Worn & Wound
Opinion: Our Reactions to the GPHG Awards
We have some thoughts on the GPHG. Watchmaking’s biggest night is in the rearview mirror, winners have been named, and we’ve all had an opportunity to digest not just who won and lost, but what, if anything, the results signify about the state of the watch industry. Here, Zach Weiss, Griffin Bartsch, and Zach Kazan share their opinions on the winners, the show itself, and if we should pay much attention to it at all. Let us know in the comments below if you have any thoughts on the GPHG results, we’d love to hear them. Zach Weiss I’m never quite sure how to feel about the GPHG awards. On the one hand, it’s pageantry rather than an accurate assessment of the most recent year’s releases, as not all brands (very few, actually) participate, and fees are associated with it. On the other hand, it can be a great marketing tool for younger, smaller independent brands if they get nominated, or better yet, win – and there is just something fun about it. This is a luxury industry after all, so an event to celebrate itself is hardly out of the ordinary. As a member of the academy (pats self on back), being part of the voting process also has its entertainment value. But at the end, seeing who won is always a bit of a surprise. Not knowing what goes on in the final round of judgment, held by the elusive and annually rotating jury, the actual final results are still unexpected. And this year… well, it felt like a very tame selection that mostly celebrated brands that s...
