Grand Prix d'Horlogerie: The world's most prestigious watchmakers vie for l'Aiguille d'Or in Geneva
The countdown is on for the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie in Geneva, where 90 timepieces are in the running for 20 prizes, including the renowned Grand Prix de l'Aiguille d'Or.
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00:00 Watch enthusiasts are waiting for it, manufacturers are holding their breath.
00:05 The minutes are ticking away before one of the highlights of the watchmaking calendar, the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix.
00:12 After an international tour, the nominated timepieces were exhibited in Geneva.
00:19 They are in the running for 20 prizes, including the prestigious Grand Prix de l'Aiguille d'Or.
00:25 These awards for watchmaking excellence are the result of a selection process overseen by more than 850 academics from around the world.
00:33 The Universal Academy allows us to assert that we are impartial.
00:39 It allows us to assert that we are universal, since the academics come from all over the world,
00:44 but also the watches selected come from all over the world.
00:47 And finally, there is the third principle, which is that of solidarity.
00:52 It's a call to all the brands to take part in this great festival of watchmaking,
00:56 which celebrates the excellence of all the watchmaking professions.
01:00 The winners of this 23rd edition will be announced here in Geneva on the 9th of November.
01:08 There are 90 timepieces in the competition.
01:11 What will the watchmakers have in store for us? Let's find out.
01:15 One of the brands to stand out this year is Chopard, based in Geneva.
01:21 The independent luxury company founded in 1860 has already won the Aiguille d'Or in 2017,
01:28 thanks to its famous LUC full strike.
01:31 This year, four of its creations were nominated, like this re-edition of the first timepiece in the LUC collection,
01:40 named after the founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard, in a creation made of recycled steel.
01:48 One of our core values has always been creation and research.
01:53 Research into working with materials that are totally new to watchmaking or jewellery.
02:00 At Chopard, we are always looking for aesthetics, innovation and beauty.
02:06 Chopard is renowned for its jewellery virtuosity.
02:14 Precious stones and metals are combined with patience and know-how in this gem-setting workshop.
02:20 The brand which makes its own gold alloys has taken a responsible approach.
02:26 It's committed to using only ethical gold in its watches and jewellery.
02:31 We've clearly seen an evolution in our customer base when it comes to sustainability issues.
02:39 More questions are asked in-store, that's for sure, with differences depending on the market.
02:44 But it's also our responsibility as a company that promotes its sustainability programme
02:49 to be able to engage customers, discuss these issues with them to raise their awareness
02:54 and enable them to influence their consumer choices.
02:57 A total of 56 brands are represented at this year's Grand Prix.
03:03 The Swiss region of Schaffhausen, close to the German border, is the home of IWC.
03:09 The company, known for its cutting-edge engineering and materials, is also presenting four timepieces,
03:17 including two perpetual calendars, the Lake Tahoe's Aviator's Watch with its white ceramic case
03:23 and the elegant Portofino, which conceals a jewel of watchmaking technology beneath its dial.
03:32 We still have the idea that everything we create here will survive time.
03:37 And so this beyond time not only talks about the durability and the longevity of our materials and creations,
03:45 but it also captures a little bit the dream of many of our customers
03:49 that purchase products that are meant to last for generations.
03:53 And this comes together for me in the most perfect way in our perpetual calendars.
03:58 IWC is also presenting two long-awaited versions of its iconic model, the Ingenieur,
04:04 imagined by watch design legend Gerald Genta almost 50 years ago.
04:09 Every new collection basically is walking a fine line between the past and the future,
04:16 paying tribute to what makes IWC IWC, what is recognisable and can be associated to the brand,
04:24 but still infusing lots of ideas and surprising our customers with new innovations.
04:29 This idea to have a very pure and reduced design combined with the ultimate accuracy and robustness
04:36 is still the underlaying idea of many of the watches we have in our portfolio today.
04:41 That's all for this preview of the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix 2023.
04:46 In the run-up to the ceremony on the 9th of November,
04:49 a cultural programme is taking place on the exhibition site to share the passion for watchmaking with everyone,
04:55 especially young people.
04:57 (upbeat music)