The 7th Edition of TEMPORIS GALA AWARDS took place at Athenee Palace Hilton in Bucharest, Romania, with the status of leading Gala dedicated to watch industry in the entire region. With this unique occasion, TEMPORIS magazine celebrated 11-th Anniversary!
This year, the International Jury of TEMPORIS chose from a number of hundreds of watches, no less than 78 nominations for 13 categories. For this year, these 13 categories have been enriched with a new one: TEMPORIS Best Power Reserve, another original idea coming from the TEMPORIS editorial team, like the whole concept.
After the complex selection process performed by the Jury, more than 14.000 people took part on the voting process on www.temporis.ro. Finally, the winners were decided by the people interested in watches, following the latest modern trends on horlogerie.
This year’s event marks an important milestone in the history of this Gala, as it is for the first time that the jury gets international, being the only independent Jury specialized in watchmaking, at an international level. More, it is the only international awards competition open to all the countries with watchmaking industry and to any kind of watches, mechanical, automatic, quartz and smart/connected watches. The number of the jury members has increased to 15; among the “new entries”, there are prestigious journalists from the watchmaking business, representing top publications from Austria, Brazil, Poland and Singapore. There are currently 13 countries represented in this jury.
During the Gala, we had the honor to share the greetings received from important names of the industry: Thomas Bruckner from Breitling, Raphael Nussbaumer from Hublot, Hans Christian Mohr from Carl F. Bucherer, Corey Ruhnke from Tag Heuer, Stefan Ihnen from IWC Schaffhausen, Tim & Bart Gronefeld (members of TEMPORIS Hall of Fame), Stephen & John McGonigle (members of TEMPORIS Hall of Fame).
Bernard Werk, Jury member representing Nederland and Jan Limansky, representing Czech Republic have been also present at the Gala.
Two new brilliant watchmakers became members of our HALL OF FAME:
Stephen McGonigle – “It’s my first time in Romania and I met Dan last night, but I already know that he is a visionary. I want to thank him and people working directly with Dan. We were in Baselworld this year and we met Romain Gauthier who told us that Dan and his team considered us for the Hall of Fame. Looking at the list, it’s absolutely sensational. I met Philippe Dufour and he is my hero, he is the best of the best of the best. It’s absolutely mind blowing, it’s hard to put into words what I feel right now. Thank you!”
John McGonigle – “Thank you very much ladies and gentlemans. I’d like to thank first of all TEMPORIS, Dan and his team. It’s unusual for a watchmaker, when you work on your own, in your own workshop, designing, creating, up to your elbows in grease, you do all the things that have to be done in a factory, in a workshop, yourself. Than you live moments like this. It’s extraordinary. Thank you very much, we feel very grateful that others share our passion.”
Today, TEMPORIS Hall of Fame is including no less than 22 legends of haute horlogerie. In the last 6 years, all these personalities visited Bucharest and participated to the TEMPORIS Awards Gala.”
The `Jury Watch of the Year` – for this prize the voting is made exclusively by the Jury members- this year goes to A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split. On stage, Porfir Popescu, Managing Partner Galt orologerie elvetiana, was present and very happy to receive the prize: ”Thank you very much Dan Vardie and the Jury. A. Lange & Sohne made a strong statement with the Triple Split this year and in a time when many say it’s difficult to invent things, A. Lange & Sohne made the first time a triple split complication. It’s a really exceptional watch and it will be produced in only 100 pieces. In the name of A. Lange & Sohne, I want to thank the Jury for this award.”
TEMPORIS Watch of the Year 2018 – IWC Schaffhausen Tribute to Pallweber Edition “150 years”. Stefan Ihnen, Associate Director Technics at IWC Schaffhausen, said on the stage: “I’m really proud and honored to be here and I want to thank Dan Vardie and all of you here. This masterpiece we had done was chosen for our 150th Anniversary. Thank you very much TEMPORIS and all of you, enjoy the evening!”.
TEMPORIS Best Everyday Man’s Watch 2018 – Breitling Navitimer Super 8
Mr. Thomas Bruckner, Area Sales Manager Breitling, went on stage and said: “I’m really honored to be invited to TEMPORIS Awards Gala this evening. I must say I’m really happy for this nomination of a special watch. It’s a 50 mm watch, which used to be at the wrist of the pilots and we’re looking forward for its arrival in September. Thank you very much for this prize!”
TEMPORIS Best Holidays Man’s Watch – Hublot Big Bang Unico Red Magic
To pick up the prize, Mr. Raphael Nussbaumer, Product and Purchasing Director Hublot declared on stage:“It’s my first time in Bucharest and I’m honered to receive this prize, a deserved one. This watch represents the innovation at Hublot. This red ceramic case was developed in five years, by a great team in Switzerland. It’s a colour very hard to obtain, that’s why I want to thank my team and to you for recognizing great innovations”.
TEMPORIS Best Bargain 2018 – TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Chronometer Tete de Vipere.
To pick-up the award on stage, Corey Runke – Sales Manager Tag Heuer made this statement: “Good evening and thank you Mr. Vardie for this prize. It’s my second time at a TEMPORIS Awards Gala and it’s again a beautiful evening. Best Bargain it’s a very interesting category. We offer the most affordable tourbillon chronograph watch and it’s a very interesting process because, you know, tourbillon is generally an expensive complication. However, we at TAG HEUER, intend to use our skills, streamline our processes and also use modern day manufacturing to offer this complication at an affordable price. Tete de Vipere will be produced in 155 pieces celebrating 55 years of TAG HEUER Carrera. Thank you very much and have a wonderful evening”.
TEMPORIS Bad Boy’s Watch 2018 – Ullyse Nardin Freak Vision
To pick-up the prize, Lorin Bancescu, Sales Director Galt orologerie elvetiana, went on stage: “Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision was the most important news from SIHH this year, it was in the spotlight and the prize came as a result. Also, I think it’s the first time Ulysse Nardin is the winner in this category, which means a lot to this brand. But most important is that it’s obvious once again what TEMPORIS means for the horological world. This watch is the creation of one of the members in TEMPORIS Hall of Fame, Ludwig Oechslin, one of the the biggest alive geniuses. Thanks to Dan Vardie for making this possible.”.
TEMPORIS Best Holiday Lady’s Watch 2018 – Carl F. Bucherer ADAMAVI
Receiving the prize, Hans Christian Mohr, Managing Director of Carl F. Bucherer in Munchen, declared: “It’s also for me the first time here in Bucharest and I’m very pleased and honored to receive this award. This year we’re celebrating 130 years of watchmaking and this is a nice reward for people in Lucerne. We’re about passionate watchmaking and today, at the round table, I’ve seen a lot of passionate people, the colleagues from the industry, passionate watchmakers from Ireland, from the Netherlands and also passionate people doing nice magazines. I think that we all have to congratulate you and thank you very much!”.
TEMPORIS Best Electric Boy’s Watch 2018 – Tissot T-Sport PRS 516
To pick up the prize, Dragoș Nicolae, General Manager Cellini, made the following statement: “Thank you for the prize for Tissot T-Sport. Through this watch, I think the passion and adrenalin of motorsports can now be at the wrist of those who love racing world. Thank you again, Dan, for everything you do from many years now. The passion and dedication and the efforts to gather us here every year is fantastic”.
TEMPORIS Best Smartwatch 2018 – Tag Heuer Connected Modular 41
To pick up the prize, Corey Ruhnke, Sales Manager Tag Heuer, said on the stage: “TAG HEUER is a traditional watchmaking manufacturer, however we are aware of the change in preferences and that’s why we created this smartwatch. We’re happy with this awards, it’s great for us and it shows that we’re ready for the future”.
TEMPORIS Best Power Reserve Watch – Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Power Reserve 14 Days 3D carbon
To pick up the prize, Mr. Raphael Nussbaumer, Product and Purchasing Director Hublot declared on stage:“Thank you for the prize, TEMPORIS. We are not obsessed about power reserve, but after the watch masterpiece La Ferrari with 50 days power reserve, we wanted to go further in that direction. This is also a masterpiece for me. Thank you very much!”. TEMPORIS would like to say “Thank you!” to the partners of the VII-th Edition of the Gala: Peugeot (Trust Motors), Galt orologerie elvetiana, Tissot (Cellini), Chivas, La Casa del Habano, Dupont, Illy.
