THE OSCARS OF WATCHMAKING

The nominated watches of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève 2023 go on a world tour with a week-long exhibition in Kuala Lumpur hosted in collaboration with The Hour Glass.

- KC YAP

LAUNCHED IN 2001, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) was conceived with the purpose of rewarding the most remarkable contemporary designs from the watchmaking world and promoting its savoir-faire worldwide. The most notable way it does this is through the GPHG awards ceremony, an annual competition involving several hundreds of watches marketed during the year and attributing to the highest awards in this domain.

Held in November each year, the awards draw elite representatives of the international watchmaking profession, united in honouring the finest creations and creators who breathe vitality and creativity into the watchmaking world. Prior to the ceremony each year, GPHG also organises a series of exceptional exhibitions around the world, featuring the nominated watches. Watches from 14 award categories offer enthusiasts in the region a glimpse into the pinnacle of contemporary watchmaking. The categories comprise the Men’s and Ladies’, Men’s and Ladies’ Complications, Iconic, Tourbillon, Calendar and Astronomy, Mechanical Exception, Chronograph, Sports, Jewellery, Artistic Crafts, Challenge or entry level, and “Petite Aiguille” or mid-range priced.

This year, Malaysia marked the third stop on a worldwide tour after Hong Kong and Macau. The Hour Glass, together with Valerie Boscat from the Foundation of GPHP, hosted a series of workshops throughout the duration of the traveling exhibition’s stop in Kuala Lumpur, including a fascinating workshop on watch photography, with the belief that it is never too early to cultivate an appreciation for the art of watchmaking, as such, over the weekend children were able to participate in a DIY mechanical clock workshop, or join Hublot for a colouring session.