Every year a team of thirty esteemed professionals from all over the world of design cast their expert eyes across thousands of products of every possible type, from the simplest household devices to complex medical equipment, in order to determine those whose design stands out and thus merits a prestigious “red dot” design award.

This year, a total of 4,515 entries were made for the “red dot” design awards, each individually scrutinised by the experts, who assess aspects such as the degree of innovation, functionality, formal quality, ergonomics, durability, symbolic and emotional content and ecological soundness.

Less than two per cent of the total entries exhibit the qualities required to receive a “red dot: Best of the Best” award. This year, the SPARC MGS® watch by Ventura was one of only 60 products to receive the award. Pierre Nobs, CEO of the Ventura brand, together with designer Simon Husslein from the Hannes Wettstein Design Studio, received the award in person on Monday night at a ceremony in Essen, Germany, which is the home of the red dot Design Museum.

Ventura CEO Pierre Nobs, third from left, and designer Simon Nusslein, second right, with their red dot design “Best of the Best” award

Around one quarter of the submissions (1,034 products) received a “red dot” award this year, including the following watches:

• Masterpiece Double Rétrograde by Maurice Lacroix
• Roue Carrée Seconde by Maurice Lacroix
• Geograph by Louis Moinet
• Duo 42 by Botta
• P6620 by Porsche Design
• 700 series by Jacob Jensen
• Touchscreen by Mutewatch
• Space Discovery by Halda