Richard Mille's RM012 received the Aiguille d'Or prize

Despite the freezing temperatures in Geneva last night, the Grand Theatre was a packed house for a sizzling 7th edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie. This year’s most coveted prize, the Aiguille d’or (Golden hand) went to Richard Mille for his platinum tourbillon RM012 and his contribution to the watchmaking industry.


The Grand Prix d'Horlogerie prize winners 2007

For the first time, French journalist, Grégory Pons, provided a colourful commentary about each of the winners and their timepieces. Mr. Pons shared how he remembered talking with Richard Mille years ago about his dream to make a timepiece with a car engine design. Last night, Mille’s dream was rewarded with the most prestigious Aiguille d’or.

A new award, dedicated to a person and not a brand, for the best watchmaker / constructor, was presented to Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, founder of Agenhor, for his astounding work to the industry. Like many independent watchmakers, Mr. Wiederrecht works in the shadows of the big brands, but has created some of the world’s most amazing watchmaking masterpieces. Mr. Wiederrecht received his award to a thunder of applause from the audience.


Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, founder of Agenhor

The different prize categories of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie are designed to show the amazing diversity of creation and to reward technology as well as aesthetics.

The winners of this year’s categories were as follows:


The jury's prize: Reverso grande complication à triptyque by Jaeger-LeCoultre


The prize for the best men’s watch: Observatoire by Kari Voutilainen


The prize for the best women’s watch: Ballon Bleu by Cartier


The prize for the best design: Millenary with dead seconds by Audemars Piguet


The prize for the best jewellery watch: One Million $ BB by Hublot


The prize for the best complication: Glissière by Harry Winston


The prize for the best sports watch: Royal Oak Offshore Allinghi Team Chronograph by Audemars Piguet


The prize awarded by the public: Defy Xtreme Open Stealth by Zenith

Over 400 watches took part in the competition and the winners are chosen by a jury of international experts, specialized journalists and collectors from around the world. The public prize, awarded this year to Zenith for its Defy Xtreme Open Stealth, is voted by the public online or at the exhibition at UBS Corraterie in Geneva.

Every vote for the public prize is entered into a draw and three lucky winners receive a watch offered by Chopard, Montblanc and Franc Vila. The ceremony concluded with the winners being invited on stage to receive their prize, including an adorable young lady, who can’t have been more than the age of ten, who proudly walked off with the Franc Vila timepiece. When asked if she was going to give it to her father, she said she wasn’t sure.

From past history, many winners of the prizes go on to have commercial success, due in part to the exposure of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie.

For more information on the event and the winning timepieces
www.worldtempus.com/pit/wt/2/1182

Source: Europa Star