GPHG - A major event

The ninth edition of the “Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève will take place on November 14th, 2009, at the « Grand Théâtre » of Geneva.

Press release

Award ceremony of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève 2008, at the Grand Théâtre. DR

Ten prizes, among which the prestigious "Aiguille d’Or", will reward the most beautiful watches and the most remarkable personalities, at the end of a year marked by multiple uncertainties in the watchmaking universe.

Created in 2001, the “Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève” quickly distinguished itself as a major event. Patronized by the City and by the State of Geneva from its outset, it did not stop developing becoming recognized over the years as the highest award and one of the most famous display cases of the watchmaking industry. Every year in November, it gathers the elite of the international watchmaking profession and rewards the actors who, day after day, breathe dynamism and creativity into the watchmaking world.

Watches in competition are judged by an independent and international jury composed of recognized experts, collectors and journalists’ aficionados of the watchmaking world. The jury members list, the rules and the results at every stage are published on the www.worldtempus.com website.


The 2009 “Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève” will focus on several events which will be spread out across the second half 2009. The first vote of the jury, which took place this summer, preset 62 watches in six categories. These watches were initially exhibited in Singapore from 23 till 27 September within the framework of the event "Living in Style" in Keppel Marina. Back in Switzerland, the watches will be exhibited from 3 till 10 October in Zürich at the boutique “Les Ambassadeurs”. They will finally come back to Geneva and be on display as usual in the exhibition hall of UBS-Corraterie. This Geneva exhibition, final stage before the prize-giving ceremony, will be inaugurated on Thursday, October 15th, 2009, and open to the public from October 16th till November 20th. These three exhibitions will enable members of the public to discover and to admire the most beautiful watches of the year, exceptional and sometimes unique pieces, specially gathered for these occasions.

The award ceremony of the ninth “Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève” will take place on Saturday, November 14th, 2009, at the Grand Theatre of Geneva, in the presence of the authorities of the City and the State of Geneva, of important leaders, owners and managers of the Swiss watchmaking, representatives of more than hundred and fifty brands and numerous journalists. During this ceremony, ten prizes will be awarded, the most prestigious being the Grand Prize of "L’Aiguille d’Or”, attributed to the best watch overall of the year (all categories). The other prizes are: Special Jury Prize, Ladies’ Watch Prize, Men’s Watch Prize, Design Watch Prize, Jewellery Watch Prize, Complicated Watch Prize, Sports Watch Prize, Electronic Watch Prize, Best Watchmaker Prize and Public Prize.

The Public Prize is awarded by the internet users of the www.worldtempus.com website and by the visiting public at the Zürich and Geneva exhibitions. Each voter will have the chance to automatically participate in the drawing to win a luxury Watch, which will take place on the stage of the Grand Theatre on 14 December.

Pierre Jacques, Director of the "Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève". DR

The new director of the 2009 edition of the “Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève”, Pierre Jacques, has made a commitment to find new ways to allow  opening even wider the doors of this event, to gather all the actors of the watchmaking world and to reward, together, the most beautiful watches.

• Vote for the watches and win a Vulcain Revolution GMT
• More information on the "Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève"