Best watches of the year honoured at The Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève 2016

Tired of reading about what so-called experts think and not having your say about the best timepieces of the year?

Here then is your chance to be heard. The Foundation of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève has announced a long-list of the best 72 timepieces of the year, and you have the opportunity to place a vote for your choice for a winner.

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The long-list was pre-selected by a jury of 28 aficionados and experts, and can be accessed on the official GPHG website, where you can see the complete list and images of the chosen watches.

In addition to the pros' musings, you – along with watch enthusiasts worldwide – are invited to express your opinion by participating in the Public Prize category of the prestigious competition.

The jury's first round of voting has nominated six watches in 12 categories, competing for one of 15 prizes – including the prestigious "Aiguille d'Or" Grand Prix.

There are some familiar faces among the nominations as you'd expect.

Top timers

Featuring in the Men's section, the Tudor Heritage Black Bay and Hermes Slim d'Hermes Enamel dial; in Chronographs, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sapphire and Montblanc 1858 Tachymeter: in Tourbillons, Bovet, De Bethune and Girard Perregaux are no surprise; In Calendar watches the Moser & Cie and MB&F; perpetuals we've written about are there.

Ditto for Louis Vuitton and Manufacture Royale in the Travel watch category; in the Mechanical Exception division Chanel feature with the Monsier, Audemar Piguet with the Royal Oak Supersonnerie.

​For Ladies there's the Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Color Blossom and Bulgari Incantati Tourbillon; in Artistic Crafts, Credor's Fugaku Tourbillon and Piaget's Secrets and Lights make the cut; and finally, in the Small Complication (Petite Aiguille) section, Seiko's bargain Pressage chronograph and Tiffany's East West make a deserved appearance.

Enough to whet your appetite?

Secret ballot verdict

The jury next meets behind closed doors in early November to examine each of the pre-selected watches and deliver a verdict via secret ballot and the final 2016 Prize List will be revealed on November 10th at the Théâtre du Léman in Geneva.

A travelling exhibition presenting the pre-selected watches will make stopovers in various capitals starting in South Korea on October 10.

The pre-selected watches will then be flown to Rome, where they will be on show from October 26th to 29th before returning to Geneva.

After the ceremony, the 15 prize-winning watches will be exhibited in Dubai from November 15th to 19th within the context of the Dubai Watch Week.

Created in 2001 and overseen since 2011 by a foundation recognised as a public interest organisation, the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève was established to highlight and reward the most remarkable watchmaking creations, thus enhancing the worldwide reputation of watchmaking as an art.

Scroll through the gallery above to see a taste of the key nominees. 

This article first appeared on watch-next.com.
 

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