By Lifestyle Editor
Pictures Courtesy of The Hour Glass
Now that the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) and its Academy has announced the shortlist of watches for the 2023 GPHG awards, the nominated watches will embark on a traveling exhibition with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur, the only city in South East Asia. The world’s leading specialist watch retailer The Hour Glass will host this exhibition at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Centre Court from 5th to 8th October 2023.
Eighty-four watches from 14 of the awards’ 15 categories will offer enthusiasts in the region a glimpse into the pinnacle of contemporary watchmaking. The 14 categories comprise the Men’s and Ladies’, Men’s and Ladies’ Complications, Iconic, Tourbillon, Calendar and Astronomy, Mechanical Exception, Chronograph, Sports, Jewellery, Artistic Crafts, Challenge or entry-level and “Petite Aiguille” or mid-range priced. Only shortlisted entries for the Mechanical Clock category will be absent from the exhibition.
Winners for these prestigious awards in 2022 include MB&F, whose Legacy Machine Sequential Evo watch took home the “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix or best in class prize, TAG Heuer (Iconic Watch Prize for the Monaco X Gulf), and Akrivia (Men’s Watch Prize for the Chronomètre Contemporain II).
To celebrate the auspicious occasion, The Hour Glass is hosting a series of interactive events throughout the traveling exhibition’s stop in Kuala Lumpur. In addition to delighting collectors and enthusiasts with events such as a watch photography workshop, the programme also includes a DIY mechanical clock workshop and a colouring session with Hublot for children to cultivate an early appreciation for the art of watchmaking.
Malaysia marks the third stop on a worldwide tour that commenced in Macao and continued to Hong Kong. Other cities to host the traveling exhibition include New York, Geneva, Dubai, and then culminates in Zurich.