Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2020 Nominees

GRAND PRIX D’HOROGERIE DE GENEVE – 2021 Nominated Watches

October 23, 2021

 

The Foundation of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) has announced its list of 84 watches nominated by its Academy.

Created at the beginning of 2020, the GPHG Academy – encompassing more than 350 key players from the main sectors of the international watch industry – has recently conducted its first round of voting via a dedicated digital platform specially designed to preserve the anonymity of information and the confidentiality of the results.

The 84 nominated timepieces, divided into 14 categories, will continue the competition to win one of the 18 prizes intended to salute the year’s finest watchmaking creations, including the prestigious “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix.

A jury of 30 members drawn from the Academy, will soon be constituted and meet behind closed doors in Geneva. During this notary-supervised encounter, they will physically evaluate each of the nominated watches and cast a final vote by secret ballot. All Academy members will also take part in the final vote via the dedicated digital platform.

The names of the winners will be announced on Thursday November 4, 2021, at the GPHG awards ceremony that will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the GPHG, a unifying event that plays a strategic role in promoting contemporary horological creations.

With the creation of its new Academy, fostering widespread involvement of worldwide industry stakeholders in the selection process, the GPHG is globally developing its mission to highlight horological excellence and creativity.

 

Here is the full list of nominated watches.

 

————— LADIES —————
• Armin Strom | Lady BeatManufacure Edition White
• Bovet 1822 | Miss Audrey Sweet Art
• Chanel | Mademoiselle J12 Acte II watch
• Parmigiani Fleurier | Tonda Sélène Rose Gold White Mop 33 mm
• Piaget | Limelight Gala Precious Rainbow
• Van Cleef & Arpels | Alhambra secret pendant watch

 

 

Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2021 Nomineesg Miss Audrey Sweet Art

Bovet 1822 – Miss Audrey Sweet Art

Over the course of watchmaking history, watch dials have been made of a number of different materials, all designed to stand out from the crowd. Precious metals, enamel, miniature painting, guilloche, engraving, mother-of-pearl, aventurine, skeleton – you name it and BOVET 1822, with almost 200 years of history, has probably used it for its dials.

The new Miss Audrey Sweet Art, however, uses a completely new material and a new process to produce a dial that has never been seen before in watchmaking.

One made from pure sugar.Representing sweetness and purity, the sugar dial of the Miss Audrey Sweet Art is a breakthrough in engineering innovation, materials, and miniature painting – all hallmarks of the House of BOVET.

Born in the mind and heart of Mr. Pascal Raffy, the owner of the House of BOVET for 20 years this year, the Miss Audrey Sweet Art takes this material and transforms it – all with the goal of capturing the sweetness of love and the purity of a child’s carefree desire for confections. 

The process of producing this dial is extraordinarily complex. First, the pure sugar crystals are prepared so their structure will not change when exposed to light or heat. Then the sweet crystals are chosen for size, then combined with special paints and hand-applied to the dial by one of BOVET’s miniature painting artisans. This demanding process, protected by a patent, leaves no room for error. One misstep and the entire process has to start again.

Thanks to its artisanal and hand-made nature, each and every dial is in effect a piece unique. A variety of colors are available, including solid hues as well as gradients. The result is an intriguing mix of texture and sparkle, unlike any other dial ever produced in the long history of watchmaking.

The special hands on the dial of the Sweet Art are a whimsical, romantic touch. Uniquely shaped, they form a beautiful heart once every hour, as the minute hand catches up to the hour hand, reminding the wearers of the loved ones in their lives. The signature 36mm Fleurier Amadéo® convertible case is available in stainless steel hand-set with sparkling white diamonds. The unique and patented Amadéo® case can be transformed into a wristwatch, table clock, or pendant all without the use of any tool.

 

Parmigiani Fleurier: TONDA SÉLÈNE ROSE GOLD WHITE MOP 33 MM  Ref PFC810-1510020-HC6181

Parmigiani Fleurier TONDA SÉLÈNE ROSE GOLD WHITE MOP

Refined yet understated, the new Tonda embodies every aspiration of the modern woman, making each moment of the day unique. Reflecting today’s multicultural and multifaceted society, this new line of timepieces, with its variety of dials, functions and diameters, is an ode to diversity and features luxury codes which are undeniably feminine and utterly universal. Faithful to its history, Parmigiani Fleurier appeals to all women, from Asia to the Americas, via Europe and Africa, in all the greatest cities of the world.

From the choice of the most refined materials to the painstaking work required to create the horological elements, the greatest diligence has been applied to every phase of its design. The play of light – showcasing the different diamond cuts, combined with the sidereal reflections of the aventurine or the golden lacework delicately applied over the mother-of-pearl – has been engineered to ensure that each of these unique spectacles is a triumph at every turn. And if this were not enough, a moon phase indicator adds to the poetry on every one of the dials. In addition to its haute horlogerie expertise, Parmigiani Fleurier once again demonstrates its skill in working the most delicate of natural materials.

Shimmering mother-of-pearl takes pride of place on the dial of the Tonda Sélène mother-of-pearl. This rose gold timepiece also adopts a diameter of 36 mm. Set with 64 VVS diamonds totaling 1.8 ct, its bezel encircles a white mother-of-pearl dial set with gold indices. Fine gold lacework allows iridescent hints of mother-of-pearl to be glimpsed in its centre. Driven by the manufacture PF 318 automatic calibre with a gold oscillating weight, this timepiece has leaf-shaped luminescent hands, a moon phase indicator at twelve o’clock, and a small seconds hand at six o’clock. A white opal cabochon decorates the crown of this watch, while an Etoupe Hermès calfskin strap echoes the colors adopted by this new timepiece.

The line is completed by 3-hand Tonda Métropolitaine mother-of-pearl and Tonda Sélène aventurine versions, available with a 36 mm case, with all versions available with a 33 mm case and a bezel set with 60 diamonds totaling 0.8 ct.

 

Piaget: LIMELIGHT GALA PRECIOUS RAINBOW  Ref G0A46188

Piaget: LIMELIGHT GALA PRECIOUS RAINBOW 

Re-interpretation of a vintage piece from 1973, the Limelight Gala model features an elegant round case sublimated by two asymmetrical extended lugs that are cambered in order to perfectly fit any wrist. The voluptuous nature of its silhouette is accentuated by a bezel set with dazzling brilliant-cut sapphires and tsavorite. This creation continues Piaget’s traditional expertise in gold work, epitomised here in the outstanding beauty of this delicately-crafted bracelet. With its elegant hand-engraved finish, the bracelet and its “Palace Décor” produce an almost iridescent effect, like a ribbon of raw silk wrapped exquisitely around the curve of the wrist. Inspired by Haute Couture techniques, it is on its reverse side that the bracelet reveals all its technical virtuosity. Its multitude of assembled links create an effect of extreme delicacy, in which each part is crafted to perfection to form a golden “fabric” of exceptional lightness.

 

 

————— LADIE’S COMPLICATIONS —————
• Bovet 1822 | Récital 23
• Chopard | L.U.C Flying T Twin Ladies
• Louis Vuitton | Tambour Spin Time Air Vivienne
• Montres KF | KF-09-01
• Piaget | Altiplano Tourbillon 
• Van Cleef & Arpels | Lady Arpels Watch

 

Bovet 1822 - Recital 23  Ref R230011-SD14

BOVET 1822 – Récital 23 

The Récital 23 is the first BOVET women’s timepiece to feature the “writing slope” case, which is designed here for the first time in an oval shape that is 43 mm high and 28.7 mm wide. Hours and minutes occupy an off-center dial at 6 o’clock, while a deeply poetic three-dimensional moon phase is displayed on the upper section of the timepiece.  

The Récital 23 timepiece is driven by a self-winding mechanical movement, its oscillating weight in 22-ct gold finely hand-engraved with the “Fleurisanne” motif that Maison BOVET 1822 has been producing for almost two centuries. Its oscillations power two barrels for 62 hours of power reserve. The moon phase module, entirely developed and manufactured in BOVET 1822’s workshops, makes it possible to offset the time display and add the moon phase indicator. 

Presented in the form of a hemispherical dome, the moon phase indicator majestically corresponds to the volume of the “writing slope” case. The dome’s surface is engraved to evoke the lunar surface and filled with luminescent material. This feat is all the more remarkable due to the indicator’s camber. It is read via a three-dimensional circular aperture that singlehandedly requires over a day’s work to be manufactured and decorated. The precision mechanism used to drive the moon phase requires correction only once every 122 years.

Keen to develop useful complications that would allow everyday use of the timepiece, Mr. Pascal Raffy — BOVET 1822’s Owner —sought to incorporate a push button into the real sapphire cabochon of the crown so as to be able to easily adjust the moon phase, so no need for any correctors. One push on the crown moves the moon phase forward by one day.

In 2021, the Récital 23 comes in 18K red gold with a bright turquoise guilloché dial, and the case and bezel are set with round white diamonds. Timeless and symbolic, the new Récital 23 represents the values which drive Mr. Raffy and the artisans of BOVET 1822: passion for fine watchmaking, and a devotion to perpetuate BOVET 1822’s illustrious history with noble new expressions of the timekeeping art.

 

 

Piaget - Altiplano

PIAGET: Altiplano Tourbillon

The breathtakingly thin Altiplano tourbillon watch is taken to new heights with an aventurine glass dial, a technique that exalts the dial and transforms it into a dark blue starry night sky makes this limited-edition watch a stellar addition to your collection. This ultra-thin mechanical watch is powered by the 670P movement, the innovation to thank for the refined and elegant profile of this luxury watch. Furthering its allure, this white gold watch is set with baguette diamonds on the bezel, to add some shine to this creation sent from the stars.

 

————— MEN’S —————
• Grand Seiko | Hi-Beat 36000 80 Hours Caliber 9SA5
• H. Moser & Cie. | Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade
• Hermès | Hermès H08
• Louis Erard | La Semaine Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein
• MB&F | LM101 Double Hairspring
• Piaget | Piaget Polo Skeleton

 

 

 

H. Moser & Cie - Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade

H. Moser & Cie – Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade

H. Moser & Cie.’s own and unique take on Haute Horlogerie.

Launched in response to the emergence of connected watches and in order to express the need for a nearly two-hundred-year-old brand like H. Moser & Cie. to remain faithful to its values of tradition and mechanical Haute Horlogerie while exploring modern movements, the Swiss Alp Watch will take its final bow in the form of a singular creation. A one-of-a-kind conceptual piece, the Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade pays tribute to the codes of connected watches, incorporating refined Vantablack® technology with traditional, fine mechanical watchmaking. 

Now, more than ever, is the time to reconnect. To ourselves, to those close to us, to what matters. Current events serve as a daily reminder that the virtual world will never outshine reality, that electronic devices will never replace people, and that technology must remain a means and not an end. On the strength of its convictions, H. Moser & Cie. wanted to mark the end of the Swiss Alp Watch collection with an extra special model: Similar to previous models from this line, the Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade is inspired by the modern design of smartwatches, yet it is completely mechanical. With its 100% Swiss Manufacture movement and a minimum power reserve of 96 hours, it is developed to last and is perfectly equipped for the next generation. Instead of downloading information, the Schaffhausen manufacture thinks it’s time we recharged ourselves. A watch must remain an expression of emotion, make you dream and perform its main purpose: To display the time. 

For this model, H. Moser & Cie. wanted to combine different elements that have contributed to its success over the past few years. An aesthetic inspired by smartwatches, it features a Vantablack® dial in its Concept version, with no logo or indices. Known to be the blackest material produced artificially, Vantablack® and the blackened hour and minute hands perfectly evoke the standby appearance of the watch. This notion is further reinforced by the offset small second at 6 o’clock, redesigned for the occasion as a shaded disc made up of openings. Evoking the constant passing of time, this symbol serves as a reminder that the here and now is all that matters.  Acting as an ode to minimalism and understatement, in an ultra-contemporary, pared down and timeless manner, H. Moser & Cie. creates a striking contrast between aesthetic simplicity and the complexity of the materials chosen. Through its steel case with black DLC coating, the Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade radiates all the power of its perfectly black appearance. The Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade is a concept watch, a symbol of the end of the Swiss Alp Watch collection, production of which will cease. 

 

MB&F: LM101 Double Hairspring

MB&F: LM101 Double Hairspring

The Legacy Machine 101 (LM101) series was first launched in 2014. As suggested by its “101” name, it focuses on the essentials of a mechanical wristwatch, contained in one of MB&F’s most compact Machines with a case diameter of 40mm.

In 2021, the LM101 series evolves with technically and aesthetically-upgraded versions distinguished by colourful dial plates, including a stainless steel version. Focusing further on the essentials, the bezel and “Legacy Machine” engraving on the dial withdraw to highlight the time and power reserve, indicated on slightly larger subdials; and the star of the show, the signature “flying” balance wheel, inherits a double hairspring. Turning over the LM101, the display back crystal – domed to reduce the thickness of the caseband and, visually, the height of the watch – reveals the exquisitely hand-finished movement. Sensually curved plates and bridges pay homage to the style found in high quality historic pocket watches and testify to the respect accorded to historical legitimacy.

With its undulating Geneva waves, hand polished bevels, gold chatons and countersunk blued screws, the beauty of LM101’s movement doesn’t just stay faithful to a bygone era. In 2014 it also heralded the dawn of a new epoch as it was the first MB&F calibre to be entirely conceived and designed in-house. Indeed, while award-winning independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen took responsibility for the movement’s fine finishing specifications and fidelity to the horological past, its architecture and construction are 100% pure MB&F.

 

PIAGET: Piaget Polo Skeleton

PIAGET: Piaget Polo Skeleton

With the Piaget Polo Skeleton, Piaget pushes back once again the boundaries of refinement with this ultra-thin skeleton movement! This self-winding ultra-thin skeleton watch displays a casual elegance that is ideal for every occasion. Featuring an interchangeability system, the watch is available with a polished and satin-brushed steel bracelet and an additional leather strap, which merge perfectly with its ultra-thin curved case. This masculine and sporty luxury watch has contemporary lines and is remarkably comfortable to wear. Housed in a case combining round and cushion-shaped forms in the purest Piaget aesthetic tradition, the blue mouvement, divided up by applied hour-markers, displays hours and minutes. The 42 mm-diameter steel case displays an elegant interplay of alternating polished and satin-brushed finishes and reveals through its sapphire glass and case-back the refined finishings of the Manufacture Piaget 1200S1 ultra-thin self-winding skeleton movement and its anthracite-grey oscillating weight, engraved with the Piaget coat-of-arms.

 

 

————— MEN’S COMPLICATIONS —————
• Audemars Piquet | Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Flying TourbillonChronograph
• Breitling | Premier B15 Duograph 42
• Bulgari | Octo Roma Worldtimer
• Chanel | Monsieur. Superleggera Edition
• Chopard | L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25
• MB&F | LMX Titanium

 

BULGARI Octo Roma Worldtimer

BULGARI – Octo Roma Worldtimer

The function is a classic watchmaking must-have. The WorldTimer is both fundamental and eminently useful in an age when travelling from one end of the planet to the other can be done as easily and quickly as shopping! Attired in the Octo Roma case, it renews the genre enabling it to project itself into the contemporary world by playing with temporal boundaries.

The Octo Roma WorldTimer is designed for globetrotters: it enables instant reading of the time in 24 cities, i.e. in 24 time zones. From Rome to Samoa, Anchorage or Cape Verde, no place on the planet can escape it when it comes to knowing the local time in relation to the time at home. This new version of the world time function joining the Octo Roma collection is driven by a new integrated movement comprising 261 components, developed and produced by the Manufacture in Le Sentier.

The layout of the dial information features a central display of the hours, minutes and seconds combined with a double rotating disc on the outer edge: one for the 24 reference cities and another with a 24-hour graduated scale. Together, they enable simple and instant reading of the time.

The functions are adjusted via the crown, first positioning the city of the chosen time zone at 12 o’clock, then setting the time until the hours and minutes hands indicate the exact time in the selected time zone – while taking care to ensure that the 24-hour indicator corresponds to the afore-mentioned chosen time zone. Once completed, these quick operations enable a reading of time in all time zones.

 

MB&F LMX Titanium

MB&F: LM101 Double Hairspring

The Legacy Machine 101 (LM101) series was first launched in 2014. As suggested by its “101” name, it focuses on the essentials of a mechanical wristwatch, contained in one of MB&F’s most compact Machines with a case diameter of 40mm.

In 2021, the LM101 series evolves with technically and aesthetically-upgraded versions distinguished by colourful dial plates, including a stainless steel version. Focusing further on the essentials, the bezel and “Legacy Machine” engraving on the dial withdraw to highlight the time and power reserve, indicated on slightly larger subdials; and the star of the show, the signature “flying” balance wheel, inherits a double hairspring.

Turning over the LM101, the display back crystal – domed to reduce the thickness of the caseband and, visually, the height of the watch – reveals the exquisitely hand-finished movement. Sensually curved plates and bridges pay homage to the style found in high quality historic pocket watches and testify to the respect accorded to historical legitimacy.

With its undulating Geneva waves, hand polished bevels, gold chatons and countersunk blued screws, the beauty of LM101’s movement doesn’t just stay faithful to a bygone era. In 2014 it also heralded the dawn of a new epoch as it was the first MB&F calibre to be entirely conceived and designed in-house. Indeed, while award-winning independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen took responsibility for the movement’s fine finishing specifications and fidelity to the horological past, its architecture and construction are 100% pure MB&F.

 

————— ICONIC —————
• Audemar Piquet | Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin
• Grand Seiko | Re-creation of the first Grand Seiko
• IWC Schaffhausen | Big Pilot’s Watch 43
• Tudor | Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925
• Vacheron Constantin | Historiques American 1921
• Zenith | Chronomaster Revival A386 Manufacture

 

ZENITH Chronomaster Revival A386 Manufacture

>ZENITHChronomaster Revival Manufacture Edition

 

Inspired by never-released vintage prototypes found in the attic of the Manufacture, the Chronomaster Revival Manufacture Edition features a white-lacquered dial with three counters in three shades of blue, reflecting a previously unknown prototype face from the company archives. The stainless steel case with pump-style pushers is an exact reproduction of the 1969 A386, using the blueprints of the original to preserve the proportions of the iconic chronograph.

What makes this edition significant and even more unique is that it represents the final version of the A386 available with the original “Revival” case. Beating within it at a rate of 36,000 VpH (5 Hz) and with a 50-hour power reserve, is the same movement it would have had had it been made in 1969: the venerable El Primero high-frequency 400 automatic chronograph with column wheel. Offering a central display of the hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock, chronograph with central chronograph hand, 12-hour counter 6 six o’clock, and 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, a tachymeter scale and date indication between 4 and 5 o’clock, the Chronomaster Revival Manufacture Edition comes with a blue alligator leather strap featuring a protective rubber lining and stainless steel pin buckle. 

 

————— TOURBILLON —————
• ArtyA | Purity Tourbillon
• Audemars Piquet | Selfwinding FlyingTourbillon Chronograph
• De Bethune | DB Kind of Two Tourbillon
• Girard-Perregaux | Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston MartinEdition
• IWC Schaffhausen | Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition”IWC Racing”
• Louis Moinet | Space Revolution

 

DE BETHUNE DB Kind of Two Tourbillon

DE BETHUNE DB Kind of Two Tourbillon

Two dials, two identities. A technical and aesthetic exercise that opens up a whole new field of research. A contemporary take on the double-sided watch.

Two very different faces, both aesthetically and technically.  The DB Kind of Two Tourbillon is perfectly reversible and can be worn on either side according to the mood of the moment. 

The front side of the DB Kind of Two Tourbillon displays a dial featuring a sleek, contemporary design, with central hours and minutes hands as well as a tourbillon at 6 o’clock, complete with a 30-second indication. Extensive work has been done on integrating polished, curved shapes, matt or glossy components, different thicknesses and levels, thereby creating a sensation of ample space and optimal volume, given the minimum height available for a tourbillon watch. A new type of deltoid-shaped bridge – this time perfectly symmetrical – is positioned in the center, like an isosceles triangle that contributes to the overall sense of harmony.

The other side reveals a dial based on more traditional aesthetic inspiration, with a finely hand-guilloché central part surrounded by the numerals already featured on the dials of De Bethune models such as the DB8 and DB10. The tourbillon with its seconds has vanished, and on this face the hours, minutes and more surprisingly the seconds hands are all centrally positioned. This represents an extremely subtle technical challenge that is not necessarily perceptible at first glance, and therein lies the elegance of this timepiece.

Floating lugs playing their role to the full, Every detail has been taken into consideration. Easy to use, yet highly complex, the system of floating lugs lends itself particularly well to the “pivoting” of the case.

 

GIRARD-PERREGAUX  Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston MartinEdition

GIRARD-PERREGAUX  Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston Martin Edition

The first timepiece borne of the recently announced partnership between Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin has been revealed. The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston Martin Edition unites the watchmaking expertise of Girard-Perregaux with Aston Martin’s unique knowledge of luxury and performance.

Both brands demonstrate a passion for refined craftsmanship and have been working together, sharing their understanding of design, materials and technology. This latest model celebrates the iconic Three Bridges pocket watch from the 19th century in a decidedly contemporary way, down to the smallest details, including the strap. The latter is a world premiere, presented in black calf leather and featuring Girard-Perregaux Rubber Alloy, an innovative rubber insert injected with white gold. The design of the strap is intended to evoke thoughts of Aston Martin racing cars of the past.

The 44 millimeter case of the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston Martin Edition is formed of Grade 5 titanium, a strong, hypoallergenic alloy selected by Aston Martin for its lightweight properties. It is suffused with black DLC, bestowing the watch with a stealthy appearance. Interestingly, titanium ore was discovered in Great Britain, the home of Aston Martin, back in 1791 by an English clergyman, William Gregor, in the same year Girard-Perregaux was founded.

A sapphire crystal ‘box’ is positioned front of house, as well as to the rear, coaxing light to illuminate the case interior, thereby augmenting readability. The movement eschews a main plate, sitting between both panes of sapphire crystal and seemingly floating in mid-air. Three bridges, an iconic signature of Girard-Perregaux, span the dial and are formed of titanium with black PVD treatment and polished angles. The design endows the timepiece with an airy appearance, affording breathtaking views of movement components ordinarily hidden from view. While Girard-Perregaux has a long history of making the invisible visible, in this instance it has ventured off-piste, creating a watch whose movement appears to levitate within the case. This is achieved by paring back the movement, causing the main plate to seemingly disappear within the case, thereby creating the illusion of the movement flying within the case. It was this particular characteristic that led to the term ‘Flying Bridges’. 

 

 

————— CALENDAR and ASTRONOMY —————
• Arnold & Son | Luna Magna
• Breitling | Premier B25 Datora 42
• Bulgari | Octo Finissimo
• Christiaan Van Der Klaauw | CVDK Planetarium Eise Eisinga
• IWC Schaffhausen | Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top GunEdition “Mojave Desert”
• Konstantin Chaykin | Minotaur

 

 

Arnold & Son Luna Magna

Arnold & Son Luna Magna

In a starry sky, a large moon alternates between light and dark as it moves through its phases. Here, Arnold & Son presents its first three-dimensional moon made of marble and aventurine. Showcased on an aventurine glass dial, the moon changes majestically and with astronomical precision. It is the largest rotating moon ever built into a wristwatch.

 

Bulgari Octo Finissimo

Bulgari Octo Finissimo

Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar, the slimmest in the world, redefines the limits of contemporary fine watchmaking, a dynamic that began in 2014 and involved rewriting the heritage conventions of traditional watchmaking year after year based on modern codes. A successful exercise: Octo Finissimo has set a trend and reinvented high-flying contemporary watchmaking by bringing it that touch so brilliantly mastered by the Italian House of Bvlgari: L’Estetica della Meccanica, or the art of in-depth innovation with regard to both form and substance.

Aesthetics are inseparable from functionality when it comes to reinterpreting a sophisticated classic horological complication in a resolutely contemporary manner. The outcome? No less than 408 components interacting within the extremely limited space provided by the slender 5.80 mm case of the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar. The development of the 2.75 mm calibre required the movement design engineers of the Manufacture in Le Sentier to devise new solutions, such as the use of a micro-rotor and the optimal use of the space between the components without reducing their dimensions. Testifying to true genius in the realm of miniaturization, this development powers the hours and minutes hands along with all the perpetual calendar functions: retrograde-display date, day, month and retrograde-display leap years. They are adjusted by means of three correctors: one for the date at 2 pm, another for the month at 4 pm and a third for the day between 8 and 9 o’clock.

 

————— MECHANICAL EXCEPTION —————
• Bernhard Lederer | Central Impulse Chronometer
• Christophe Claret | Napoleon
• Jacob & Co. | Opera Godfather Minute Repeater
• Miki Eleta | Svemir
• Piaget | Altiplano Ultimate Automatic
• Ulysse Nardin | UFO

 

 

Christophe Claret- Napoleon

 Christophe Claret– Napoleon

Napoleon, Westminster minute repeater flying tourbillon, cathedral stamps with jaquemart automata.

The Napoleon is a Westminster flying tourbillon minute repeater provided with a jaquemart automata featuring Napoleon with his soldiers. The Westminster minute repeater mechanism allows you to play a musical tune when the quarters ring. This musical tone is accompanied by the animation of the stage automatons.  The Napoleon is available in two limited editions of 8 pieces, an edition in Red Gold and an edition in Titanium. All unique, they are each differentiated by their décor.

 

Piaget - Altiplano Ultimate Automatic

 Piaget – Altiplano Ultimate Automatic

The Altiplano Ultimate Automatic dressed in white gold and Piaget’s signature blue. The secret to this Swiss automatic watch’s technical prowess lies in its intricate design. The case-back of the white gold case serves as the main plate to which 219 components are affixed. Piaget craftsmen’s precise technique has also allowed for a suspended barrel, held in place by a single bridge on the dial side. This impressive men’s ultra-thin watch highlights the signature codes of the Altiplano collection from its alternating double and simple indexes to its off-centred hour and minute display. Its modern open-worked design gives this luxury white gold watch a pure and contemporary aesthetic that allows you to bask in its ingenuity.

 

Ulysse Nardin UFO

 Ulysse Nardin UFO

UFO might be a table or desk clock, but it is so many other things besides. It’s a swinging mechanical depiction of the movement of the waves. The secret of the balance is its blue half-spherical aluminum base, which contains a tungsten mass. The base and glass bell are joined by a bayonet mounting system, which looks similar to the old systems of marine chronometers from which the glass could be unscrewed. 

It isn’t just the UFO’s movement that is inspired by the ocean, the architecture is too. The bell under which this incredible creation is housed suggests floating black and yellow cardinal buoys.  For this table clock, Ulysse Nardin collaborated with the celebrated clockmaker Maison L’Epée, who has been manufacturing traditional clocks since 1839. Also, Ulysse Nardin cooperated with Verre et Quartz, a technical glass-blowing workshop located on the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Neuchâtel to manufacture each blown 3mm-thick tube.

Weighing 7.2kg, the UFO swings up to 60° from its axis – an amplitude of 120 degrees. The center of the gravity/mass/inertia ratio was accurately calculated in order to allow UFO to swing neither too fast nor too slowly and without significantly affecting the operation of the balance. 

Comprising 675 components, a dead-beat second and with one year of power reserve supplied by its six extra-large barrels and a balance wheel rim that reaches the spectacular diameter of 49 mm, UFO displays the time on three trapezoidal dials, which allow the owner to display three different time zones at once, seen from three different angles. The XXL brass balance wheel beats at 0.5 Hz and the objective is twofold: to maintain a one year power reserve never before offered and to make the movement of the object like a meditation, with one alternation (half oscillation) per second. 

UFO comes in a wood treasure chest aged as if it been discovered washed up on a beach. Inside, you will also find its operating instructions, its warranty card and a special place for its winding key. It takes 40 wind-up turns with a square-end stainless steel key to wind up the mechanism for one year. Each dial has its wind-up notch, which is also used to the set the time (four notches in total, one for winding up and one for each time zone wound up using a single key).

 

 

————— CHRONOGRAPH —————
• Angelus | U30 Black Tourbillon, Flyback and Split-secondChronograph
• Breitling | Premier B09 Chronograph 40
• IWC Schaffhausen | Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Tribute to 3705”
• Louis Erard | Le Chrono Monopoussoir Louis Erard x AlainSilberstein
• Tudor | Black Bay Chrono
• Zenith | Chronomaster Sport

 

Angelus - U30 Black Tourbillon, Flyback and Split-second Chronograph

Angelus – U30 Black Tourbillon, Flyback and Split-second Chronograph

Offered up on the altar of the grande complication, the U30 is a piece like no other. Ultra-light and ultra-sporty, the incredible Angelus design unites a variety of prestigious complications: a tourbillon, flyback and split-second chronograph. The 47mm black DLC titanium case with open worked edges houses one of the most complex automatic skeletonized movements in the world.

 

Zenith - Chronomaster Sport

  Zenith – Chronomaster Sport

This worthy descendant of the Chronomaster lineage features a sleek, robust and beautifully proportioned steel case measuring 41 mm wide with pump-style pushers.

It is driven by the new high-frequency El Primero 3600 calibre offering greater performance and precision than ever. Endowed with a 60-hour power reserve, the mechanism and its striking architecture can be admired through the sapphire display back revealing a blue column wheel and open rotor marked with the five-pointed Zenith star.

The new Chronomaster Sport is the only watch to feature a 1/10thof a second display etched directly on its polished and graduated black ceramic bezel. The exceptional legibility ensured by contrast effects continues on the particularly refined black or white dial bearing the signature El Primero tri-colour chronograph counters in blue, anthracite and light grey, each graduated to 60 for intuitive and readings. This distinctive new comer is teamed with an eminently comfortable integrated steel bracelet or a textured cordura-effect rubber strap option, secured by a steel folding clasp.

 

 

 

————— DIVER’S —————
• Doxa | SUB 300 carbon COSC Aquamarine
• Louis Vuitton | Tambour Street Diver Skyline Blue
• Milus | Archimèdes by Milus – Orange Coral
• ORIS | Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5 mm
• Reservoir | Hydrosphere Bronze “The Greg Lecoeur Edition”
• Ulysse Nardin | Diver X Skeleton

 

Ulysse Nardin - Diver X Skeleton

ULYSSE NARDIN DIVER X SKELETON

The DIVER X SKELETON, created in a limited edition of 175 pieces, is equipped with the new manufacture automatic open worked caliber, the UN-372 movement. It comes in a 44mm case, with an ultra-sleek finish and a blue multi layered, X-shaped dial, one of the most complex dials ever made by Ulysse Nardin. All the iconic Ulysse Nardin DIVER codes are in place. Water-resistant to 200 meters, unidirectional rotating bezel, Superluminova on the indexes and hands, central seconds hand for better reading of time underwater. Its inverted, concave bezel with domed sapphire glass is a breakthrough in exquisite watchmaking. The splashes of orange throughout the watch’s design give the DIVER X SKELETON a high-energy, sporty look. It took long technical and meticulous development to build this piece. The precision of its form is amplified by the lightness and transparency of the skeleton movement. Ulysse Nardin used blue Carbonium® on the bezel — a material we also saw in the FREAK X. Carbonium® is an extremely lightweight and durable composite material made from the same fiber that you’ll see used in the aerospace industry, in fuselages and wings — basically the most indispensable elements of modern-day aircraft. Its strength-to-lightness ratio is incomparable, and the marbled effect on its surface is infinitely variable, making each piece unique.

 

————— JEWELRY —————
• Bvlgari | Serpenti Barocko
• Chanel | Mademoiselle Privé Bouton décor Byzantin
• Chopard | Flower Power
• Hermès. | Kelly Joaillerie
• Piaget | Exquisite Moments watch
• Van Cleef & Arpels | Ludo secret watch

 

BULGARI SERPENTI BAROCKO

 

BULGARI SERPENTI BAROCKO

Beauty, Craftsmanship and Inspiration converge into an extraordinary and unique creation, a reflection of Bvlgari’s maestria in the high-jewelry research and use. Serpenti Barocko expresses perfectly the multi-skills mastery which is historically Bulgari’s signature. This state of the art creation shaped by the Roman House craftsmen is unique, a goldsmithing masterpiece which construction allows the two coils of the bracelet to keep their flexibility. A total of 1200 hours have been needed for the development and assembly of Serpenti Barocko meanwhile stones cutting and setting required 600 hours of work. Serpenti Barocko celebrates the creative audacity and sensuality of the Baroque movement, which deeply influenced the Roman cultural heritage. Through the choice pf stones and colors, this “secret watch” – the head of which opens onto hours and minutes hands – perpetuates the flamboyant jewelry exception of which Bulgari has made an undisputed signature. 

 

PIAGET EXQUISITE MOMENTS WATCH

PIAGET Exquisite Moments 

As the sun descends on the horizon of a tropical paradise, we reach a tranquil oasis of wonder and harmony, emerging to salute excellence in an explosion of exotic brilliance. We bask in the golden glow of two exceptional diamonds of the most sought-after colour grade possible, “Fancy Vivid Yellow”. A true rarity in nature, only one in every ten thousand diamonds are classified as “Fancy”, and of those designated “Fancy Yellow”, only 6% are given the lauded accolade “Vivid”. Among the most sought after gems in the world, these diamonds light up the entire creation, shining in an effect accentuated by their radiant cut, specifically chosen for these stones so their facets reflect light like rays of the sun.

 

————— ARTISIC CRAFTS —————
• Andersen Genève | Jumping Hours 40th Anniversary in Platinum
• Bulgari | Bvlgari Divas Dream Peacock Collection
• Hermès | Arceau Toucan de Paradis
• Louis Vuitton | Tambour Carpe Diem
• MB&F | LM SE Eddy Jaquet ‘Around the World in EightyDays’
• Voutilainen | Duluth Bridge

 

BVLGARI DIVAS DREAM PEACOCK COLLECTION

BVLGARI DIVAS DREAM PEACOCK COLLECTION

A nod to Bvlgari’s Roman heritage, the peacock series of Divas’ Dream watches pays homage to their charms, channeling the preening spirit of nature’s most diva-like figure: the peacock. This is an entirely natural choice, since this sensual watch with its highly distinctive character draws inspiration from the fan-shaped mosaics of the Caracalla thermal baths, which also portray peacocks. This bird, conveying a wealth of symbolism, has been repeatedly represented in countless guises for more than four thousand years. In Medieval times, it was thought to be immortal. A symbol of fertility and permanence in India, the peacock is also featured on either side of the tree of life in the Middle East. Also known as the favorite creature of Juno, the wife of Jupiter in Roman mythology, its colorful depiction appears on a number of ancient mosaics.

The Divas’ Dream Peacock Dischi features a natural peacock feather marquetry dial. Using this inlay technique that dates back to antiquity and was a popular technique in Renaissance Italy, before being revived by Bvlgari in the 1970s, the dial is set with 24 natural hand-cut feather elements with a central circle fully depicting the “eye” of the peacock feather. The feathers are the result of a careful selection process that involves sorting through nearly 500 to find the greatest color, texture and harmony. Once selected, each feather is passed over an antique brass steam engine to reveal its natural brilliance. They are then trimmed, glued, cut and pieced together to create the watch’s silky and reflective mosaic finish. The elegance of the feather marquetry dial meets watchmaking expertise in the in-house BVL 308 “dischi” automatic movement, an exquisite technical solution based on the rotation of two discs indicating hours and minutes respectively through a round and a pear brilliant-cut diamond. The case is embraced at either end by two fan-shaped motifs that connect to a deep blue alligator bracelet.

 

MB&F LM SE EDDY JAQUET 'AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS'

MB&F LM SE EDDY JAQUET ‘AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS’

MB&F puts the work of a traditional artisan in the spotlight with the LM Split Escapement ‘Eddy Jaquet’ edition: a series of eight unique pieces featuring the extraordinary imagination and skill of the master engraver, depicting the novels of Jules Verne – including “Around the World in Eighty Days”.

Eddy Jaquet is recognised throughout the rarefied circles of independent watchmaking as the man whose transformative touch can turn a watch into a rich storytelling tapestry. The most memorable work of the Neuchatel-based Jaquet is characterised by the depth of its scope and ambition; it is classical in style and heroic in its execution of human figures.

The engraved dial plates of the LM SE Eddy Jaquet pieces are inspired by the novels of Jules Verne, the 19th-century French writer widely acknowledged to be the foremost pioneer of science fiction. For each unique piece, Eddy Jaquet read (or re-read, in some cases) the original work by Jules Verne and viewed any significant secondary creative works based on the books, such as the original published illustrations or films. He then created his own original sketches on templates of the dial plate, depicting key scenes from each story, sometimes combining several tableaux in a single dial plate as a graphic tapestry of storytelling.

The engravings are executed directly on the mainplate of the LM SE movement, which also acts as the dial. In certain parts, the dial-plate has a thickness of 1.15mm, which allows Jaquet ample space to engrave even in deep relief. However, it sometimes measures only 0.35mm, requiring him to work with an extremely light touch – still making sure that the overall aesthetic of the engraving is not compromised.

To fully bring out each illustrated scene, Jaquet uses the full range of engraving finishing techniques – also applying in certain parts a dark rhodium alloy by hand, adjusting the shading of each detail according to the scene.

 

VOUTILAINEN DULUTH BRIDGE

VOUTILAINEN DULUTH BRIDGE

Wristwatch Voutilainen Duluth Bridge perfectly encapsulates the philosophy of Kari Voutilainen. Its elegant and strong mechanism is housed in a stylish and robust case which are engraved by engraver artist Yasmina Anti presenting movement of the sea.

The in-house movement of the Vingt-8 is designed, built, fabricated, finished and assembled in its entirety in Voutilainen workshops. The design and philosophy of the movement combines respect for longevity and precision with classical watchmaking tradition.  The movement has a very large balance wheel manufactured in-house, allowing perfect regulation of the watch to within strict tolerances.

To equip such an exceptional timepiece, a very rare and unique balance- spring system has been used. The exterior of the spring uses a typical Phillips overcoil, while the internal curve uses the little known Grossmann curve.  The escapement makes the movement very special; this is the first watch to have two escapement wheels in such a configuration. The escapement wheels give a direct impulse to the balance through the impulse roller/jewel. This escapement is extremely efficient and requires much less energy than traditional lever escapements, offering benefits in terms of longevity and stability in day-to-day use.

The balance-wheel bridge is sublimely elegant, offering an unimpeded view of the escapement and balance. It also allows the enthusiast to admire the synchronized movements of the escapement wheels.

The watch is finished to the highest standards.  The surfaces of pinions and wheels are completely flat and highly polished to within exceptionally uniform tolerances. All finishing work on the main plate and bridges is by hand to achieve the highest possible levels of surface finish.  Screws and all steel parts are finished and polished by hand.

The elegant dial is made in house. Galvanic blue color dial is engraved by hand by artist engraver Yasmina Anti. Engraving presents Aireal lift bridge which is one of the most remarkable monument in port city Duluth in Minnesota.

Hands made from gold and steel are finished and polished by hand.

 

————— “PETITE AIGUILLE” —————
• Breitling | Top Time Deus Limited Edition
• Garrick | S4
• Louis Erard | Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Vianney Halter
• Seiko | Re-creation of King Seiko KSK
• Trilobe | Nuit Fantastique, Grained Black
• Tudor | Black Bay Ceramic

 

 

————— CHALLENGE —————
• Anordain | Model 1 – Payne’s grey fumé
• CIGA | Blue Planet
• Doxa | SUB 200 C-GRAPH Caribbean
• Furlan Marri | MR. Grey Ref. 1041-A
• Massena Lab| Uni-Racer
• ORIS | Oris Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy

 

 

GPHG 2021 Nominees