by GaryG
Gentlemen and Ladies:
Greetings! Whether you know it or not, you have – collectively and individually – made a real difference in my life. Your products have brought me countless hours of joy, and the people I’ve met through watches have become many of my very closest friends.
One of the happiest side benefits of my active involvement in the watch hobby over the years has been the opportunity to interact with, and learn from, many of the industry’s business and creative leaders. If I’ve met you already, I consider it to have been a privilege; if not, I hope to make your acquaintance in the future and hear about your perspectives, goals, and challenges.
Right now, you have an opportunity to make another real difference, this time to the health of the mechanical watch industry and the prosperity of your own brand. Whether or not your brand has participated in the past regularly, occasionally or not at all, 2020 is the year for you to commit to entering your best new pieces in the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve.
Big brands can win: 2019 GPHG Innovation Prize winner, the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat
Why listen to me?
For those of you who don’t know me, I hold the somewhat fanciful title of “Resident Collector” here at Quill & Pad. I’ve been engrossed with timekeeping and timepieces for as long as I can recall. I have been building my watch collection since the early 1990s and have been actively involved in online and in-person watch communities since the early 2000s.
Over the years, I’ve owned watches from pretty much all of the major groups, the big free-standing houses, several smaller brands, and many of the great independent creators of our time, from Philippe Dufour, Kari Voutilainen, and F.P. Journe to Konstantin Chaykin, Ludovic Ballouard, and Romain Gauthier, and back again.
In my day job of 40+ years, I am a veteran business strategist, broadly published management author, and small-firm CEO of many years’ standing.
For the past two years, I have served as a member of the GPHG jury; and while the 2020 jury has not been named, I remain a member of the GPHG Academy. When asked to join the jury in 2018, I was flattered to be described as an “all-rounder”: someone with broad interests, an open attitude, and no particular biases for or against any brand, creator, or watch.
It is in that spirit that I solicit your participation.
Why join, and why now?
It’s no secret that for the watch industry, and for its Swiss branch specifically, the recent months have been tough. The real threat of life-changing illness, travel restrictions, political and social unrest, shuttering of retail outlets, and economic uncertainty are only some of the factors that the industry is grappling with as it seeks to sustain its connections with consumers and rebuild demand.
With the demise of Baselworld and the steady drip of new-product introductions throughout the year, we now seem to have lost much of the excitement associated with the big event-centered marketing opportunities of the past.
And while there’s likely no going back from (and real benefits to) spreading introductions across the calendar, wouldn’t it be great to have a focused event that shines a spotlight on the entire industry, gets consumers’ juices flowing, and stimulates both active debate about the relative merits of different timepieces and reminds buyers of watches that they might consider adding to their collections?
Yep: GPHG.
Highly visible: audience of distinguished guests and nominees, GPHG 2019 (photo courtesy Gregory Maillot/Point of Views)
Four big reasons for you to join in:
Showcase: Once each year, all eyes – including those of tomorrow’s potential major customers – are on that stage in Geneva, where the “Oscars of Watchmaking” are presented, and the choices of the jury are then dissected, praised and criticized, just as with film and arts awards around the world.
But what if at the Oscars Sony, Universal, and Disney declined to participate? It just wouldn’t be the same. But the real point is that they wouldn’t consider such a thing: the visibility associated with the awards has proven butts-in-theater-seats benefits that make the effort, expense, and “risk” of losing absolutely worthwhile.
The GPHG is an under-leveraged platform for you to build brand awareness and reputation.
Community and solidarity: Yes, you compete with the other brands, but at the same time you depend on each other to raise the profile and prestige of the industry, support the livelihoods of countless suppliers, and give consumers reasons to buy another watch rather than a car, boat, or case of wine. I’ve also spent enough hours attending panel discussions involving executives from multiple brands and even more hours propping up the bar at Basel’s Trois Rois to know that many of you actually like each other!
Yes, our small world involves watches, but it’s all about the people. Aside from Only Watch, GPHG is perhaps the only regular opportunity to advance this principle in a material and publicly visible way.
Luc Pettavino, winner of the Jury Special Prize at the 2019 GPHG (photo courtesy Miguel Bueno)
Feedback: In my business life, and for that matter in life in general, I hate losing more than I love winning. But in every business loss, I gained valuable (if painful) information about how to interpret potential clients’ desires, needs, and obstacles in a more compelling way in order to win the next time.
Especially with the new Academy structure established for 2020, you have the opportunity to hear what more than 300 deeply-interested industry participants see in your watches – and don’t see.
In 2020, for the first time the new Academy model has given a broad group a blank slate to propose this year’s new watches of particular merit. If you or your team have been approached by the GPHG organization with the news that the Academy encourages you to enter one or more of your watches, you’re already winning. Enjoy the positive feedback and act on it!
Fresh faces, new inputs: The Academy is a central element of new GPHG president Raymond Loretan’s improvements to the 2020 process; this diverse group not only identifies worthy potential entrants, but will be the assembly that votes to select the six finalists in each category – and it will also have a voice in the jury’s final selections of the winning watches.
As for the jury itself, it is being entirely reconstituted for 2020 and half of the members will be drawn at random from different sectors of the Academy, providing more fresh perspectives.
The 2019 GPHG jury along with the winners on stage: expect big changes for 2020 (photo courtesy Gregory Maillot/Point of Views)
Addressing your objections
I’m not naïve, so let’s talk frankly about some reservations you may be harboring:
The competition is “fixed”: First of all, see “fresh faces, new inputs” above.
Second: having sat in the jury room for two years, I don’t see it. Many of the jury members are folks I’ve known for very many years and for whom I have great respect, and I see them as neither corruptible nor even particularly subject to influence.
And remember: the jury can only select among the watches that are entered. Do lots of independents seem to win? Well, many of them enter, and I’d challenge you to tell me why a Rexhepi, Voutilainen, Grönefeld, MB&F, or Greubel Forsey isn’t a worthy contender, just as your entered watches would be – if you entered them.
The author greets Men’s Watch winner Kari Voutilainen on stage, GPHG 2019 awards ceremony (photo courtesy Gregory Maillot/Point of Views)
To be fair, I’m on the record previously having said that while I believe that everyone I’ve interacted with on the jury is trying very hard to do the right thing, their definitions of “the right thing” seemingly cover a range from selecting the objectively best watch in each category (my core principle) to also considering the merits of various manufacturers, rewarding longevity, and so on (views that have come up in conversation but which have then been actively challenged by other jury members, myself included).
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, winner of the Iconic category at GPHG 2019
The categories are odd: Okay, you’ve got me there. Again, I don’t sit in on the policy discussions of the GPHG leadership, and some of the additions, deletions, definitions, and combinations of prize categories do seem downright odd to me. Once you are an active participant in the process, I hope that you will push for more transparency here as I do in private discussions.
We might not win: In a lot of ways, that’s really not the point of participating in this event, is it? A fair process that gives you added visibility and raises the fortunes of the entire industry can’t be so bad to play in, in my humble opinion, regardless of who gets to wave the trophy.
Is the GPHG, even in its revised guise, ideal?
Of course not. You know from your own experience as a corporate leader that all systems that involve humans are a diverse blend of rationality, emotions, and politics – and the GPHG is no exception.
That said, while I don’t participate in any of the internal discussions of GPHG leadership, I do see this year’s changes to the model as good-faith efforts to reduce further the political aspects of the event; and who ever said that watches and watchmaking weren’t deeply steeped in emotion?
So, go ahead, try it. Oh – and one more thing – you might just win.
Parting shot: you may be a winner! Triumphant CEOs and independent creators at GPHG 2019 (photo courtesy Gregory Maillot/Point of Views)
For more information, please visit www.gphg.org/horlogerie/en/gphg-2020/rules
You may also enjoy:
Quill & Pad’s Predictions For The Aiguille d’Or (Grand Prize) Of The 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève
Our Predictions In The Challenge Category Of The 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Bang For Your Buck Right Here
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!
Totally agree with your thought process GaryG, you have to be in it to win it!
Thanks, Sid! Trust me, I’m as sore a loser (maybe more) than the next guy, but sometimes that’s not really the point of participating in an industry-wide promotional opportunity…
Best, Gary
Dear Gary Getz, ‘props!’ , yes, … the GPHG seems so isolated and so old fashioned. It is a very closed society of people with a very high average distribution of age. This may be representative in terms of the demographic change in Europe, but it restricts thinking. Throughout my entire professional life, I have always found it detrimental sooner or later when working groups and whole companies were disconnected or isolated and losing contact to new and fresh ideas. I feel nothing worse than group-think and the transition to snobbery in an ageing group of experts. The GPHG is simply too old-fashioned and, to a large extent, too elitist and therefore also too unknown to a broader public. So I am very happy about the wake up call from you Gary Getz and wish for everything you want plus an additional very young perspective. Viva GPHG. Always stay fresh, Thomas.
Many thanks, Thomas! I completely agree with you that the injection of new voices into the nominating and selection processes of the GPHG can only be a good thing — and I do sincerely hope that a broader cross-section of brands will choose to enter in the spirit of open participation and competition.
All the best, Gary
Completely disagree. GPHG is a joke, and has been a joke since they started to charge brands to participate. Any stupid brand with a stupid watch can pay 500 francs and they’re “in the GPHG.” They may get weeded out, but there’s so many brands with so many watches that don’t participate, it’s not a fair judge of anything.
Quick clarification: the brands have always had to pay an entry fee. And pretty much every competition for everything in the world charges entry fees. That is standard practice.
Hi Lew — Elizabeth has addressed your first point in her response, and your second point (that many brands don’t participate) is quite valid — and the main reason that I’ve written this request for more brands to get involved! I hope that they will, as this can only increase the credibility of GPHG.
Best, Gary
Gary, totally in line with you, I think it is time for all to be united, we need to be really showing one big family, the GPHG has this year one main objective which is to express to the world one key word which is « passion » and nothing else. It is the essence of collecting and remains the prime objective for generations fo collectors, event the ones to come, to love and share about watches. Geneva has been the heart of watchmaking for centuries and we need to make sure it stays like this which is part of the Swiss Culture. Thanks for your great input. Geoffroy
Dear Geoffroy,
Thanks very much for taking the time to contribute these comments. Your reputation and experience speak for themselves and I really appreciate your positive thoughts on behalf of the industry and this showcase event.
All the best,
Gary
Hello,
GPHG and BaselWorld were the main targets for me to make my premium watch brand known to a larger public and an exclusive public.I was very proud to participate.
Helmut Crott
Dear Dr. Crott,
Thank you for taking the time to provide these comments! Your support for GPHG is both welcome and important.
By the way, I do need to apologize as I still have that green strap on your former watch…
All the best, and hope to see you again sometime soon.
Gary
Thanks Gary! We totally agree. The major joy is in participating! It doesn’t matter if you win or not. The main point is in making this event The Celebration of watchmaking! The Celebration of our struggles and our (lonely) successes. The Celebration of accomplishing one of the nicest activity a man or a woman can perform during his or her lifetime. The Celebration of sharing a passion and having the chance to work in a passionate manner for what we love.
Cheers. Xavier
Greetings, Xavier, and many thanks for your comments here! I really can’t add anything to what you’ve said so will simply agree — and I know that we will continue to see strong entries from Czapek at GPHG in the years ahead.
All the best, Gary
who ARE WE , but our relationships
community of participants in GPHG are but a process to who we WE ARE
Exactly! The annual gathering for GPHG is for me one of the most heartwarming events of the year — and would be even more special if more of the industry were there.
Best, Gary