptional mastery of an artistic technique,’ none show as much mastery of so many artistic techniques as the Aki-No-Kure.”

That last sentence sums it all up for me.

Kari Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure

Further reading: Our Predictions In The Artistic Crafts Category Of The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève And Our Panel Is Unanimous.

Quick Facts Kari Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure
Case: 39 x 12.3 mm, white gold, case back cover
Special crafts: lacquer made of gold dust, gold leaf, great green turban shell, and New Zealand abalone from Unryuan in Wajima, Japan
Movement: manually winding Voutilainen caliber with new direct impulse escapement and two escape wheels; free-sprung balance with Grossmann interior curve and Philips exterior curve; gold wheels, German silver and titanium main plate and bridges decorated with Japanese lacquer; 65-hour power reserve, 18,000 vph/2.5 Hz frequency
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: one unique piece
Price: 350,000 Swiss francs

Petite Aiguille: Tudor Black Bay Chrono

IS: The Tudor Black Bay Chrono was my number three pick, not because it isn’t an excellent chronograph at a very competitive price, but because it just wasn’t “Black Bay” enough: I’ve obviously turned into a crazed Black Bay fanboy!

I explained my choice with, “While the Tudor Black Bay Chrono was a hit at Baselworld earlier this year, I just couldn’t grow to like it and still haven’t, largely for two reasons: for one, it dilutes and weakens the Black Bay collection rather than strengthens it (it just doesn’t look like a Black Bay); and two, I fear that combining aquatic and motor sport heritages has made for a less impactful design than might have been the case. Still, for $4,200 you get Tudor (which is on a roll), chronograph, in-house movement, and silicon escapement; that’s a pretty attractive package and is enough to earn my number three pick.” The Tudor Black Bay Chrono wasn’t my first choice, but again I can’t fault those who disagreed.

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Chronograph

GG: I did not have the Tudor that took the Petite Aiguille on my top-three list. It does now seem to be obligatory to hand the Tudor folks a trophy each year for one thing or another and this year was no exception.

ED: I can actually understand this, Gary. Tudor has been doing excellent work with its brand reboot, and I think the outcome has pleasantly surprised a lot of people. And to be fair, this chronograph is a heck of a lot of chronograph for the money!

RS: Well I did at least say it was my favorite modern Tudor to date. I’d be interested to know what Habring2’s Erwin did wrong in the hands of the jury.

Eric Pirson accepts the award for Petite Aiguille for the Tudor Black Bay Chrono

ED: I don’t think the Erwin did anything “wrong,” Ryan! For me, the Erwin is perhaps the most attractive serial Habring watch to date, and I am of course a sucker for jumping seconds – something no one does quite as well as the Habrings. However, I also think that that element is a technical distinction that gets lost among jury members who are not as technically minded as others.

JM: The Black Bay Chrono, while a great watch, feels a bit less deserving than others, though it is hard to argue that it does not deserve a prize. If anything, it feels as if some of the jury went with a name over the independent, like I worried might happen this year. I clearly chose three others over the Tudor, but I do understand how it could capture people’s attention with its vintage style and the clout behind it. I think this goes to show how having no criteria for choosing besides price can result in some surprises.

MG: I still cannot put my finger on the appeal of Tudor. But Rolex’s baby sibling is now a force to be reckoned with! I am surprised that the jury could overlook the strange hybrid that this watch is, but then again one of the most popular car categories these days is the SUV styled as a coupe . . . I guess it is just a sign of the times.

Further reading: Tudor And Breitling: Two Sports Watch Manufacturers Unexpectedly – But Not For The First time – Sharing Movements In 2017 and Our Predictions In The Petite Aiguille Category Of The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

Quick Facts Tudor Black Bay Chrono
Case: 41 x 14.9 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic Tudor Caliber MT5813 with silicon escapement; 70-hour power reserve; 28,800 vph/4 Hz frequency
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date, chronograph
Price: 4,167 Swiss francs

Aiguille d’Or: Chopard L.U.C Full Strike

GG: I didn’t have the Chopard L.U.C. Full Strike on my list of Aiguille d’Or finalists, but that was really an omission on my part as I really admired the piece and those who have heard it in person report that the sound is otherworldly.

ED: I have now heard this repeater on three different occasions, Gary, and I can report it has sounded otherworldy every single time – even after traveling the world with the GPHG exhibitions and coming back to our jury day. Not every watch stood up as well as this one did!

Chopard L.U.C Full Strike minute repeater

GG: That said, the presence of Chopard’s watches in the competition in a year in which its co-president, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, was a member of the jury in any capacity (regardless of any category-specific recusal from the dialogue or voting) was for me a clear miss by the GPHG organization and in future years I fervently hope that these sorts of potential conflicts will be eradicated.

ED: I understand that comment all too well, Gary, but this situation is not new. A few years ago we had Marc Hayek in the jury after Breguet had won the Aiguille d’Or, and that did not seem to be a problem for anyone at the time despite the fact that there were other Swatch Group brands in the running. The GPHG’s rules are clear that the CEO of the winning watch comes into the jury the following year. Scheufele was not present at the discussions or voting of the categories in which Chopard watches were present. I think this solution was completely fair, satisfying even the most outspoken of us (there was a quite a discussion over this topic in the summer, which I think was resolved in the best possible way).

IS: I couldn’t have callêd this category more wrong as as impressed as I was with the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike, I didn’t even rank it in my top three in its category, let alone consider that it might get the Aiguille d’Or.  I thought that the Singer Reimagined Singer Track 1, Greubel Forsey QP à Équation or Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance were all strong candidates, but admittedly not by much.

JM: What can I say, like in a variety of other categories, my runner-up took the top prize, and here for extremely good reason. I originally picked the Singer Track 1 as I believed the Agenhor AgenGraphe was bound to have a great year, but given the complete omission of that watch (and movement) from the winners this year (I’m still pretty peeved about it), the Chopard L.U.C. Full Strike is a perfect choice. It is an absolutely incredible timepiece, mechanical creation, and experiment in material properties. The work that went into it cannot be ignored, and the results beg to be heard. I may have wanted the AgenGraphe to get some recognition, but I am thrilled to see the Full Strike get the much-deserved honor of the Aiguille D’Or.

Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele accepts the Aiguille d’Or for the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike

MG: Chopard is cleaning house! Last year it won with sub-brand Ferdinand Berthoud and now with the L.U.C Full Strike! While it is an exceptional watch, I still find it surprising that it came first given the very, very tough competition. I guess the crystal clear sound of this Chopard must have lured a lot of jurors into crystal clear judgment.

Chopard L.U.C Full Strike

RS: So many powerhouses, so many wonderful watches, such was the glut of horological delights that I must confess to having overlooked Chopard’s L.U.C Full Strike as a genuine contender as well, Gary. I humbly bow before this remarkable repeater.

Further reading: Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Minute Repeater With Crystal Power! Plus Video: Listen For Yourself and Our Predictions For The “Aiguille d’Or” At The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

Quick Facts Chopard L.U.C Full Strike
Case: 42.5 x 11.5 mm, 18-karat Fairmined pink gold
Movement: manual winding Caliber 08.01-L with 60-hour power reserve and sapphire crystal gongs; C.O.S.C. certification; Geneva Seal
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; minute repeater, power reserve, minute repeater power reserve
Limitation: 20 pieces
Price: 245,000 Swiss francs

Innovation Prize: Zenith Defy Lab

GG: I thought that the Zenith-badged TAG/Hublot Defy Lab wasn’t a bad choice for the Innovation prize; it isn’t at all to my personal taste, but it does exhibit a certain inventiveness.

ED: I thought it was a good choice, too, as the Innovation category is explicitly there to reward something with great future potential. This prize does not get awarded every year, only when the jury feels there is something to reward in this respect.

Especially after this watch was voted out of the pre-selection – imprudently, Zenith entered it into the GPHG before publicly presenting it in mid-September 2017 – giving it the Innovation prize was a good way to recognize the potential of the forward-thinking technology and ensure research like this continues, which is important to the Swiss watch industry as a whole. The jury may choose for prizes like this from the entire list of watches entered into the competition, not just the pre-selected timepieces.

The 2017 GPHG Innovation Prize went to the Zenith Defy Lab

IS: This award seems to make sense to me too, though why not have a defined category so that we can compare more experimental watches like the like Zenith Defy Lab and Ulysse Nardin InnoVision 2 instead of seemingly just picking one watch out of the blue?

RS: I am so pleased to see Zenith’s new movement, the ZO 342 recognized. It has been an interesting launch: using such a polarizing case material/effect and presenting the oscillator on an open dial, industry voices have been so preoccupied with the aesthetic and visual noise of the Defy Lab that they have struggled to focus on the technology. There certainly remain questions about the ZO 342 and some can only be answered in time, but this is horological innovation at its height.

JM: This is probably one of the most deserved prizes of the evening. Obviously not making the cut to the pre-selected watches doesn’t exclude you from winning the innovation prize and I have to admit I am happy for that. The mathematics and physics behind the Zenith Defy Lab are second to none this year; I too would have to have given the Innovation Prize to Zenith, even over the awesome AgenGraphe.

MG: The Zenith Defy Lab brings one of those leaps-and-bounds innovations to the table, so, of course, this has to be rewarded! What I find especially interesting is how it will influence the (near) future of mechanical watchmaking, as the impact of other inventions, like for example the co-axial escapement, have mainly stayed concentrated with one brand due to patent protection.

For more information: www.zenith-watches.com/campaign/defy-lab.

Quick Facts Zenith Defy Lab
Case: Aeronith (aluminum polymer foam composite), 44 x 14.5 mm
Movement: automatic Zenith Caliber ZO 342, 108,000 vph, 60-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds
Limitation: 10 unique pieces, not yet delivered

Revival Prize: Longines Avigation BigEye

GG: I’m a fan of the “big eye” look (and have been on the prowl for a vintage Breguet Type XX Big Eye myself) and so I liked the choice of the Longines Big Eye for the Revival prize.

MG: I am not a fan of “revival” watches as I always prefer the original, but the Avigation BigEye is a beautiful watch. I hope that this also brings some more focus back to Longines, as I still consider this a very underestimated brand. Not only does it have a history full of stunning watches, as this “revival” chronograph can testifies, but it also has a balanced current collection, which is high on quality and modest in price.

Longines Avigation BigEye

IS: I think it’s a crying shame that there is a Revival Prize, as the very last thing brands need is any encouragement to look back at the past for inspiration. And there also appears to be no rhyme or reason whether “revival” type watches are entered here or in another category.

JM: The Revival Prize is always a surprise since it isn’t a defined category, but I am even more surprised that this watch won the revival prize in a year that saw the First Grand Seiko recreation, the Tag Heuer Autavia, the Seiko First Diver’s recreation, the Montblanc Timewalker Rally Counter, and, heck, even the Tudor Black Bay Chrono. Out of all of those, the Longines wouldn’t have jumped out to me.

ED: You have to remember, Joshua, that you aren’t in the room with all of these watches side by side, either. I had the impression that the Longines also made a huge impression to the jury for its chronographic capabilities as well as its unusual “Big Eye,” which is well rooted in history. All the watches you name would have been worthy as well, but the Longines was apparently the most universally memorable in this respect.

Quick Facts Longines Avigation BigEye
Case: 41 x 14.45 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic Caliber L688.2 (base Caliber Valjoux 7750)
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; chronograph
Price: 2,300 Swiss francs

Chronograph Watch: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Chronor Anniversaire

RS: Did both AgenGraphes break? They must have!

JM: Nope, nope, nope. I love Parmigiani, the people are great, and the brand makes fantastic pieces, but this year, with the competition in this category from Agenhor and the Fabergé Visionnaire Chronograph Ceramic or Singer Track 1, I felt the Parmigiani only made top three in the category.

Of course that is hard to say with a split-seconds chronograph in a beautiful case and a terrific movement, but credit must be given where credit is due. It isn’t that the Parmigiani Tonda Chronor Anniversaire isn’t awesome, it is that it was overshadowed by the AgenGraphe movement, a movement with so much innovation and patents that it’s just hard to compete with. I usually don’t become too adamant about people being wrong about an opinion, but this year, whoever went in another direction was just flat out wrong. Even though it was a fantastic achievement for Parmigiani (which it most definitely was), the Tonda Chronor Anniversaire wasn’t the best chronograph. 

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Chronor Anniversaire

MG: Did Parmigiani really fend off both the Fabergé and the Singer? To me this is one of the big surprises of this GPHG as I was sure that one of the other two would take the top honor.

GG: I was pretty much dumbstruck that neither of the AgenGraphe equipped watches took a prize of any sort, Joshua. I’d even picked the Singer for the Aiguille d’Or! The Parmigiani is an excellent piece, but in my view one of the Agenhor-developed Singer or Faberge watches should at minimum have taken the Chronograph category or the special Innovation prize.

Michel Parmigiani accepts the award for Best Travel Time Watch: Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hemisphères Rétrograde

ED: I know exactly how you feel, Gary, but I knew that when I left the judging day, neither one of those chronographs was going to be the winner. And I think the problem mostly lies with communication, something the brands needed to be doing more of before the contest began. I just don’t think as many of my colleagues were as impressed with the AgenGraphe’s incredible talents as they might have been had they had a full introduction to the mechanics of the movement and why it solves so many inherent technical problems that chronographs have.

Also, I could see that many could not understand how to read the watches at first when they picked them up. That had to be explained as some of the uninitiated were looking for the regular subdial-and-totalizer setup. As with anything new, things first need to be explained and accepted.

That all having been said, I can vouch that the winning Parmigiani blew me away. I had not seen this watch in the metal before, and I was incredibly impressed with it.

IS: I really do appreciate just how good the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Chronor Anniversaire is: an in-house, fully-integrated, split seconds chronograph with a fast 5 Hz balance. That’s enough to make the best looking chronograph 2017, but without an Agengraphe movement it’s not Best Chronograph. While I’m pleased for Parmigiani and think that this is a sensational watch, this was my biggest disappoint of the evening. Singer Reimagined and Fabergé should do as so many other brands do: change the color of the case and dial and re-enter next year.

Quick Facts Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Chronor Anniversaire
Case: 42.1 x 14.6 mm, pink gold
Movement: manually wound Caliber PF361with column wheel chronograph, vertical clutch, gold movement parts, 5 Hz (36,000 vph)
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; large date, split-second chronograph
Limitation: 25 pieces
Price: 135,000 Swiss francs

Tourbillon and Escapement: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton

GG: I had neither the Escapement category’s winning Bulgari (a skeletonized version of a 2014 Bulgari watch) nor the Tudor that took the Petite Aiguille on my top-three lists. The Escapement category was a bit of a hash for me this year, so I’m not too fussed about that, but it does now seem to be obligatory to hand the Tudor folks a trophy each year for one thing or another and this year was no exception.

JM: The Tourbillon and Escapement category had some real whoppers and could have gone many ways based on the personal styles of the jury. The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton is a fantastic and extremely thin piece that was my choice for runner-up as I will usually lean toward an independent if anything is close. Clearly the jury also appreciated the incredible complexity of a super-thin tourbillon skeleton movement, and the Bulgari was given the nod. The second win for Bulgari on the big night, this category felt much stronger in favor of Bulgari compared to the Men’s category. Definitely deserving of the win for this piece!

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton

MG: Another win for Bulgari, and here the surprise is that the jury awarded basically two versions of the same watch with prizes (along with the Men’s winner). Is this a GPHG first? The Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton is a formidable watch, and ultra-thin, with very expressive design. That might have given it the edge over the understated Haldimann, watch-geeky Candaux, and the familiar shape of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin accepts the award for best Tourbillon and Escapement Watch for the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton

IS: Despite writing, ” . . . as far as technical achievements for tourbillons go, the Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton rates at the top.” this was a surprise announcement for me. While I thought that Bulgari should be hitting GPHG awards out of the ballpark year after year, but wasn’t, so I deduced that’s likely to be because the big square case isn’t broadly appealing enough, or that the brand still isn’t synonymous with haute horlogerie, or something else entirely. Turns out it was something else entirely, the Octa just needed a bit more time. This second award on the evening for the Octa models is a real feature in the cap for Bulgari.

RS: Well we all let this one slip, but it is very skinny. There were so many strong offerings in this category, and the Octo Finissimo was one of them.

Further reading: Our Predictions In The Tourbillon And Escapement Category Of The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève And We Are Split Over 3 Watches.

Quick Facts Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton
Case: 42.57 x 46 x 5 mm, platinum
Movement: manually wound skeletonized Caliber BVL 268 with sapphire crystal base plate and one-minute flying tourbillon; 3 Hz/21,600 vph, 52-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes
Price: 135,000 Swiss francs

Mechanical Exception: Vacheron Constantin, Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600

GG: The Vacheron Constantin took the Mechanical Exception award as I predicted, but in reality seems to have been a “lucky loser” to the Chopard that was chosen for the top award of the night.

RS: I got one right! So did they finish saying its name yet? Seriously, though, what a watch!

Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600

JM: Mechanical Exception can usually be a toss-up between style, execution, and perhaps ease of understanding. Being one of the big three can definitely help a brand in this category too. The Vacheron Constantin LCCAGC is astounding, no doubt about that, and as my runner-up pick I clearly loved it too. I looked toward unique innovation over shear mechanical bravado and so ended up choosing another watch as my winner, but now that the Vacheron Constantin won, I can honestly say I am glad to see it get recognized for the amazingness inside!

MG: I guess it is hard to beat the most complicated wristwatch in the world unless you are of course the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike and you forgo a win in this category to bring home the grand prize!

Vacheron Constantin CEO Louis Ferla accepts the award for Mechanical Exception for the unique Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600

IS: My first choice here was the Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance and the Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600 was my second choice. I did describe the Vacheron Constantin as, “If you sat down with a blank sheet of paper and started writing the ideal features that a GPHG Mechanical Exception-winning watch might have, it’s likely to contain hours, minutes, date, day, month, year, moon phase, power reserve, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, and equation of time; the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600 could have been made to win this competition.

However, I didn’t pick as my No. 1 because this astronomical marvel is a one-off; it was commissioned by a collector and can’t really even be considered part of the Vacheron Constantin collection. That said though, it is a very worthy winner.

Further reading: Our Predictions In The Mechanical Exception Category Of The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

Quick Facts Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600
Case: 45 x 13.6 mm, white gold
Movement: manual-winding Vacheron Constantin Caliber 3600; 504-hour power reserve (3 weeks); 18,000 vph / 2.5 Hz frequency; Seal of Geneva; one-minute tourbillon; 6 spring barrels
Functions: hours, minutes; perpetual calendar with day, date, month, year, moon phase, running equation of time, day/night indication, age of moon, times of sunrise/sunset, length of day and night, seasons, solstices, equinoxes and zodiac signs; tide level indicator; power reserve indication; sky chart of northern hemisphere, ecliptic and celestial equator: sidereal time hours and minutes
Limitation: one unique piece
Price: not disclosed

Sports Watch Prize: Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta

IS: The Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta was my pick to take this category because it’s not just an excellent regatta countdown timer, it pushes the technology and functionality of countdown timers in that you can use it to both count down the start and then time the actual race once the gun is fired. The countdown second hand counts down backward to the start and then runs forward once the race has begun. A practical sports watch with a great movement in a good-looking package. What’s not to like?

Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta with blue dial

JM: I chose this as my winner so I’m very glad the jury agreed. Out of all the sports watches, this was clearly the best example of innovation and purposeful creation in the category. It fixed a problem that has been around since the first regatta timer was created, and it deserved to be recognized!

MG: A very deserved win for Ulysse Nardin! The Marine Regatta not only brings a beautiful movement to the table with a unique complication, but one that is also wrapped in that typical Ulysse Nardin case and dial. Stunning watch all around!

Ulysse Nardin CEO Patrick Pruniaux accepts the award for Best Sports Watch for the Marine Regatta

ED: This was for me the best purpose-built sports watch for its sport in the running: the chronograph that counts down to the regatta start and then begins to count back up when the start time has been reached is nothing short of genius.

Further reading: Flying With The Wind In Its Sails: Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta and Quill & Pad’s Predictions In The Sports Category Of The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve.

Quick Facts Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta
Case: 44 x 14.9 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic Caliber UN-155 with 72-hour power reserve, silicon escapement
Functions: hours, minutes; date, bi-directional regatta timer with countdown minutes, standard chronograph minutes and hours
Price: 15,900 Swiss francs

So, how did we do with our predictions?

Ian’s correct predictions
Ladies: Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton
Ladies High-Mech: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate
Calendar: Greubel Forsey QP à Équation
Artistic Crafts: Kari Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure
Sports Watch: Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta

GaryG’s correct predictions
Sports Watch: Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta
Artistic Crafts: Kari Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure
Ladies High-Mech: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate
Calendar: Greubel Forsey QP à Équation
Mechanical Exception: Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600

Joshua’s correct predictions
Sports Watch: Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta
Artistic Crafts: Kari Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure
Ladies: Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton
Mechanical Exception: Chopard L.U.C. Full Strike (went on to win the Aiguille d’Or)
Ladies High-Mech: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate
Calendar: Greubel Forsey QP à Équation (tie)

Martin’s correct predictions
Sports Watch: Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta
Artistic Crafts: Kari Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure
Ladies: Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton
Men’s: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic
Ladies High-Mech: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate

Ryan’s correct predictions
Artistic Crafts: Kari Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure
Ladies High-Mech: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate
Mechanical Exception: Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600