GPHG – Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2012

The Winners

The 12th Prize giving ceremony took place this evening at the Grand Théâtre de Genève and the winners of the 12th Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève have been unveiled as 

“Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix - Tag Heuer Mikrogirder

Special Jury Prize – Société Suisse de Chronométrie (SSC)

Ladies’ Watch Prize – Chanel, Première Tourbillon Volant

Men’s Watch Prize – MB&F, Legacy Machine N°1

Innovation Prize – HYT, H1 Titane Black DLC

Jewellery and Artistic Crafts Watch Prize – Chopard, Imperiale Tourbillon Full Set

Best Complicated Watch Prize – Greubel Forsey, Invention Piece 2

Sports Watch Prize – Habring2, Doppel 2.0

“Petite Aiguille” Prize – Zenith, Pilot Big Date Special

Best Watchmaker Prize – Carole Forestier Kasapi

Public Prize – MB&F, Legacy Machine N°1

SalonQP – Our take in Photos.

By The Watch Review Site Team

Here is our take on SalonQP and the watchmakers we visited during our visit today, P.S. we did not have the camera on the Thursday evening reception but it was a fantastic night and thank you once again to James Gurney and QP Magazine for putting together such a great event…. Thanks guys and girls, much appreciated by the UK watch fraternity…

Well we have had the pleasure of attending SalonQP at the Saatchi Gallery on Thursday Evening and this afternoon, and thought it was time to let you into some of the watchmakers and people we bumped into on our travels…

Here is a little extract of the numerous photographs we took during our visit, we will be writing detailed takes on all of the below over the next few days/weeks. If anyone has a favourite please comment and we will prioritise.

Bell & Ross 

We were introduced to Simon Cudd B&R ambassador by the lovely danielle for those who don’t already know it, great to put a face and voice to a twitterati… youy can follow Simon on Twitter @SimonCudd

The Bell & Ross BR01-92   46mm Stainless Steel – We liked it even on my Piddly 6 3/4 inch baby wrists.

Bell & Ross BR03-94 Commando   42mm a little more appropriate for my wrist but I keep getting drawn to the BR01

Side by side but the photo doesn’t do the size difference justice, the BR01 on the left is a substantially bigger looking watch and I for one really like it, but either would do hint hint B&R… P.S one for Hands on Review would be much appreciated.

Moving on from B&R to Schofield and our friends Giles and Matt, do they talk the talk and actually they also walk the walk, Schofield as a brand and watchmaker has become a well known name within the watch community and for no small reason the Signalman is a fabulous timepiece and has received acclaimed reviews across the board… Not only do the guys give you a great watch but the entire package and ethos of Schofield and Giles is superb, the packaging, the strap options, the DLC, the travel case are all meticulously designed and constructed and no stone in unturned for unrivalled passion in their product… Good Job Guys and look forward to many more designs and concepts soon.

Schofield Watch Company – you can follow The Schofield Watch Company @SchofieldWatch on twitter

As for the Pics, here goes

The Schofield Guys, Matt Hopwood and Giles Ellis – Sorry guys about the photo but needs must….. 

Schofield Signalman GMT PR on the Wrist – 44mm diameter it’s a lovely piece and next delivery should be in for Feb/Mar 2013 available for pre order.

Schofield Signalman DLC on the Wrist – 44mm diameter I may prefer this one limited to 100 pieces again next delivery should be in for Feb/Mar 2013 available for pre order but selling out fast.

They said it’s hard to get a good photo due to the doomed sapphire crystal and AR coating, this is probably my best attempt.

One of the Schofield Displays at SalonQP

Revelation Watches

So far that is only 2 of the many watch brands and makers at SalonQP so moving on we got collared by (or should we say we collared) Revelation, now this Brand was new to us but we have been really take by their RO3 Chronograph, with a Dubois Dépraz movement decorated inhouse. But what makes this watch stand out other than its looks and feel is the fact that you can set the dial as Black or as seethrough so you may see the movement, hopefully the photos do it justice. Just one thing the watch we had on our wrist and is photographed below is a prototype and the final version is slightly different asthetically, the ones photographed in the case are the final design.

Revelation Ro3 – 45mm diameter in both SS and Black IP

Revelation R03 with Black dial – bezel set all the way to the left

Same Watch Revelation R03 but with bezel set all the way to the right so you can see internal movement.

We do really like these and will be giving you a lot more information on the Revelation Brand and its watches, because the R01 and R02 are also great pieces to write about, especially the tourbillon, with a balance wheel moving with the second indicator. Keep them peeled.

Oh we also visited URWERK and had a little time with the UR-210 and UR-1001 (now that’s a pocket watch and a weighty one at that)

URWERK UR-210 up close and personal – do we need to say more

URWERK UR-210 on the wrist 43.8mm wide & 53.6mm long

It’s surprisingly fits fabulously well and is extremely comfortable to wear which has a  lot to do with the setting of the strap pins and shape of the watch.

URWERK UR-210 caseback – a little easier to photograph under all those lights…

Moving on to the UR-1001 Pocket Watch, I just wish I had a set of scales to weigh it as it was hefty and weighty, you know you have a lump of mechanics when you pick this up.. But it is all about the movement as with teh UR-210 above.

Sorry about the reflections – But here is the UR-1001 Pocket Watch

Side by Side the URWERK masterpieces..

We also passed by our friends from Glashutte in Germany with both NOMOS Glashutte and Meister Singer Exhibiting at SalonQP, we took a few snaps of a couple of the pieces here

The NOMOS Glashutte Zurich – 39.7mm diameter.

One of the Nomos Teams latest timepieces with Blue dial, again photo doesn’t do the dial justice it is exceptional and a very clean cut simple wonderful watch.

NOMOS Zurich – Blue and Brown faces 

Now onto MeisterSinger another Glashutte representative and again clean timepieces but with Single hand, yes most of their pieces are single handed timepieces

MeisterSinger Singulator – 43mm diameter I know I said single hand and it is but it has two sub-dials which indicate the minutes and seconds too, for when a single hand just doesn’t do it…. Lovely timepiece fits well again even on bony wrists like mine.

This shows the dial and sub-dials a little clearer.

MeisterSinger Singular – this is a one hand Chronograph with pin needle second hand and minute  sub-dial

I’m probably edging on the side of boring at the moment so will quickly show you some snaps of our little vivist to Seiko and their GPS  Solar Astron and Tag Heuer, First SEIKO ASTRON

Now to Tag Heuer

SalonQP – the UK’s Only Fine Watch Exhibition

 
Following on from our initial SalonQP related article in respect of the Bremont Victory and Admiral Lord Nelson’s Pocket Watch we follow on with a look at what we can expect from this years extravaganza, along with a little background on the event too. 

Britain’s leading watch publication, QP Magazine, is pleased to announce that following record numbers of visitors and exhibitors at last year’s event, SalonQP, the UK’s only fine watch exhibition, is returning to the Saatchi Gallery on 8–10 November 2012.

SalonQP, the UK’s only event devoted to fine watchmaking, returns to the Saatchi Gallery this November for its fourth edition. Every year SalonQP showcases the very finest in contemporary horology, and 2012 will be no exception – renowned grandes maisons such as Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin and Piaget will appear alongside a wealth of independent watchmakers including MB&F, Urwerk and Speake-Marin. Watch collectors, enthusiasts, commentators and industry insiders alike will gather to handle, consider and discuss nearly 1,000 pieces from the world’s leading brands.

As in previous years, the event promises to introduce the newest watches and brands to the UK as well as feature a programme of demonstrations and discussions from the brightest and best in contemporary watchmaking. Up close and personal – that’s the joy of SalonQP. No sales pressure, just the brands, their watchmakers and their watches. SalonQP is a unique opportunity for watch aficionados to gather and pore over the latest and the greatest in the world of watchmaking, here in the unique settings of the Saatchi Gallery, London – there is nothing quite like it.

This year SalonQP will host a number of intimate roundtable talks, with Maria Doulton, of The Jewellery Editor, running two discussions highlighting women’s watches. What’s more, there will be a preview screening of The Watchmaker’s Apprentice, a film about the late Dr George Daniels CBE MBE – one of the greatest watchmakers of the past 200 years – and his only apprentice, Roger W Smith. The film includes the last ever interview with Daniels himself. Special tickets have just been released to view the film on the afternoon of Friday 9 November, featuring an exclusive introduction by Roger Smith.

As for the watches themselves, SalonQP is a unique event providing a relaxed atmosphere and the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the world’s best timepieces with no sales pressure. To give you a taste of what to expect at the event, we have listed below a small sample of this year’s highlights:

• Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Sphérotourbillon. Widely considered best in show at SIHH, this watch is sure to draw crowds at SalonQP. Part of the brand’s Duomètre line, it employs a ‘dual-wing’ design using two separate power sources – one for timekeeping and one for regulation/complications.

• TAG Heuer’s MikrotourbillonS. A UK launch exclusive, TAG Heuer will present the MikrotourbillonS at SalonQP. CEO Jean-Christophe Babin justly boasts, “We set a new record for a mechanical chronograph with the Mikrograph. For the first time ever we’ve combined the ultimate precision of 1/100th of a second with the ultimate accuracy that only a tourbillon can guarantee.” Get your cameras at the ready!

• Urwerk’s UR-210. In another exclusive, SalonQP will be the first opportunity for fans of the eternally future-looking Urwerk house to experience their jaw-dropping new UR-210 ‘in the metal’. With previous design inspiration ranging from the Apollo Space Programme to Duchamp, this latest model is sure to challenge and engage. Details are still strictly embargoed for this remarkable piece but suffice to say, it will knock your cogs off.

• Harry Winston’s Opus 12. Continuing the Opus tradition of working with only the most extraordinary craftsmen, this piece was designed in collaboration with Emmanuel Bouchet. Daring to be different, this masterpiece features no hour or minute hand.

Opening its doors on Thursday 8 November with a VIP reception, the exhibition continues throughout Friday 9 and Saturday 10, including the Legend of Kremlin Vodka Cocktail Reception on the Friday evening.

You can follow further SalonQP announcements as the roster of stunning watches continues to evolve, on Twitter at @salonqp.

All images and photographs courtesy of SalonQP

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Womens White Ceramic Diamonds

Well the Formula 1 Season is well and truely underway, with only a few races left and everything to play for after Alonso, missing out on another top three finish by being so rudely extracted from the race before the first corner in Japan this weekend, we thought we would keep the F1 theme going by highlighting a ladies timepiece by Tag Heuer the Officila Formula One Timekeeper. So lets get Tom’s views on this timepiece.

Written By: Tom Dunn for The Watch Review Site

The pioneering Swiss manufacturer, TAG Heuer, has long enjoyed a unique relationship with motor sports. One need only look at the history behind the Monaco model, indebted as it is to the success of the 1971 Steve McQueen feature Le Mans, to see the indelible mark race car driving has left on TAG, and vice versa. The Swiss matchmaker was the first company to introduce timing devices for ski and motor racing events, including Formula One, so setting up a long collaboration with the particular sport that has since seen TAG Heuer recognised as the official Formula One Timekeeper.

To commemorate this accolade, TAG has produced a number of F1 series models across the years, including the piece currently worn by the McLaren F1 team drivers; Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. This sleek black timepiece, inspired by the cutting-edge technology and high-speed performance of the sport, now finds its counterpart in the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Women’s Watch. Following the same basic shape and design principles of the men’s model, this sexy sister adds a dash of fashion to precision timekeeping.

As was seen in previous watches in the Formula 1 Women’s line, this latest entry swaps out the charcoal grey and black of its partnering piece in favour of a luscious white. It doesn’t, however, carry across the baby pink highlights seen in prior entries in the series, instead offering a simple, two-tone contrast of white ceramic and grey steel that bleeds elegance.

The watch’s dial is punctuated by a total of forty nine Wesselton diamond studs (0.18ct), functioning as a central circle decoration and as the marks for each hour. As if this wasn’t enough luxury for one watch, the TAG Formula 1 is given further charm through the setting of another forty eight diamonds (0.35ct) around the steel bezel. The result is a glamorous aesthetic that would suit day or evening wear with aplomb.

As is to be expected however, the Formula 1 Women’s watch is as impressive under the hood as it is in the body work. Sitting between its sapphire crystal glass face and caseback, the watch boasts a TAG Calibre 5 Automatic movement, highlighted with gold engraving viewable on through the back of the piece. The Calibre 5’s 28,800 hourly vibrations are triggered between twenty six ruby points, with the movement boasting a 38 hour power reserve when the watch isn’t in use.

Finished with luminescent minute and hour hands, and a date window at the 6 position, this latest result of the special partnership between TAG Heuer and Formula 1 is a delight, fulfilling both the technical and stylistic specifications of the savvy watch fanatic.

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Womens White Ceramic Diamonds – Technical details

Model: WAU2213.BA0861

This TAG Heuer Formula 1 ladies watch features a white diamond dot dial with date function and diamond set bezel.

The 37mm stainless steel and white ceramic case is secured with matching bracelet.

The automatic movement is viewable through the transparent case back.

Water Resistant up to 200 metres