The most prestigious watch awards of their kind, on 15 November 2013 the winners of the 13th edition of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève were announced.
What I found interesting this year was the number of interesting women's watches to receive prizes. They certainly added colour and interesting techniques to this year's line-up.
The Ladies' Complication Prize went to Van Cleef & Arpels' Lady Arpels Ballerine Enchantée, with its mechanically sophisticated double retrograde system. The hands of the watch, representing the ballerina's tutu, move in a semi-circle, sweeping across either side of the dial to indicate the hours and minutes - a graceful movement that requires much mechanical genius.
The Ladies' Watch Prize went to DeLaneau for the Rondo Translucent with a champagne dial. The combination of engine-turned engraving (or guilloché) coated with a glossy translucent layer of golden lacquer is the most striking feature of this watch. The craftsmanship is impeccable, and I like how two very traditional crafts are combined to create a beautiful effect with a modern twist thanks to the simplicity of the rest of the watch.
The Jewellery Watch Prize was handed to Chopard for the heavily diamond-set L'Heure du Diamant, which reminds me of watch styles from the 1970s and is unashamedly extravagant.
The above categories are all restricted to women's watches, so I was pleased to see that the Artistic Crafts Watch Prize, a category not limited to men, was given to Chanel for the Mademoiselle Privé Camélia Brodé. This watch stood out when it was first shown at BaselWorld for using embroidery on the dial, a métier or craft not normally seen in the watch world. And it makes perfect sense because Chanel the couturier works with a handful of the most skilled ateliers for embroidery, button-making and other rare crafts. One of them is Lesage, who worked on this pretty dial, which depicts Mademoiselle Chanel's favourite flower: the Camelia.
Other winners, all of which are men's watches include:
"Aiguille d'Or" Grand Prix: Girard-Perregaux, Constant Escapement L.M.
Grande Complication Prize: A. Lange & Söhne, 1815 Rattrapante Perpetuel Calendar
Men's Complications Watch Prize: Romain Gauthier, Logical One
Men's Watch Prize: Voutilainen, V-8R
Innovation Prize: Vianney Halter, Deep Space Tourbillon
Sports Watch Prize: Zenith, El Primero Stratos Flyback Stricking 10th
"Petite Aiguille" Watch Prize: Habring2, Jumping Second Pilot
Revival Prize: Tudor, Heritage Black Bay
Horological Revelation Prize: Ressence, Type 3
Special Jury Prize: Philippe Dufour
Public Prize : A. Lange & Söhne, 1815 Rattrapante Perpetuel Calendar
