The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève nomination cocktail party has become one of my favorite events on the calendar. (And no, it’s not just because of the attendants floating around wearing caviar bucket belts.) Held annually in Geneva, the GPHG awards achievements in watchmaking. And each year, the nominees are presented and celebrated right here in New York.
This year, among a sea of horology buffs and luxury-industry mainstays, I admired the 90 finalists who beat out entries from over 146 brands. It was all about extremes and sparkle. Exceedingly complex and unconventional models shared the same nomination space as simple, classic ones. (There’s even a new “Time Only” category for 2024.) Meanwhile, the sparkle came through via the glut of jewelry brands—and exposed caliber jewels.
Here are some nominees that stood out to me—and why.
Photo by Breitling
Breitling Chronomat 36 Victoria Beckham: Nominated for Ladies’
There are few things I admire more than ladies’ Breitling sports watches; the pearled bezel on the ladies’ Navitimer always delights me. Following suit, this confident-looking Chronomat is a smaller, chicer version of most men’s Chronomats and is effectively unisex. A partnership with Victoria Beckham, Breitling continues to nail the one-of-a-kind collaboration game. This timepiece pulls off several balancing acts: masculine and feminine, sporty and dressy, and traditional luxury with cool factor.
Photo by MB&F
MB&F HM11 Architect: Nominated for Mechanical Exception
The HM11 Architect should win a Hugo Award on top of a GPHG. It isn’t just a triumph of engineering, but its design tells a story: one of science fiction. And aren’t stories one of the reasons we wear watches? The 364-piece flying tourbillon uses brand-specific conical gears to send data to four rooms. The four rooms respectively broadcast the time, the temperature, the power reserve, and the time-setting component. There are a lot of firsts here. The HM11 Architect might be a watch. Or it might be a spaceship (for ants).
Photo by Bvlgari
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Platinum: Nominated for Men’s
Bulgari is no stranger to GPHG nominations (and wins, for that matter). Representing both the maximalist and jewelry camps, this Octo Finissimo caught my eye for two reasons. First, no matter how many variations of this subline I see, its thinness never ceases to amaze me. (How does one flatten such complex engineering? It’s miraculous.) Second, it’s constructed from platinum, holding all of the exposed movement jewels the way a ring band would a stone. No one visually manifests the relationship between jewelry and watches the way Bulgari does. And I love that they’re doing it in the men’s category.
Photo by GPHG
Voutilainen KV20i Reversed: Nominated for Men’s
If I had to predict who might win the men’s category, it would be between the Bulgari and this KV20i Reversed. I don’t think this has ever been done before. It runs on an in-house movement that’s built starting with the back part of the caliber. This reversal allows you to see what you’d usually see on an exhibition caseback, but on the dial, along with the timekeeping hands.
Photo by Tudor
Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono ‘Cycling Edition’: Nominated for Sports
This Tudor Pelagos is highly underrated. I partly attribute this to the fact it doesn’t do anything blatantly out of the ordinary, at least not visually. Nevertheless, new chronographs that cater to activities other than auto racing and space travel always make me smile. What’s more, it delivers honest-to-goodness construction. The commanding carbon composite case is light and strong, housing a high-performance Manufacture Calibre. When it comes to sports watches, audacious design shouldn’t compromise wearability.
De Bethune DB Kind of Grande: Nominated for Men’s Complication
I’m convinced that designer Denis Flageollet is secretly a magician. How did De Bethune manage to build such a complication-heavy watch that’s also reversible? I love the way the floating lugs and rotator allow the case to swivel so smoothly. One side is classic and romantic, with stately Roman indices and shimmering stars. The other side is engineering-forward but still sleek and elegant. In one watch, you get the simple, the complex, and the sparkle.
Photo by Hublot
Hublot Classic Fusion Original Yellow Gold 29: Nom. for Iconic
This is a tough category. How do you innovate an icon without compromising its ubiquity? Moreover, is this 29-millimeter Classic Fusion just jumping on the trend of shrinking cases? Is it a cheap shot or too on the nose?
To answer these questions, I’d first like to remind you that the original Classic Fusion was only 38 millimeters. And this was during the bigger-is-better ’80s. So, this new Fusion is simultaneously on-trend as well as historically on-brand. You might be asking, “How can it be on-brand if Hublot has become all about big cases?” I argue that Hublot is more about bold design. That they managed to translate this boldness into such a small, pared-down form is an impressive feat of maintaining relevance. Iconic indeed.
Photo by IWC
IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar: Nominated for Calendar
This complication on any watch is impressive, as it takes into account every leap year over a 400-year span. But IWC isn’t just serving up its first secular perpetual calendar for the sake of having one in its portfolio. The Portugieser Eternal is an evolution of their regular perpetual calendar, which is fully integrated and allows you to adjust every display with one crown. This isn’t just a secular calendar—it’s IWC’s secular calendar. The Portugieser Eternal is one heck of a one-up.
Photo by Venezianico
Venezianico Redentore Historia Temporis: Nominated for Time Only
Due to how beloved the Berneron Mirage Sienna is, and how big shape watches have been this year, I have a feeling it’ll take the Time Only award. For me, though, the best entrant in this category is the Venezianico Redentore Historia Temporis. Watch designs are usually approached with a style and fashion mind or a horology mind. This timepiece was approached with an art mind. The topography on the dial’s 17th-century Venetian scene is minted like a coin, then healthily aged with oils. There’s visual intrigue at every angle.
Photo by Bvlgari
Bulgari Fenice High-Jewelry Secret Watch: Nominated for Jewellery
I don’t make definitive statements often, but I will now. No one makes wearable jewelry like Bulgari. They’ve mastered the art of incorporating the timekeeper as a mere accent without compromising its horological value. Truly, a manual winding movement allows you to get to know your watch better. The gems are immaculately applied, thanks to 3,000 hours of labor. Yes, this watch is splashy. But, the sophisticated color composition and the mythic subject matter temper any potential gaucheness. With its impeccable openwork construction, the Fenice just might spirit you away.
