The watch world’s very own red carpet event takes place in Switzerland each autumn, at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The highly anticipated night sees watchmakers and their tiny creations recognized for outstanding achievement in their craft. The very best watches of the year—in 15 different categories, determined by a global jury of 27 experts—are awarded essentially the “Oscar” of the industry, complete with tiny gold statuette and heart- felt acceptance speeches. Westime is proud to be the official retailer of the following seven watches that achieved the top prizes at November’s awards ceremony. Discover them at our boutiques in Southern California and Miami.
TOURBILLON WATCH PRIZE:
Girard-Perregaux, La Esmeralda Tourbillon
Girard-Perregaux traces its iconic tourbillon movement with three gold bridges back to 1860, and the pocket watch that housed it in 1889 won the gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. Appropriately, this year’s pink gold Esmeralda Tourbillon inspired by the original, also took home top honors in its category. The automatic-winding caliber features three solid gold bridges, a 60-second tourbillon and painstaking hand- finishing throughout.
LADIES’ HIGH-MECH PRIZE:
Girard-Perregaux, Cat’s Eye Tourbillon with Gold Bridge
The award for a women’s watch that features mechanical creativity and complexity goes to Girard-Perregaux for its ultra-feminine hand-wound tourbillon. Containing 174 parts that are each decorated, adjusted and assembled by hand, the beautifully-finished tourbillon movement is nestled under a gold bridge, viewable at 6 o’clock on the mother-of-pearl dial. Extra credit is deserved for “non-mech” details including the 64 brilliant-cut diamonds on the case, bezel and buckle.
CALENDAR WATCH PRIZE:
MB&F, Legacy Machine Perpetual
This category honors mechanical watches comprising at least one calendar or astronomical com- plication, such as an annual calendar, perpetual calendar, equation of time, or complex moon phase display. Claiming the top prize is the most classically styled timepiece in MB&F’s collection: Legacy Machine Perpetual. MB&F partnered with Irish watchmaker Stephen McDonnell to reinvent the perpetual calendar concept, and the result is its 581-component hand-wound caliber capable of displaying time, day of week, power reserve, month, date and leap year without the need to adjust for months with varying numbers of days. The inspired design of this platinum timepiece allows a compre- hensive dial-side view.
TRAVEL TIME WATCH PRIZE:
Fabergè, Fabergè Visionnaire DTZ
Among watches that display the time in multiple time zones, Fabergè won the night with its Visionnaire DTZ, designed in collaboration with watchmaker Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. The automatic watch presents the hours and minutes of the local time with its traditional hands. The hour of the second time zone takes center stage in the bullseye of the dial. Adding greater interest is the constant motion of the dial-side rotor, a multi-layered dial, and a peacock-shaped component hidden within the movement.
MECHANICAL EXCEPTION PRIZE:
Audemars Piguet, Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie
Timepieces featuring a very special mechanism—think innovative display, an automaton, an acoustic function, belt-driven movement or other high horological concept—were contenders for the mechanical exception prize. Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie—nine years in the making—won the prize and redefined the standards of chiming watches. The titanium watch, featuring a hand-wound tourbillon movement with minute repeater, features a supremely clear, sustained tone thanks to three patented innovations in chiming sound development.
PETITE AIGUILLE PRIZE:
Tudor, Heritage Black Bay Bronze
Watches priced below 8,000 Swiss francs vie for the Petite Aiguille, or “little hand” trophy. Tudor’s Heritage Black Bay Bronze comes in at 3,800 Swiss francs, and its quality and style represent strong value in the segment. The 43mm dive watch, housed in an aluminum bronze alloy case and featuring golden, beige and chocolate brown details, intentionally appears to be a patinated object that could have accompanied a diver under the waves for many years already. The automatic chronometer also features a big crown, “snowflake” hands, domed crystal and chamfered lugs reminiscent of historic models.
REVIVAL WATCH PRIZE:
TAG Heuer, Heuer Monza Chronograph
The best example of a contemporary re-edition or reinterpretation of an iconic historical model is TAG Heuer’s Heuer Monza Chronograph, based on the 1976 chronograph created by Jack Heuer in celebration of Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda’s first world championship title with Ferrari. This 2016 reissue features the original watch’s pulsometer and tachymeter scale with the original font. Updates include chang- ing the case material from steel to coated titanium carbide, and increasing the diameter from 39 to 42mm. The automatic watch is decorated with a vintage Heuer logo and number on the case back.