GPHG – A MAJOR FIRST IN ROMANIA
GPHG Exhibition Bucharest – A success for Horology in Central and Eastern Europe with over 1500 visitors
Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve (GPHG) has arrived to Bucharest, Romania, with the exhibition of the 20 prize-winning watches of the 2024 edition, an absolute first for Central and Eastern Europe, organized by MISTERWATCH Magazine and powered by KULTHO, the premium retailer of watches and jewelry. Between 22 st and 23 rd of November, the days when GPHG Exhibition has been opened to the general public, as well as on the 21 st , the evening of the grand opening cocktail, the event registered a record attendance of over 1500 visitors.
GPHG has decided to include Romania in its 2024 calendar as the final event on 21 st to 23 rd of November after the 20 winning watches have been officially announced in Geneva at the 24 th GPHG Awards Ceremony. Hosted at The Bucharest University Library, one of Europe’s most representative architectural jewels inaugurated by King Carol I of Romania in 1893, the GPHG Exhibition was received as a true national event dedicated to presenting the passion for the watchmaking art in all its beauty.
Focusing on building a complete and complex experience for the Romanian public, the event concept has been extended to include three more special highlights besides the exhibition – an opening cocktail, a conference with interactive panels and a VIP dinner.
For the official opening ceremony, the evening started inside the ample auditorium of the Library, an important historical venue that has welcomed through its history royal figures and heads of state. Here on the stage, in front of an audience of over 300 guests, the
welcome speeches and the ribbon cutting ceremony were held by H.E. Massimo Baggi, the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation in Romania, Raymond Loretan, President of the GPHG, Carine Maillard, Director of GPHG, Mireille Rădoi, Director of The Bucharest
University Library, Constantin Bacheș, MISTERWATCH Magazine Founder and Mădălina Diaconu, Markerting Director KULTHO. The evening continued with a cocktail dinner accompanied by live music while guests had the opportunity to discover the exhibition
upstairs during the first guided tours, inside “Carol I Salon”, another historical room of the Library.
The second day program began with a press conference followed by interactive panels in the Auditorium. For the first session, the stage welcomed Raymond Loretan, President of GPHG, Carine Maillard, Director of GPHG and Constantin Bacheș, MISTERWATCH founder. Following a lunch break prepared for the press and the guests, the panel series continued with Lorenz Brunner, Head of Research and Innovation IWC, and Nicolas Wiederrecht from Agenhor watches discussing about the technical beauty and challenges of watchmaking. The third panel was dedicated to independent watch brands and the stage was shared between Claire Birn, CEO Byrne Watches, Lilian Thibault, CEO Awake Watches, Adnane Kerd, CEO Guebly Watches and Andrea Casalegno, Italian watch collector and influencer.
In the same time and continuing until the evening, enthusiasts attended the guided tours of the GPHG Exhibition, all the people present having been registered before on a dedicated online platform. On the same level with the exhibition, visitors had also the opportunity to discover a watchmakers corner completely functional and where KULTHO service department offered interactive insights into the fascinating world of watchmaking. To conclude the day, a VIP experience was organized for the close friends of MISTERWATCH, KULTHO and the Swiss Confederation Embassy in Romania. The glamorous evening started with private tours of the exhibition before guests were invited for a luxury dinner hosted inside the Library and accompanied by classical music interpreted by a Romanian string quartet.
For the final day, the guided tours continued as scheduled allowing the Romanian public to discover and enjoy the first GPHG Exhibition ever to arrive in Central and Eastern Europe.
You may also like
GPHG Geneva 2024
Following the tradition, the GPHG Academy that has now reached almost 1000 members – specialists, collectors, enthusiasts – together with…
Rémy Martin – Celebrating a 300-year Legacy
For three centuries, each one has been dreaming forward, saving a precious quantity of their exceptional quality eaux-de-vie from Grande…
Watches and Wonders Geneva is THE momentum for the industry! MISTERWATCH and HERWATCH are proud to be invited to attend!
“Watches and Wonders Geneva is THE momentum for the industry where all the novelties are launched. A time for the…
GPHG 2022 – PRIZE LIST
The GPHG Academy – regrouping 650 key figures in the profession worldwide – and the 2022 Jury chaired by Nick…