On November 13, the Théâtre du Léman will vibrate to the rhythm of hands and innovation during the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix (GPHG). Much more than a simple awards ceremony, this event celebrates and promotes world watchmaking, recalling the importance of an industry that is the pride of Geneva and all of Switzerland. This year, the ceremony, also broadcast live on Carac 2is preparing to welcome some 1,500 participants. Raymond Loretan, president of the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève Foundation, was my guest.
“This Grand Prix is not only a competition for the most beautiful watches, it represents an entire sector and all the professions hidden behind each watch,” underlines Raymond Loretan. And in fact, Geneva watchmaking is no longer content to be a local affair: watchmaking schools are emerging as far away as Dubai and India.
Between tradition and innovation
The GPHG highlights the plurality of watches across 15 price categories, ranging from the most classic models to avant-garde watches. “This year we have a new category called Time Only, which goes back to the roots with watches without complications,” describes Loretan, adding that the watch remains, despite everything, an object of art that combines tradition, innovation and know-how. To attract new generations to watchmaking, the GPHG also strives to raise awareness among the public, particularly young people, of the beauty of this ancestral profession.
Faced with current challenges, the GPHG has integrated sustainability at the heart of its concerns. This year, a new award, the eco-innovation prize, will honor the most environmentally friendly models. “Sustainability is not new in our sector, but it is now being highlighted with more rigor,” explains Raymond Loretan. This price is part of a desire for transparency and traceability for the entire watchmaking industry.
The quest for the twelfth art
More than a utilitarian object, the watch represents profoundly Swiss values: precision, creativity, and a unique link with time. Loreton also defends the idea of elevating watchmaking to the rank of “twelfth art”, like the seventh art for cinema. “A watch today, whether expensive or not, is an object of art,” he sums up, explaining that this return to materiality is also a response to modern hyper-connectivity.
The GPHG therefore embodies the preservation of a tradition while adapting to the new expectations of society. At a time when Swiss watchmaking is seeking new impetus, the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève remains a pillar, reminding us that every minute is a work of art.
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