There's a company party coming up in the capital of watches!

By Britta Rossander

Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2020 and at the gala on the 20th of November we get to know who takes home prizes in the 14 different categories.

Last week entries opened and new for this year is that smart watches are allowed to take part. The entry period runs until 31 July and it usually does not take long before we get to know which watches have qualified. The requirement is that the competing watches must have been launched on the market during the period May 2019 – December 2020 

When the nomination list is ready an extensive tour for the finalists usually goes on throughout October and up until the gala in Geneva in November. We will have to keep our fingers crossed that it can be carried out this year too

Taking part in GPHG and getting to the nomination stage is usually a good way for an independent smaller brand with good finances to make itself visible. It costs to take a place among the nominees but with all the publicity it means it is many times well spent mony.

The categories

Ladies: ladies' watches with only: hours, minutes, seconds, simple date and the month, power reserve power reserve, classic moon phase and precious stones of max one carat.

Ladies Complications: ladies' watches with remarkable mechanical creativity and complexity.

Men’s: men's watches that have an indication for hours, minutes, seconds, simple date and month, power reserve, classic moon phase and may have precious stones up to 5 carat.

Mens Complication: men's watches that are remarkable when it comes to mechanical creativity and complexity.

Iconic: men's or ladies' watches from that have had an emblematic collection a lasting influence on watchmaking history and the watch market for more than 20 years.

Chronometry: mechanical watches that contain at least one tourbillon and/or other indication that improves precision. Further indications and complications are allowed.

Calendar and Astronomy: mechnical men's watches that contain at least one calendar and/or astronomical complication (e.g. date, annual calendar, perpetual calendar, equation of time, complex moon phase displays, etc.).

Mechanical Exeption: men's or ladies' watches with a special mechanism, such as an innovative or sophisticated display, an automaton or acoustic function and/or an exceptional horological concept.

Chronograph: mechanical watches with at least one chronograph indication. Further indications or complications are allowed.

Diver’s: watches for intended for the diving world.

Jewellery: watches with exceptional jewellery work and choice of stones.

Artistic Crafst: watches that show exceptional knowledge of one or more techniques such as enamelling, lacquering, engraving, guilloché, skeletonisation etc.

”Petite Aiguille”: watches with a retail price between 4 000 CHF and 10 000 CHF. Smartwatches are allowed in this category.

Challenge: watches with a retail price under 4 000 CHF. Smartwatches are allowed in this category.

Are the smart watches stepping into the inner sanctum?

So with these last two categories' description we might get to see Tag Heuers Connected with golf app. And for the same reason it could be a chance for Garmin to go and get into Geneva's inner sanctum with some model from the MARQ collection.

To this list should be added many extra prizes for among other things the watch of the year – the last one was an AP. Long and faithful service within watchmaking is another honourable prize which a couple of years ago went to Jean Claude Biver who held a moving speech.

We keep our fingers crossed that we at Eqotime can be along for the ride without risk from that damned Corona…