The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is considered the ‘Oscars’ of the global watch industry. Since 2001, prizes have been awarded in 12 different categories, including best men’s watch, best women’s watch, best sports watch, best complication and technical innovation.
This year, horologists Fabergé have come out on top of the ‘Travel Time’ category with their Visionnaire DTZ timepiece.
Using a movement created for Fabergé by Agenhor Manufacture, the watch is the first to adopt the logical and intuitive method of displaying two time zones simultaneously.
The £24,000 watch is perfectly suited to the lifestyles of those who need to keep track of the time in a second, distant location, and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève – also the name of the organisation which awards the prizes – has recognised this originality.
The hours and minutes of the local time zone are presented by peripheral, open-worked hands rotating around a raised, decorated dome located at the centre of the dial – meaning that Fabergé also had design on their side as well.
The hour of the second, remote time zone is viewed through an extraordinary aperture right through the centre of the watch, which draws the eye to the second time zone numerals for a bold finish. Little touches such as these are what the Grand Prix say led Fabergé to continue their winning streak from last year, when the Russian watchmakers won the ‘Ladies High Mechanical’ category.
The legacy of the company is also reflected in the watch. Agenhor Manufacture concealed a peacock-shaped component within the movement, paying homage to Fabergé’s award-winning Lady Compliquée Peacock watch.
“Winning last year was a source of tremendous inspiration for our entire team,” says Sean Gilbertson, CEO of Fabergé. “So, to win another GPHG award this year is an honour and privilege that we will not take lightly as we approach 2017, a year that marks both the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution and the 175th anniversary of the founding of Fabergé in 1842.”
And, after setting the bar so high, we look forward to what’s to come, Fabergé.
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