here are the 13 rewarded timepieces

There are the Oscars for cinema, the LVMH prize rewarding young fashion designers, and then “The Watch of the Year”. This highlight for the watchmaking community was created three years ago by Frank Declerck, well known as “Frank without a C”. The evening orchestrated by the journalist and YouTuber to unveil the 2024 vintage of the most beautiful timepieces took place on October 22 and was made public on October 31. Journalists, CEOs, brand managersfriends of the big houses as well as the most confidential… the world of watchmaking came together to award prizes to watches, of course, but also to celebrate an entire universe imbued with creativity and wonders.

A third successful edition

After a careful selection by the specialized press, 114 references were named this year in 10 categories in ascending order of price, plus a prize for “connected watches” and two final prizes in order to elect, all categories combined, “the watch woman of the year” and its male counterpart. The public was there to vote (121,447 votes recorded) with a maximum of three choices per category. For the first time, the ceremony took place at the Automobile Club de France in Paris. An extraordinary place with a breathtaking view of the Place de la Concorde and the National Assembly. With the “Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives”, the “Watch of the Year” organized by Frank sans C (240,000 subscribers on YouTube) remains one of the only French prizes aimed at honoring watchmaking, an industry filled with stories, precision and passion.

An ode to sewing

Women’s watchmaking, still unfortunately under-represented, was nevertheless praised. Chanel Horlogerie won the “Women’s Watch of the Year” award. The iconic J12 Couture in white ceramic within which dances a pair of scissors designed by Arnaud Chastaingt, director of the house’s watchmaking design studio, won the trophy. Let us remember that it was the creative genius of the latter which revealed the very elegant Boy-friend as well as the Monsieur, equipped with the first in-house caliber. The designer also knew how to highlight the couture spirit and know-how of the rue Cambon workshops through the incredible Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguille collection released last year. A series of five timepieces measuring 55 mm in diameter which feature objects made in Chanel such as the quilted bag, the chain and the Byzantine crosses dear to Gabrielle Chanel, the Camélia motif, the emblematic little black jacket and an embroidery model. Each watch is a true work of art imbued with incredible realism.

Omega, star of the year in many ways

The Omega x Swatch Bioceramic MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase Full Moon won first prize (category under €500), building on its success through this collaboration which has been creating buzz for two years now. The Swiss company was also rewarded for its latest Speemaster Moonwatch Professional (5^e category: €5,001 – €10,000). A watch reinterpreting a watchmaking icon launched in 1957, in a version with a white dial reminiscent of NASA astronauts’ suits. Omega again wins an honorary prize for its role as official timekeeper of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The brand director recalled on this occasion that for the first time within the competition, the Omega Scan ‘O Camera ‘Vision Ultimate with a frequency of 40,000 frames per second appeared in various events. A cutting-edge tool which notably made it possible to determine the winner of the Olympic 100-meter race this summer.

Rewarded watchmaking gems

In the most accessible prices, the Tissot PRX was once again crowned with success this year (2^e category €501 – €1000), with its tribute edition to the hero Grendizer. At Frederique Constant, the Classics Moneta Moonphase wins 3^e price (category €1001 – €2000). A divine moon phase watch with a classic design, the “dress watch» simply perfect. Japanese watchmaking was also in the spotlight (6^e category €10,001 – €25,000). And it’s easy to see why when you look at the textured white dial of the Grand Seiko Birch Bark SLG003 reflecting the beauty of the birch trees that thrive in the northern regions of Japan. The poetic vision of time from the young French brand Trilobe wins on the 7th^e prize (category €25,001 – €50,000) with its delicious blue “Les Matinaux L’Heure Exquise” in rose gold. The big houses were also praised. Cartier, with its Privé Tortue Monopusher chronograph (8^e category €50,001 – €100,000), as well as Audemars Piguet thanks to its Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Cactus Jack Skeleton in brown ceramic created in a limited edition with the American rapper Travis Scott (9^e category €100,001 – €350,000).

A big revelation and a record

TAG Heuer also put on a show by revealing in preview that evening and as a world exclusive its very latest Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon paying tribute to the legendary driver: the Brazilian Ayrton Senna. The Swiss house did not stop there and also won the 11^e prize in the new “connected watches” category, with the Connected Caliber E4 x Oracle Red Bull Racing Edition. The thinness record broken by Bvlgari with the Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC in sandblasted titanium, only 1.70 mm thick, was hailed with the 10^e price (category + €350,001).

The big winners

The Personality of the Year award was presented by Richard Mille to his colleague and friend Georges Kern, the CEO of Breitling. The Swiss manufacturer was able to combine fashion and watchmaking this year with a very desirable capsule collection around the Chronomat 36 created in collaboration with the former Spice Girl turned fashion designer Victoria Beckham. An ultra-chic watch whose different dial shades are inspired by the spring-summer 2024 palette of the London designer’s ready-to-wear line: mint green, midnight blue, dove gray and sand. Georges Kern reminded the entire assembly that his house is celebrating its 140th anniversary. The big winner finally, the “watch of the year” and 4^e price (category €2001 – €5000): Tudor, of course, with its now legendary Black Bay 58 GMT. A watch which, beyond its manufacturing quality, has seduced the whole world with its deliciously vintage design.