In this final round table discussion, my Quill & Pad colleagues and I discuss the amazing evening of November 9, 2018 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

The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

JM: The 2018 GPHG was a great success this year, at least when considering my original predictions. Out of the 13 regular categories I predicted seven correctly, and of the remaining categories none were that surprising. Even with the special categories there weren’t many surprises: great watches and great people won.

MG: It nearly never happens that the GPHG jury decides in such a way that I can find myself in all the winners, but that is exactly what happened this year. All are very well deserved, and this includes the Special Jury Prize for Jean-Claude Biver.

The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève about to begin

ED: I felt very much the same way: everything – and all winners – were in great balance!

IS: 2018 was a vintage year for the GPHG. In fact, I consider the selection of winners by the jury the best yet. Correlation isn’t causation, but it’s worth noting the arrival of our own GaryG to the jury this year coincided with great improvement.

Quill & Pad’s Elizabeth Doerr and GaryG were both on the jury of the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

MG: What I also thought was remarkable, was that there were a lot of non-Swiss winners: Habring2 is from Austria; Konstantin Chaykin, who won very well-deserved the Audacity Prize, is from Russia; German brand Nomos took the Challenge prize home; and Japan’s Seiko conquered the Sports watch category.

Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2018 winners and jury

GG: Free (to comment) at last! I read my colleagues’ insightful remarks on the various GPHG categories throughout the runup to the jury’s deliberations, and now that this year’s edition is complete I’m happy to be able to toss in a few thoughts of my own.

I can say that I found the deliberation process with my fellow jurors to be very enjoyable; lots of diverse (and informed) thoughts, and civil debates of various views. Of course, none of that matters if the outcomes aren’t of high quality, but my feeling is that the jury did a good job this year of rewarding the top watches; I’m interested to hear what my fellow panelists here think!

JM: The format was an interesting shift as one of the presenters was also a singer who did most of the entertainment during the show, though from my perspective I couldn’t quite tell if she was trying to make the performances comedic as she seemed to impersonate the original artists as she performed. It was interesting to say the least and kept additional performers and presenters to a minimum.

Edouard Baer and Véronic DiCaire provided moderation and entertainment for the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

IS: Great night, started early, good presenter, good entertainer, strictly enforced time limits of just 90 seconds on speeches (that’s more ample than it might seem) . . . and I not only have zero disagreements with all of the laureates on the night, I felt wholeheartedly that that all were well-deserved winners in each and every case for the first time ever.

JM: The comedy of the main host, Edouard Baer, was (as it almost always is) a bit difficult to get into with the language and culture barrier for me, though he didn’t seem to poke too much fun at any country, culture, or women specifically as has been done in the past, which is a welcome change. The speed of the show seemed better than in previous shows, though the insistence on having some of the presenters sit in the audience right up until the moment they need to be on stage is a waste of time. The winners obviously will be out in the audience, but if you are a presenter there should be someone coming to get them at least five minutes before they need to be on stage.

I also feel like filler music, while a bit unoriginal, could be useful in keeping the periods of waiting while people walk a bit less awkward . . . there seemed to be some large silent moments that should be avoided at an awards ceremony.

Overall, I feel like it was a good show with a fantastic field of winners. Given how upset I was at some choices last year, I come away this year feeling like every watch that won deserved it even if it wasn’t my favorite in a specific category. Perhaps the jury and I were more in sync this year or perhaps behind-the-scenes drama didn’t affect the outcome like we have heard in the past with watches not working and the like.

Ladies: Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton

JM: I picked the Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton as my winner for this category and I was happy it was chosen. It is a fantastic watch that even I would love to wear (maybe without the diamonds). Chanel has been doing a great job of focusing on high-end watchmaking, and with a win like this it may see some very good returns on that investment.

Chanel watch and jewelry international director Nicolas Beau accepts the Ladies award from jury members Suzanne Wong and Pierre Maillard for the Boy.Friend Skeleton

IS: The Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton was a clear winner in our predictions of the Ladies category. I think that the proportions of the (nearly rectangular) octagonal case are just perfect, and the straight lines of the case highlight the curved bridges of the skeleton movement.

The Boy.Friend Skeleton shows that you do not need a lot of smoke and mirrors to make a great ladies’ watch, but you do need meticulous attention to detail.

GG: I’d like to give a shout-out to a piece that I thought had real merit but fell short in its respective category here: the Moritz Grossman Tefnut Twist.

Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton

IS: While I predicted the Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton to win Gary, I also had a hope that the Moritz Grossman Tefnut Twist had a strong chance.

ED: As much as I thought the Chanel was deserving of winning in this category with its beautiful purpose-built movement, I too was sorry to see this particular Moritz Grossmann, with its very clever winding system and sober-yet-feminine look, go home empty-handed.

See how well our team predicted the winners in this category in Quill & Pad’s Predictions In The Ladies Category Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

Ladies Complication: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planétarium

JM: Another category that I picked correctly: the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planétarium is a spectacular watch with a movement developed by the awesome people at Christiaan van der Klaauw. They obviously have a fantastic working relationship with results like the Lady Arpels Planétarium. I have always been enamored by the planetarium complication from van der Klaauw (see Christiaan Van Der Klaauw Planetarium Black Aventurine: Enigmatic Material Exposed), and in this format it truly is breathtaking.

Van Cleef & Arpels international director of operations and métiers Eric de Rocquinay accepts the Ladies Complication award from jury members Kim-Eva Wempe and Carson Chan for the Lady Arpels Planétarium

GG: Another selection that brought me particular pleasure was the Van Cleef & Arpels Planétarium as the best complicated ladies’ watch.

ED: And, really, another highly deserving winner in my view!

MG: I am very happy for Van Cleef & Arpels with the Lady Arpels Planétarium; it was exciting to see this award given, also for a personal reason: the movement is by Dutch watch manufacture Christiaan van der Klaauw, which I visited earlier this year (see Visiting Christiaan Van Der Klaauw: To The Moon And Back).

Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planétarium

IS: I correctly predicted the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planétarium as the winner of this category writing, “It takes, or at least it should take, much more than being a superlative watch to win a GPHG category. Superlative should just be a baseline for entry into the elite world of the “pre-selected.” To win you need to be innovative, imaginative, creative, and audacious. The Planétarium looks fantastic, is playful, educational, fanciful, astronomical, and at 38 mm very wearable on slim wrists.”

See how well the team made its predictions in Our Predictions In The Ladies Complication Category Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève: One Is Outed As A Drag Queen.

Further reading:
Aventurine: Sparkling, Glittering, Mysterious, And Placing A Galaxy Of Stars On Your Wrist
Best Of SIHH 2018: Top 5 Watches For Women

Men’s: Akrivia Chronomètre Contemporain

ED: With or without the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève to back me up, I would have chosen this watch as one of the best introduced this year: it just has the best of everything in it!

IS: My pick for best men’s watch of 2018 was the MB&F Legacy Machine Split Escapement, which I admit was a long shot in the Men’s Category as the winners are usually more traditional looking. As I explained in our category predictions, the Akrivia Chronomètre Contemporain was my third-place choice, and that’s despite not liking the dial: that inner line with its square crenulations around the Roman numerals is a blemish for me – and yet I still love it!

Akrivia founder Rexhep Rexhepi accepts the Men’s award from jury members Eric Ku and Heekyung Jung for the Chronomètre Contemporain

GG: From the roar in the hall, you could tell that the choice of the Akrivia in the Men’s category was immensely popular, and I was very pleased to see Rexhep Rexhepi up on the stage accepting his award.

IS: Until Akriva was announced, the audience was respectfully quiet, which made the enthusiastic applause for Rexhepi as he collected the prize so much more pronounced, highlighting the popularity of one of Geneva’s own made good.

Akrivia Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain

JM: This win probably made me the happiest; I love so many watchmakers and seeing them win is always amazing, but Akrivia founder Rexhepi and his brother are truly great guys that deserve every recognition that I am sure is going to come their way. This win cements them in the pantheon of great modern independent watchmakers like almost nothing else can. Previously the only honor that might compare was being chosen to be the lead watchmaker for a Harry Winston Opus timepiece.

Find out how we did with our predictions in Our Predictions For Best Men’s Watch At The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (Hint: Spoilt For Choice).

Men’s Complication: Laurent Ferrier Galet Annual Calendar School Piece

JM: This category was my biggest surprise, not because the Laurent Ferrier it isn’t a great timepiece (I said it was in my predictions) but given the wow factor of the rest of the pieces I am surprised this watch stood out to the jury. I think the Galet Annual Calendar School Piece is a terrific watch, and I love the departure from the normal Laurent Ferrier styling, but it can’t be denied that it is a much more sober and restrained watch than its competitors.

Laurent Ferrier accepts the Men’s Complication award from jury members Carla Chalouhi and Gianfranco Ritschel for the Galet Annual Calendar School Piece

But perhaps this was the winning ticket: to be complicated and well executed without being overly flashy. Humility in watchmaking can go a long way, and I think the simple perfection and the near-monochromatic color scheme kept this one from being its own worst enemy. I’m very happy for Mr. Ferrier and the brand.

Laurent Ferrier Galet Annual Calendar School Piece

IS: While I would happily own and wear the Laurent Ferrier Galet Annual Calendar School Piece, I was less enthusiastic about it as a potential winner here, stating it is another drool-inducing watch and I like the layout of the indications on the dial. But are a power reserve indicator and annual calendar remarkable in terms of their mechanical creativity and complexity as the rules state? I didn’t think so . . . but the jury did.

See how everyone did with their predictions in Our Predictions For Best Men’s Complication Watch At The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (Spoiler Alert! Panel Is Divided, But Has Clear Favorites).

Chronograph: Singer Reimagined Track 1 Hong Kong Edition

JM: Vindication!! Okay, it’s not vindication for me, but it is for the extremely hard work of Agenhor in making the revolutionary movement inside and others behind this watch. This Singer has a great design and with persistence has helped right a (perceived) wrong from last year when it didn’t win. I actually fist-pumped the air when Singer’s Marco Borraccino was called on stage to accept this award as I felt like my home team had just scored the winning touchdown.

While I understand why it might have not won last year, I am glad that only one year later it is getting some deserved recognition (and by extension Agenhor). Of course, I picked this to win this year, so it gets a check on my list of predictions.

CEO Marco Borraccino accepts the Chronograph award from jury members Dody Guissani and David Chang for the Singer Reimagined Track 1 Hong Kong Edition

IS: GPHG recognition for the Singer Reimagined Track1 has only come a year too late in my opinion. Better late than never however, and this Hong Kong edition was a clear winner for me as the best chronograph of 2018. I am very pleased to see that the jury agreed.

Singer Reimagined Track 1 Hong Kong Edition

ED: It truly was an excellent feeling to see the AgenGraphe movement finally win a much-deserved award at this competition, though I might have been hard pressed to choose between this and the Fabergé Visionnaire version had they been in the same category this year.

See the team’s forecasting abilities in Our Predictions For Best Chronograph At The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève: Our Panel Is Not Unanimous But A Clear Favorite Emerges.

More reading: Track 1 By Singer Reimagined Is The World’s Most Advanced ‘Flat 6’ Chronograph: It Might Not Sound Like An Air-Cooled 911, But It Sure Laps Like One! (Updated)

Chronometry: De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon

GG: I was very pleased to see De Bethune win in the category I presented on stage, Chronometry. And I can tell you: that trophy is heavy! I was trying to stand as nonchalantly as possible with it in my hand as De Bethune CEO Pierre Jacques made his remarks, but it seemed to get heavier and heavier with each passing moment, and I was only too happy to hand it over when the time came.

CEO Pierre Jacques accepts the Chronometry award from jury members GaryG and Antoine Simonin for the De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon

ED: I would think that publishing the rate data for this watch was one of the keys to its success in this category. That and the absolutely beauty and ingenuity it brings to the table!

IS: That’s a good point Elizabeth, in a category focused on precision, De Bethune were the only brand to offer data highlight just how precise their watch was.

JM: Very excited to see De Bethune win with the DB25 Starry Varius for multiple reasons. First, only a couple short years ago this brand’s future looked to be in danger, so to come back from the brink of death and win a chronometry prize at the GPHG shows that it hasn’t lost any mojo.

Second, De Bethune is one of my favorite brands, so I will always absolutely love its watches, and this piece is no exception. Finally, I was glad it won the Chronometry category as it was the only watch in the competition that publicly stated its accuracy, which is sort of the point of this type of competition. Chalk another one up for my predictions!

The De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon on the wrist

IS: I thought that the only way the DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon would not take the Chronometry category was if it had won the Aiguille d’Or, which fortunately for Bovet it didn’t quite manage to do, but I’m very pleased to see De Bethune take this prize.

Find out how we did with our predictions in Our Predictions In The Chronometry Category Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie De Genève: A Clear Favorite Emerges.

Mechanical Exception: Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie

JM: This was a big category, and while I picked another piece I was not – even for a second – surprised when the Grande Sonnerie from Greubel Forsey won. I mean, it’s an entirely new, uniquely engineered grand sonnerie finished to the absolutely highest levels possible, for darn’s sake! How could it not win? Well, it did win. High five to everyone at Greubel Forsey for the win, they really make some incredible watches.

Co-founder Stephen Forsey accepts the Mechanical Exception award from jury members Philippe Dufour and Sébastien Chaulmontet for the Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie

GG: Greubel Forsey’s splendid Grande Sonnerie may have been promoted when Bovet took the evening’s top prize . . .

ED: . . . but it may have just won its category, Gary, which I kind of suspect it did. Either way: BRAVO!

GG: Both wonderful watches, and as surprises go the idea that the Greubel Forsey wouldn’t be the top watch overall this year would have been startling to me when I saw the piece at SIHH in January!

Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie front and back

IS: I was so close to picking the Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie as my winner of this category, but felt it was pipped at the post. And I even wrote, “I’m still not certain that I made the right decision.” Well the jury’s in and now I am certain that I made the wrong decision. Lesson learnt: never bet against Greubel Forsey. The Grand Sonnerie is both a sensational watch and a groundbreaking sonnerie, and I applaud the jury’s selection.

See how everyone did with their predictions in Our Predictions In The Mechanical Exception Category Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

Sports: Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Re-creation

IS: While I didn’t pick the Seiko as the winner of the Sports category, it was my number two selection so I wasn’t far off. I described my reasoning as: “I’m no fan of re-creations just because they are re-creations, but the Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Re-Creation is a superb watch regardless: 300-meter depth resistance, high-speed balance, and excellent legibility make this a great watch for its intended purpose. Nothing fancy, it just does the job perfectly, which earns it my number-two pick.”

Director of Seiko Watch Corporation Atsushi Kaneko accepts the Sports award from jury members Gael Monfils and Carlos Alonso for the Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Re-creation

JM: I got this category wrong but only by picking the Seiko as number two and only because I was heavily campaigning for the AgenGraphe-based Fabergé Visionnaire Chronograph Dynamique. And since the jury didn’t go for that piece, the Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Re-creation is the next logical choice. It has everything you need in a good diving watch, including the price.

And it has all the nostalgia you need without detracting from the usability of the piece. Simply a great watch! Also, when anything non-Swiss wins, it pays tribute to great watchmaking from around the world.

Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Re-creation

See how well the team made its predictions in Our Predictions In The Sports Category Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie De Genève: Our 6 Panelists Pick 5 Different Winners.

Further reading: 5 Professional Diver’s Watches Surfacing At Baselworld 2018

Jewellery: Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle

JM: I picked this one as my winner because it was stunningly beautiful and at the same time held a piece of horological history by using the Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 101. Even though my jewelry knowledge is under par, I really felt like this piece had so much going for it that I couldn’t say no. Turns out neither could the jury!

Van Cleef & Arpels international director of operations and métiers Eric de Rocquinay accepts the Jewellery award from jury members Claude Sfeir and Jack Forster for the charming Secret de Coccinelle

ED: I was certainly enamored of the fact that it is precisely this movement powering the hands hidden under the charming ruby ladybug! And putting the bracelet watch on also confirmed just how well designed this piece is.

MG: The Jewellery category is always a special one for me personally, and I am very happy to see Van Cleef & Arpels also win here. This watch really pushes the boundaries as it especially puts aesthetic gemstone-set watches in a different spotlight.

Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle on the wrist

IS: The Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle was my number-three choice in the Jewellery category, but that was based on photos. After seeing the watch in the flesh, I well understood why the jury fell for this superb creation. And it’s worth noting that this was one of two prizes for VC&A on the evening.

See what our team predicted in Our Predictions In The Jewellery Category Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie De Genève: And Again With Diverse Viewpoints.

Artistic Crafts: Hermès Arceau Robe du Soir

GG: I found it tough to choose among the excellent entries in the Metiers d’Art and Jewellery categories, but thought the eventual victors were fine pieces – and MrsGaryG will certainly be hinting around about a chance to acquire the equestrian-themed Hermés watch with its leather mosaic dial!

CEO of La Montre Hermès Laurent Dordet accepts the Artistic Crafts award from jury members Rebecca Struthers and Vincent Perez for the fantastic Hermès Arceau Robe du Soir

IS: Yet again I was so close, but no banana. The Hermès Arceau Robe du Soir was my number-two pick with its 2,200 miniscule leather squares making up the motif inspired by the “Robe du Soir” silk scarf designed by Florence Manlik. The whole concept worked very nicely for me, and as someone with horses at home the motif felt personal. I didn’t pick the Arceau Robe du Soir as my first choice, but stand fully behind the jury’s selection.

Hermès Arceau Robe du Soir (photo courtesy Hermès/Gilles Pernet)

JM: My final correct prediction was the Hermès Arceau Robe du Soir, but this category truly could have gone a number of ways. Artistic crafts are hard to compare, especially when the results are as stunning as they are. The Arceau Robe du Soir is an incredible display of the skills needed for art and a perfect example of how to do art well and still have a watch be functional. The competitors were all subjectively amazing in different ways, but I am definitely glad Hermès won.

See the team’s forecasts in Our Predictions In The Artistic Crafts Category Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie De Genève And Our Panel Is Divided (Again!).

Petite Aiguille: Habring² Doppel-Felix

JM: This is a category that I missed picking correctly, but not one that I would say went in an unexpected direction. Habring² has been a favorite in the GPHG in the past due to the incredible, honest watches it produces. Stylistically, the brand pleases a wide swath of collectors, and the prices don’t hurt either. While I had a different favorite for this category, I think a fantastic watch won regardless!

Sealed with a kiss: Richard and Maria Habring accept the 2018 Petite Aiguille prize for their Doppel-Felix

MG: I was especially taken by the win for Habring², which I think also makes a solid case for a high-end chronograph not necessarily needing to have a column wheel.

Habring2 Doppel-Felix on the wrist of Richard Habring

IS: The Habring² Doppel-Felix was a clear winner for me in the Petite Aiguille category because an in-house split-second chronograph of this quality at this price from a large brand would be an achievement. From a small independent it’s to be applauded.

See how we did guessing which way the jury would go in Our Predictions In The Petite Aiguille Category Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève And Our Panel Is Split Between Two Favorites.

Challenge: Nomos Glashütte Tangente Neomatik 41

JM: I wasn’t very confident in my picks in this category, mainly because the cost of the pieces was a great equalizer, so I went for complication and uniqueness. While that didn’t pay off, the best small independent brand ended up winning anyway thanks to a legendary product from terrific people. It is always going to be tough to beat a Nomos in a category about value for greatness.

Nomos Glashütte CEO Uwe Ahrendt accepts the award for the Challenge prize for the Tangente Neomatik 41

ED: I love the addition of the new Challenge category – though I do not doubt that Nomos Glashütte would have won prizes in this competition long before the creation of this new category.

Nomos Glashütte Tangente Neomatik 41 Update

IS: I wasn’t sure at first if splitting the sub-10,000 Swiss franc watches into two categories was a good idea, but given that the vast majority of wristwatches are likely to be sold in these two price ranges it makes perfect sense. While I picked the Tudor Black Bay as my winner, I’m very pleased for Nomos Glashütte.

See how everyone did with their predictions in Our Predictions In The Challenge Category Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie De Genève: No Clear Consensus And Quite A Few Surprises.

Aiguille d’Or: Bovet 1822 Récital 22 Grand Récital

JM: The Aiguille d’Or is always hard to predict since it can be from the entire entry field. This year was no different as nobody even discussed the Bovet in our predictions, and yet I imagine that many weren’t surprised by the win, either, given how incredibly awesome the Récital 22 Grand Récital is.

It is not a leap to think the jury would agree enough to make it the winner, either. I think choices we made for our personal Aiguille d’Or reflects the horological values for each person, and mine was pure innovation. But even though I focused on that, as soon as I heard Bovet called as the winner, I nodded and smiled since I knew it was an extremely deserving win for the brand.

Bovet owner Pascal Raffy accepts the Aiguille d’Or award for the 1822 Récital 22 Grand Récital from last year’s winner, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele of Chopard

GG: Having had the opportunity to meet with Bovet chief Pascal Raffy earlier this year and inspect the Bovet pieces in detail, I think that the Aiguille d’Or given to Bovet was entirely deserved.

Bovet 1822 Récital 22 Grand Récital

IS: While my first pick for the Aiguille d’Or was the DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon, which took the Chronometry prize, the Bovet Récital 22 Grand Récital was on my shortlist and (in my opinion) is a very well-deserved winner.

See our predictions in Quill & Pad’s Predictions For The Aiguille d’Or Of The 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, And We Have 4 Winners.

Revival Prize: Vacheron Constantin Historiques Triple Calendrier 1942

IS: While I’m not keen at all on rewarding/encouraging brands to revisit their pasts rather than look to the future, if it’s going to be done then the Vacheron Constantin Historiques Triple Calendrier 1942 is an excellent choice.

Vacheron Constantin Style and Heritage Director Christian Selmoni accepts the Revival prize for the Historiques Triple Calendrier 1942

JM: As a jury-nominated and -selected category, we can only use hindsight to judge the outcome of this category. That being said, the choice of the Vacheron Constantin Historiques Triple Calendrier 1942 was spot on as it may have been the best vintage styling of all the pieces entered this year. It looked straight out of history and, since that was the purpose of the category, it seems now that it was nearly a no-brainer.

Vacheron Constantin Historiques Triple Calendrier 1942

GG: The “hors categorie” prizes gave the jury a chance to reward some watches that excelled in specific dimensions but perhaps weren’t well-rounded enough (at least in my view) to prevail in their respective classes: for me these included the Krayon in the Innovation category, Konstantin Chaykin’s Clown for Audacity, and the Vacheron Constantin 1942 revival watch.

Innovation Prize: Krayon Everywhere Horizon

JM: The Krayon is one of those watches that is almost too well made in its clever engineering and design, making it easy to overlook if you aren’t focusing on it. So when it didn’t win its own category (Mechanical Exception), I was disappointed to be sure, but also a bit understanding. That is why I was thrilled to see it win the Innovation Prize, which means it was noticed and discussed at length, and some form of significant recognition was determined appropriate. Very glad to see it awarded for its genius!

Rémi Maillat accepts the Innovation prize from jury members William Rohr and Elizabeth Doerr for the Krayon Everywhere Horizon

ED: This is a perfect category to reward one of the most ingenious watches of the last years!

Krayon Everywhere Horizon

IS: While I thought that the Krayon Everywhere deserved recognition, I didn’t expect it to do any better than pre-selection in its category of Men’s Complications. Krayon being awarded the prize for innovation looks to be a perfect recompense for this brilliant concept.

Audacity Prize: Konstantin Chaykin Clown

JM: Konstantin Chaykin is a bid of an irreverent soul, and that is one reason I like him so much. He finds no reason to play things safe or censor his goals, ambitions, and – in this year’s case – his humor. Giving him the Audacity prize feels like a perfect fit even if his watches fell short in the categories they were entered into. Chaykin is a true talent and a spark of life in the industry, and having a prize like this just fits.

Konstantin Chaykin accepts the Audacity prize for his Clown from jury members Marine Lemonnier and Abdul Hamied Seddiqi

IS: While we did not make any predictions for the Audacity prize as the award is up to the jury’s discretion, I couldn’t imagine a more well-deserved recipient than the Konstantin Chaykin Clown. Audacity that makes you smile is an unbeatable combination.

Konstantin Chaykin Clown

Further reading: Why I Bought It: Konstantin Chaykin Joker

Special Jury Prize: Jean-Claude Biver

JM: What else can you say about Biver that will have as much importance as the fact that he was instrumental not only in making one brand something special but using a keen sense of marketing to build multiple brands and brand groups. He changed the trajectory of watchmaking for the foreseeable future, and as he retires it feels highly appropriate to honor the work he has done for the industry as a whole.

A prolonged standing ovation for Jean-Claude Biver at the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

Jean-Claude Biver accepts the Special Jury Prize from jury president Aurel Bacs

IS: While there were many very popular winners on the night, in decades of attending the GPHG I’ve never seen the audience come to their collective feet and applaud for so long and so wholeheartedly as it did when Jean-Claude Biver was announced as the recipient of the Special Jury Prize. And I have to admit that I put my camera down and joined them.

This was the icing on the cake for what I consider the fairest GPHG in terms of winners that I’ve ever seen.

Young Student Award: Christopher Lanz

JM: It is always be good to see the industry highlighting and honoring up-and-coming watchmakers while still in school. It is amazing to be viewed by the industry for the raw talent and hard work you put into your studies. Hopefully this continues to motivate the young stars in watchmaking school to lay the groundwork for the watchmakers of tomorrow.

Christopher Lanz accepts the Young Student Award from Georges Dubois

So, how did we do with our predictions?

Ian’s correct predictions
Ladies: Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton
Ladies Complication: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planétarium
Chronograph: Singer Reimagined Track 1 Hong Kong Edition
Chronometry: De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon
Petite Aiguille: Habring2 Doppel-Felix

Ashton’s correct predictions
Ladies: Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton
Ladies Complication: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planétarium
Mechanical Exception: Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie
Petite Aiguille: Habring2 Doppel-Felix
Sport: Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Re-Creation
Artistic Crafts: Hermès Arceau Robe du Soir

Joshua’s correct predictions
Ladies: Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton
Ladies Complication: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planétarium
Men’s: Akrivia Chronomètre Contemporain
Chronograph: Singer Reimagined Track 1 Hong Kong Edition
Chronometry: De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon
Jewelry: Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle
Artistic Crafts: Hermès Arceau Robe du Soir

Martin’s correct predictions
Ladies: Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton
Men’s: Akrivia Chronomètre Contemporain
Petite Aiguille: Habring2 Doppel-Felix
Jewelry: Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle

Ryan’s correct predictions
Ladies: Chanel Boy.Friend Skeleton
Men’s: Akrivia Chronomètre Contemporain

Alex’s correct predictions
Men’s: Akrivia Chronomètre Contemporain
Chronograph: Singer Reimagined Track 1 Hong Kong Edition
Chronometry: De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon