The “Opera One” timepiece by Girard-Perregaux, one of the flagship luxury brands of the Swiss watch industry, has been awarded the “Special Jury Prize” in the annual Swiss Watch of the Year competition, sponsored by the Swiss magazines Montres Passion, Uhren Welt, and L’Hebdo. The prize is awarded when the competition jury, composed of European watch industry leaders, determines that a particular watch model contributes to the development of the Swiss watch industry. The 2000 award not only praised the Opera One but also commended Girard-Perregaux for “the continual approach and work accomplished by an independent manufactory, motivated by the passion of watchmaking.” The timepiece has a tourbillon with gold bridges and a grand Westminster-type striking mechanism. It retails for about $320,000.

Founded in 1791, Girard-Perregaux is headquartered in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and produces about 6,000 watches a year. Its watches are distributed selectively in more than 50 markets, including the United States, where they retail for $3,000 to $500,000.

The company is owned by the Sowind Group, which employs some 200 people in Switzerland and abroad. It also owns the luxury brand Daniel Jeanrichard, GP Manufacture SA (watch movements), EMG SA (watch components), and Phoenix Marketing SA (marketing management).

For more information, contact Tradema of America, the U.S. distributor of Girard-Perregaux, at 201 Rt. 17 North, Rutherford, NJ 07070.