The watchmaking world holds its breath as the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève approaches

This year, 90 timepieces selected by the GPHG Academy are vying for 20 prizes, including the prestigious Grand Prix de l'Aiguille d'Or, which was awarded to Audemars Piguet’s Code 11.59 at last year’s ceremony.

As in previous years, 15 categories will be represented. New to the 2024 edition is the removal of the "Mechanical Clock" category in favour of "Time Only," a category dedicated to timepieces without complications. Additionally, the Innovation Prize has been redefined as the Eco-Innovation Prize, now honouring creations focused on sustainability and traceability.

Raymond Loretan, President of the GPHG, told Euronews the main objective of the Grand Prix is to have “the art of watchmaking be considered as the 12th art.”

“It’s more than just a prize,” he remarked. “While we’re showcasing the world’s most exquisite watches for 2024, our mission goes beyond that. We’re promoting the love of this art and inspiring young people with the values of watchmaking: innovation, tradition and creativity.”

Among the unchanged categories, the ‘Ladies’ category will feature Hermès’ debut women’s mechanical watch, Hermès Cut, alongside jewellery watch icons such as Van Cleef & Arpels and Chopard.

In the prestigious ‘Mechanical Exception’ category, Bovet presents its Récital 28 Prowess 1, which, according to the brand’s charismatic CEO Pascal Raffy, “solves a problem that is centuries old.” Timepieces with universal time functions have long struggled with adjusting to daylight saving time, which varies by region. Bovet’s solution utilises a system of rollers that allows all cities to align with the correct time zone in one smooth movement.

In the ‘Calendar and Astronomy’ category, watchmaker Peter Speake and Manufacture Frédérique Constant