The Grand Prix D’Horlogerie De Geneve (GPHG) are the Oscars of the watchmaking world. Previously, we had profiled the best designs to feature in this year’s awards, but this month we look at some of the biggest winners.
Laurent ferrier Galet Annual Calendar School Piece
The Galet Annual Calendar, winner of this year’s Men’s Complication Category, displays the watchmaker’s predilection for functionality and clean design. With a focus on maximum legibility, the Galet also is a good example of how even complex timepieces can be user friendly. In this respect, the small button on the top left of the dial allows you adjust the day of the week just by pushing it, while the crown controls the annual date change, which has to be done once every year on the 1st of March. With its 40mm case, and a clean, great looking dial, the School Piece certainly makes for a great watch for everyday use
Bovet REcital 22 Grand Recital
Continuing the tradition of spectacular time pieces, the Grand Récital is yet another stunning design from Bovet. This year’s winner of the Aiguille d’Or – the top award at GPHG – is a 9-day Flying Tourbillon, Tellurium-Orrery and Retrograde Perpetual Calendar. Of course, the top talking point about the Bovet timepiece is the stunning design that incorporates the sun, the earth and the moon in a single dial. Powering the watch is a custom movement powered by a flying tourbillon, the design of which represents the sun. The earth, of course, is represented by a hemisphere with an incredibly detailed presentation of the globe, which is engraved and hand painted. The use of luminous materials in the earth’s design – it lights up in the dark, like our planet does when viewed from space – further adds to its overall complexity. And, lastly, the moon is represented by a sphere that does a full rotation every 29.53 days, just like the real moon. Needless to say, all this complication and stunning craftsmanship truly deserves the top award that the Grand Récital achieved.
Nomos Tangente Neomatik 41 Update
One of the most iconic lines of the Nomos range, the Tangente Neomatic 41 Update won the Challenge Watch Prize at GPHG. The highlight of the Nomos design is, of course, its simplicity, clean shape and typography. What make the Update unique is its date ring, which feature two red dots framing the current date – it’s not only extremely easy to read but really great to look at, especially in the backdrop of the white dial. Add this to the classic timelessness of a 41mm round case, paired with its slender overall dimensions, and the Update makes for a fantastic everyday watch – and at a very reasonable price too.
De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius
With its trademark design detail – which goes to extreme levels – the DB25 Starry Varius won the Chronometry Watch Prize at the GPHG. Powered by the brand’s in-house manufactured Tourbillon, the DB25 in this version features a stunningly detailed design that instantly catches your eye. Featuring a 42mm Platinum case, the watch has a handmade dial that features miniscule gold pins shaped like the Milky Way. Of course, a timepiece like this lends itself very well to customisation, and, in the DB25’s case, the pattern of the Milky Way can be customised according to the preferred date or location of the wearer.
Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Re-creation
A recreation of the watch that, in 1968, sealed Seiko’s innovation in the diving community, the new Prospex retains the basics of the 50-year old design. Featuring a one-piece case in steel, the recreation features a silicon strap and dual curved sapphire crystal for high legibility. Even the markers for 12, 6 and 9 are finished differently to ensure legible reading of the time during deep dives. Powering the watch is the Caliber 8L55, which has been designed especially for diving watches. The production of this charming recreation, however, is limited to only 1,500 units.
