The countdown is on for the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie in Geneva, where 90 timepieces are in the running for 20 prizes, including the renowned Grand Prix de l'Aiguille d'Or.
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00:00 Watch enthusiasts are waiting for it, manufacturers are holding their breath.
00:05 The minutes are ticking away before one of the highlights of the watchmaking calendar, the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix.
00:12 After an international tour, the nominated timepieces were exhibited in Geneva.
00:19 They are in the running for 20 prizes, including the prestigious Grand Prix de l'Aiguille d'Or.
00:25 These awards for watchmaking excellence are the result of a selection process overseen by more than 850 academics from around the world.
00:33 The Universal Academy allows us to assert that we are impartial.
00:39 It allows us to assert that we are universal, since the academics come from all over the world,
00:44 but also the watches selected come from all over the world.
00:47 And finally, there is the third principle, which is that of solidarity.
00:52 It's a call to all the brands to take part in this great festival of watchmaking,
00:56 which celebrates the excellence of all the watchmaking professions.
01:00 The winners of this 23rd edition will be announced here in Geneva on the 9th of November.
01:08 There are 90 timepieces in the competition.
01:11 What will the watchmakers have in store for us? Let's find out.
01:15 One of the brands to stand out this year is Chopard, based in Geneva.
01:21 The independent luxury company founded in 1860 has already won the Aiguille d'Or in 2017,
01:28 thanks to its famous LUC full strike.
01:31 This year, four of its creations were nominated, like this re-edition of the first timepiece in the LUC collection,
01:40 named after the founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard, in a creation made of recycled steel.
01:48 One of our core values has always been creation and research.
01:53 Research into working with materials that are totally new to watchmaking or jewellery.
02:00 At Chopard, we are always looking for aesthetics, innovation and beauty.
02:06 Chopard is renowned for its jewellery virtuosity.
02:14 Precious stones and metals are combined with patience and know-how in this gem-setting workshop.
02:20 The brand which makes its own gold alloys has taken a responsible approach.
02:26 It's committed to using only ethical gold in its watches and jewellery.
02:31 We've clearly seen an evolution in our customer base when it comes to sustainability issues.
02:39 More questions are asked in-store, that's for sure, with differences depending on the market.
02:44 But it's also our responsibility as a company that promotes its sustainability programme
02:49 to be able to engage customers, discuss these issues with them to raise their awareness
02:54 and enable them to influence their consumer choices.
02:57 A total of 56 brands are represented at this year's Grand Prix.
03:03 The Swiss region of Schaffhausen, close to the German border, is the home of IWC.
03:09 The company, known for its cutting-edge engineering and materials, is also presenting four timepieces,
03:17 including two perpetual calendars, the Lake Tahoe's Aviator's Watch with its white ceramic case
03:23 and the elegant Portofino, which conceals a jewel of watchmaking technology beneath its dial.
03:32 We still have the idea that everything we create here will survive time.
03:37 And so this beyond time not only talks about the durability and the longevity of our materials and creations,
03:45 but it also captures a little bit the dream of many of our customers
03:49 that purchase products that are meant to last for generations.
03:53 And this comes together for me in the most perfect way in our perpetual calendars.
03:58 IWC is also presenting two long-awaited versions of its iconic model, the Ingenieur,
04:04 imagined by watch design legend Gerald Genta almost 50 years ago.
04:09 Every new collection basically is walking a fine line between the past and the future,
04:16 paying tribute to what makes IWC IWC, what is recognisable and can be associated to the brand,
04:24 but still infusing lots of ideas and surprising our customers with new innovations.
04:29 This idea to have a very pure and reduced design combined with the ultimate accuracy and robustness
04:36 is still the underlaying idea of many of the watches we have in our portfolio today.
04:41 That's all for this preview of the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix 2023.
04:46 In the run-up to the ceremony on the 9th of November,
04:49 a cultural programme is taking place on the exhibition site to share the passion for watchmaking with everyone,
04:55 especially young people.
04:57 (upbeat music)