Ambassador of the Watchmaking Industry
Watch Time|March/April 2022
The 2022 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, November 10, at the Théâtre du Léman in Geneva, Switzerland. WatchTime spoke with Raymond Loretan, President of the GPHG Foundation, in Geneva, about some of the lessons learned from the last edition, his role, and what lies ahead for the influential award.
By Roger Ruegger
Ambassador of the Watchmaking Industry

WT: How did the academy impact the award?

RL: I think what we are in now is the big adventure of reforming the Grand Prix. We started in 2020 with the creation of the Academy of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, and I'm a strong believer in the virtues of this academy. As you know, now, we have 500 members; I hope within the next five years that we can double this number. Based on this academy, which is intervening or involved in all stages of the selection process, I can put forward three principles I want to be the basis of the Grand Prix. The first one is the neutrality of the Grand Prix. I think, with such a basis for the selection, nobody can pretend that we are not independent, because it's not possible with such a platform of deciders to influence the outcome. So I think [we'll] neutralize this kind of doubts.

The second (principle) is the universality of the prize, in two dimensions. The first one is in the selection process, since people from all over the world are involved, we create the awareness that we are also open for watches that are not Swiss. The large majority of entries are Swiss, of course, that's also normal, but it's good to give the message that we want to promote the watch industry and the watchmaking art throughout the world, and that we are very happy to welcome candidates from other countries. It's still very shy and it will never be overwhelming, but still, you will be stimulating an industry in other countries.

Bu hikaye Watch Time dergisinin March/April 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Watch Time dergisinin March/April 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

WATCH TIME DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Mirror of Civilizations
WatchTime

Mirror of Civilizations

With the new Tonda PF Xiali Calendar (Ref. PFH982-1022301100182), Parmigiani Fleurier celebrates the Chinese New Year (Jan. 22, 2023) with a world premiere: a Chinese complete calendar that is covering a period of 12 years. This model follows the maison's earlier Gregorian Annual Calendar and the Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar, or Muslim calendar, a feat of miniaturization that was awarded the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in the Innovation category in 2020.

time-read
6 dak  |
March - April 2023
Return Flight
WatchTime

Return Flight

Longines brings back the famous \"Majetek\" pilot watch from 1935 with a 43-mm case and new bezel system.

time-read
2 dak  |
March - April 2023
Black Capsule
WatchTime

Black Capsule

On January 31, Carl F. Bucherer unveiled five new versions of some of its most popular models in a different cosmopolitan city on the same day - each city having played an important role for the three generations of the Bucherer family over the past 135 years.

time-read
1 min  |
March - April 2023
Touchdown in Le Locle
WatchTime

Touchdown in Le Locle

Aaron Charles Rodgers (born Dec. 2, 1983) is a quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL).

time-read
8 dak  |
September/October 2022
Flat Floor
WatchTime

Flat Floor

Just three months after Bulgari had unveiled the world's latest thinnest watch, the 1.8-mm Octo Finissimo Ultra (Ref. 103611), Richard Mille set a new world record with the RM UP-01 Ferrari (in 2021, Ferrari and Richard Mille had announced a multi-year partnership agreement).

time-read
1 min  |
September/October 2022
Tourbillon Waltz
WatchTime

Tourbillon Waltz

On June 26, 1801, Abraham-Louis Breguet (Jan. 10, 1747 Sept. 17, 1823) was granted a patent for a new type of regulator.

time-read
1 min  |
September/October 2022
Tudor's Tool Watch Is Back
WatchTime

Tudor's Tool Watch Is Back

Two years ago, Tudor started to quietly decommission its ETApowered Heritage Ranger from 2014, perhaps one of its most quintessential time-only models that had first appeared in the collection in the 1960s.

time-read
1 min  |
September/October 2022
License To Dive
WatchTime

License To Dive

Underwater explorers and frogmen play as prominent a role in the history of Omega's dive watches as do the seahorse and the world's most famous secret agent.

time-read
10+ dak  |
September/October 2022
HEART-STOPPING MOMENTS
WatchTime

HEART-STOPPING MOMENTS

The TAG Heuer Autavia embodies the excitement of 1960s motorsports and the optimism of the time. The new 2022 models reflect the Autavia's beginnings as a cockpit instrument and build on this history.

time-read
10+ dak  |
September/October 2022
The Lasting Influence of The Nineties
WatchTime

The Lasting Influence of The Nineties

A look back at the decade that saw an industry recover from crisis and steady itself at the cusp of a new millennium.

time-read
10 dak  |
September/October 2022