Yesterday, November 9, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland, the 2023 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève —GPHG— winners were unveiled at the Théâtre du Léman at an awards ceremony eagerly awaited by industry stakeholders and watchmaking enthusiasts alike. Chaired by Nick Foulkes, the 2023 jury and the 847-member GPHG Academy honored contemporary watchmaking excellence and creativity by awarding 19 prizes, including the prestigious “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix which went to Audemars Piguet for the Code 11.59 Ultra- Complication Universelle RD#4 watch.
The Special Jury Prize, which rewards an outstanding personality or institution in the watchmaking world, was handed to Svend Andersen and Vincent Calabrese for the creation of the AHCI.
The Bovet 1822, Bulgari, Christopher Ward, Dior Montres, Ferdinand Berthoud, Hautlence, L’Epée 1839, Laurent Ferrier, Maison Alcée, Petermann Bédat, Piaget, Raymond Weil, Simon Brette, Tudor, Ulysse Nardin and Voutilainen brands also received awards from the Jury and the Academy.
The 90 nominated timepieces, including the winners, are on display at the Musée Rath in Geneva until November 12, 2023. The laureates of this year's competition will also be presented as part of Dubai Watch Week from November 15 thru the 20, then at the Kunsthaus in Zurich from December 1 thru 3, 2023.
2023 PRIZE LIST
“Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix: Audemars Piguet, Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4
More than a century after the production of its ultra-complicated Universelle pocket watch, Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is delighted to introduce its very first ultra-complicated self-winding wristwatch (RD#4) in the highly contemporary design of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection. While paying tribute to the Manufacture’s legacy of high complications, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4 has been crafted with ergonomics and contemporary usage in mind to offer unprecedented comfort and simplicity of use. This new creation regroups the Manufacture’s horological savoir-faire into a single movement, the self-winding Calibre 1000, which counts over 1,100 components. A feat of engineering and fine watchmaking tradition, this pioneering mechanism builds on three generations of R&D innovations and incorporates 40 functions, including 23 complications, among which a Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie, a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar, a split-seconds flyback chronograph, and a flying tourbillon. The timepiece also boasts for the first time a “secret” gold caseback that amplifies the watch’s acoustic performance when worn, and reveals the beauty of the mechanism thanks to the new Supersonnerie sapphire soundboard, once opened. Engineers, designers, watchmakers, and craftspeople worked hand in hand for over 7 years to bring this RD#4 timepiece to life, continuously broadening their skills to push the limits of Haute Horlogerie craftsmanship to new heights.
Innovation Prize: Hautlence, Sphere Series 1
Reconnecting with its original identity by going back to basics, Hautlence is offering an innovative way to display the time. Following on from the jumping hour disc and the half-trailing hour chain, the hours now jump on a three-dimensional spinning sphere on the model aptly named Sphere Series 1.
Magnificently showcased by a sapphire crystal with a small dome, a blue sphere occupies the left-hand portion of the case, attracting everyone's attention. This sphere, adorned with engraved numerals, defies expectations by spinning on multiple axes, revealing the current hour in a hypnotic dance. It may seem random at first, but this mesmerizing performance follows a strict choreography orchestrated by four conical gears and two crossed spindles with a rebellious 21-degree tilt. Encased in polished titanium treated with a cool blue PVD finish, this avant-garde mechanism forms a stunning sphere.
To the right of the sphere is a retrograde minute display with a hand that travels along a fine and elegant minute track that opens onto the movement and partly reveals the balance. This aperture brings the gear train into view, which slows down the course of the minute hand when it returns to zero, regulating its speed so as to reduce impact forces. The minute track and the applied three-dimensional minute numerals, made in Globolight, are fixed to an intermediary sapphire crystal dial that adds to the piece's transparency.
The steel case of the Sphere Series 1 adopts Hautlence's signature TV screen shape, in a reworked aesthetics. With its balanced proportions, it sits perfectly on the wrist. A blue rubber strap adds the final touch to the piece. Beating at the heart of the Sphere Series 1, the in-house hand-wound calibre represents the pinnacle of Hautlence’s technical and aesthetic mastery. Meticulously developed, designed, and manufactured by Hautlence, this movement ensures an impressive 72-hour power reserve, keeping you on time and in style.
With the Sphere Series 1, Hautlence embarks on a groundbreaking chapter in its history and confirms its trailblazer in the realm of independent fine watchmaking. Limited to 28 pieces, the Sphere Series 1 retails for CHF 66,000.
Audacity Prize: Maison Alcée, Persée Azur
The mechanical movement was developed by Maison Alcée to be assembled by an amateur.
It was designed in collaboration with:
Thierry Ducret, one of the few ‘Meilleur Ouvrier de France’ in watchmaking, on whom we relied for the excellent level of craftsmanship
Watchmaking teachers from the prestigious high school in Morteau in the French Jura, who are well aware of the difficulties faced by their first-year students
A Swiss designer, who came up with an innovative aesthetic encompassing two stances the enthusiast can choose from during assembly
The Persée table clock consists of 233 components, 169 of which must be carefully assembled by the apprentice clockmaker. Only the regulating organ is pre-assembled, providing a unique opportunity to bring each and every detail to life. Each part is carefully machined to produce exceptional surface finishes. The straight graining, circular satin finishing, chamfering, polishing, and sandblasting reflect our House’s signature expert craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Channeling the emotion, talent, and history of traditional fine craftsmanship excellence, the founder of Maison Alcée invites admirers of beauty to “find escapism in a manual activity, to experience how it feels to be a watchmaker and create harmony with them”.
For this unique experience, a lucky apprentice is provided with everything they need to build their own one-of-a-kind creation worthy of the remarkable objects that are passed down from generation to generation. Alcée Montfort carefully encloses these treasures of transmission in wood cases that can be kept or given as gifts: “We have to overcome this idea that certain know-how is inaccessible. Only when we bring this expertise out of the shadows can we infuse the profession with new energy, enabling a wider audience to see it in a new light.”
In order to give each enthusiast the freedom to assemble their own numbered timepiece however they like, she also had to write a guide so that all the steps were perfectly clear. The guide is filled with a treasure trove of meticulously composed stories and details, as well as engaging anecdotes and the steps to follow to understand the hundred or so tools and components from bridges to plates, from keys to bells: “This is much more than a simple manual – it’s a beautiful collection of instructive pages which is a joy to read. This book is an integral part of our boxed set. This undertaking requires time and concentration; it’s not something to be taken lightly.”
When an owner lifts the lid on this finely crafted solid wood case, they can be sure they will experience what Alcée promises: the joy of creating something and coming as close as possible to capturing the craftsman’s skill and its full meaning. Intemperate collectors, incorrigible enthusiasts, or insatiable neophytes will all become heirs to an age-old discipline for a brief moment, finally feeling the pride of making something with their own hands.
Chronometry Prize: Ferdinand Berthoud, Chronomètre FB 3SPC
Powered by a mechanical movement featuring a novel construction and a cylindrical balance spring, the Chronomètre FB 3SPC approaches the core theme of precision from a new angle. It took several years to perfect the adjustments of the regulating organ before obtaining official "chronometer" certification (ISO 3159 standard): a first for such a movement.
The mechanical movement of the Chronomètre FB 3SPC is based on a cylindrical balance spring, a rare watchmaking speciality on which Ferdinand Berthoud himself worked. His nephew, Louis Berthoud, favoured its use in his famous No. 26 decimal watch. The Calibre FB-SPC is the only one of its kind to satisfy the chronometric (precision timekeeping) criteria of the COSC: ISO 3159 certification made possible only by the precision adjustments performed by the Manufacture's watchmakers. Many months of research, testing and fine-tuning were necessary to define the number of coils and the geometry of the terminal curve at the attachment points to optimise rate precision.
Appearing at 9 o'clock, the three main escapement organs —the balance wheel, pallet-lever and escape wheel— are thus individualised, distinct and prominent. This ample space dedicated to the regulating organ enables its operation to be admired in full, and the cylindrical balance spring to be seen beating throughout the three-day power reserve, including through a large water-resistant porthole created in the case middle at 9 o'clock.
The other deep-seated characteristic of Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud lies in the desire to create movements with legible, graphic and three-dimensional architecture. The mainplate is placed at the heart of Calibre FB-SPC and the components are assembled on either side of it. On the dial side, a close-knit array of six bridges traces curves and lines directly inspired by the work of Louis Berthoud. They are echoed on the back by ten other bridges forming an intimately juxtaposed mosaic.
The hours and minutes appear on a peripheral inner bezel ring, small seconds at 6 o'clock and the power reserve at 2 o'clock. The rest of the dial, deliberately left open, enables one to admire the aesthetics of the movement's components, their arrangement, as well as the surface conditions alternating between chamfered and polished bevels and matt surfaces created by fine sandblasting.
More than 100 hours are required to decorate the 230 components of the movement in order to achieve the ultimate degree of perfection characterising the creations bearing the Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud signature.
The Chronomètre FB 3SPC.1 features an 18-carat white gold case, 2N pale yellow gold movement components and an eggshell-coloured dial in sandblasted silver-toned brass.
Production of the Chronomètre FB 3SPC is naturally limited by the capacities of the Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud workshop in Fleurier to a maximum of 25 of these timepieces per year.
“Horological Revelation” Prize: Simon Brette, Chronomètre Artisans
The Chronomètre Artisans seeks to merge elegance and audacity through contemporary lines inherited from the past. This exceptional timepiece, inspired by the ingenuity and refinement of 20th-century watchmakers, offers a new expression of neo-classical watchmaking with complex mechanisms and lavishly meticulous decorations.
The Chronomètre Artisans stands out for its intense degree of finishing and exacting standards. It reveals a multitude of technical prowess, custom-made components, and meticulous decorations, often applied by hand. Every detail is subtly drawn, contrasted, and orchestrated to accentuate the sense of visual depth, like the finely beveled, hand-polished edges of the three-quarter bridge, or the mirror-polished concave screws set in solid gold chatons.
Ladies’ Watch Prize: Piaget, Hidden Treasures
Re-interpret the cuff watches of the 1960s-70s, that became a hallmark of Piaget’s audacity and pioneering fashion-focused creativity, this organic design references the free-form, hyper-naturalism of the era. With the signature oval dial half-hidden by the gold work of the bracelet that appears to grow over the case and ornamental dial. Each cuff is hand-engraved with different patterns and textures, highlighting Piaget’s expertise in the art of engraving and dedication to Métiers d’Or. The different styles of engraving demonstrate the combination of dexterity and artistic sensibility mastered by each individual artisan. The gold is incised, by hand, one line at a time, using the sharp tip of a burin, the lines varying in depth, width and direction to obtain the desired effect. Gold shavings are gently blown away from the surface by the goldsmith after each gesture. No two patterns of engraved gold are the same. Here, the golden bracelet reproduces the famous lines of the Palace Decor, and inset with a sapphire-framed case and dial of turquoise.
Ladies’ Complication Watch Prize: Dior Montres, Grand Soir Automate Etoile de Monsieur Dior Men’s
For the first time Dior Grand Soir enters the world of creative complication with a mechanical automaton, pursuing the creative success of the collection.
This fabulous timepiece tells the story of the birth of the House of Dior. On 18 April 1946, Christian Dior wanted to believe in his fabulous destiny. Walking through the streets of Paris, he found a star on the ground, a providential star, an iconic lucky charm that would show him the path to follow: create his Couture House in the emblematic 30 Montaigne in Paris.
The Grand Soir Etoile de Monsieur Dior transcribes, with its animations, this magical destiny. This dial, imagined as a dreamlike scene, unfolds like a small theater: the different layers create depth and magic, and immerse us in a precious night stroll.By activating the automaton with the push button, the sky of this Diorama becomes the theater of a true enchantment.
An invitation to dream and enter the fantastic and creative world of Monsieur Dior.
Complication Watch Prize: Voutilainen, World Timer
The new cushion-shaped wristwatch is a new interpretation of the contemporary art of watchmaking in Voutilainen workshops. The anthracite color of the dial creates a timeless atmosphere to last for generations. The dial is hand guilloché in Voutilainen workshops. Worldtimer function is easy to use by pressing the crown inwards when changing the town and time zone.
Iconic Watch Prize: Ulysse Nardin, Freak One
When the first Freak was launched in 2001, under the headship of maverick owner Rolf Schnyder and genius watchmaker Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, it was an unlikely iconoclast. Due to its three iconic characteristics —no dial, no hands, and no crown— Schnyder felt there was only one name for this wild creation: Freak. It was the first time that a movement had been deconstructed to express time on its own and, giving rise to completely new watchmaking codes celebrating mechanics. The Freak was also the first mechanical watch in history with silicon escapement wheels, ushering in the era of this revolutionary material in watchmaking.
The key concepts that define new-millennium watchmaking can be traced back to the Freak, which was the industry’s first hyperwatch: the concept of the engine as an art form, the movement laid bare in full display as the star; the concept of civil time telling transformed into kinetic art. Ulysse Nardin has considered the Freak as a watchmaking laboratory with more than twenty patents filed for the Freak and silicon technology since 2001.
Looking like no other timepiece —its design is dictated by the mechanics— and representing a key milestone in Haute Horlogerie history, the Freak truly stands out as a highly singular expression of time-telling art, and it embodies the ability of the independent Manufacture Ulysse Nardin to push the boundaries of high horology engineering since 1846.
This year, Ulysse Nardin introduces the Freak ONE, the quintessence of Freak. As the direct descendant of the original Freak 2001, it features its three signature characteristics: no dial, no hands, and no crown. The rotation observed is given by the movement itself, with its iconic orbital flying one-hour carrousel.
The Freak ONE, in black DLC titanium and rose gold, showcases the Freak’s most essential and celebrated challenging designs and technological advances over its 22-year history.
Tourbillon Watch Prize: Laurent Ferrier, Grand Sport Tourbillon Pursuit
This new version of the Grand Sport Tourbillon features a case with an integrated bracelet, made entirely of grade 5 titanium and adorned with an elegant dial with gradient shades of salmon-pink. Previously launched in different, highly limited editions, this new version is intended to be timeless, and will therefore become part of the brand's permanent collection. However, as with each Laurent Ferrier design, the Grand Sport Tourbillon Pursuit will be highly exclusive, with only 15 pieces manufactured each year.
The new sunrise dial features an opaline finish, an understated signature of the Grand Sport Tourbillon. Its pink hues contrast with darker drop-shaped applied indices in white gold treated with ruthenium and enhanced with white SuperLumiNova, giving the dial perfect legibility. Hallmarked with the LF signature, the famous Assegai-shaped hands complete the piece. Here in ruthenium-treated white gold, the hands have been enlarged a little to hold white SuperLumiNova. A slightly domed sapphire crystal gives this exceptional timepiece a rounded profile, which is comfortable to wear.
Calendar and Astronomy Watch Prize: Bovet 1822, Récital 20 Astérium
The Récital 20 Astérium (the sky seen from the earth) is a key timepiece in Bovet's collection of Astronomical Complications, which also includes the Récital 18 Shooting Star (the earth with 24 time zones seen from the sky) and the Récital 22 Grand Récital (Tellurium).
Housed in Bovet’s trademarked Writing Slope case, in this unique piece with a combination of 18K white and 18K red gold, the Astérium really puts this spectacular movement on full display —and what a movement it is. Front and center is the night sky map of the stars and constellations, which are laser-engraved and then filled with SuperLumiNova on a dome of translucent blue quartz —functional, precise and intuitive all at once. To ensure utmost realism, the highest stars in the sky are depicted at the top of the dome while the lowest stars nearer the horizon appear on the periphery of the display aperture.
Added to this is a sidereal calendar. The duration of a complete Earthly orbit (known as a sidereal year) is 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes and 9.77 seconds, or an unchanging 365.25 days. For obvious reasons, the Gregorian calendar was obliged to round down the number of days in a year to 365 and added an extra day every four years, (the leap year) to compensate for the remaining time. The calendars usually employed in watchmaking are all based on the Gregorian calendar, but the use of this calendar to drive the night sky would result in a significant cumulative error when displaying the equation of time.
The night sky and the collection of sidereal indications on the Astérium® are for this reason governed by an annual calendar calculated on a 365.25-day cycle to reflect the real duration of one full terrestrial orbit. Thanks to this combination of display and horological exactitude, the instantaneous position of the stars in the sky is displayed with unrivalled precision.
Chronograph Watch Prize: Petermann Bédat, Chronographe rattrapante
Reference 2941. Monopusher split-seconds chronograph with jumping minute counter.
The second chapter in the unfurling story of the watchmaking duo of Gaël Petermann & Florian Bédat is a monument to fine mechanics (339 components) built on a unique, elaborate aesthetic, a bridge between classical watchmaking and a contemporary spirit.
The case, made of platinum, has been entirely redesigned, recomposed, with individually soldered, stepped lugs; classic and elegant in its finishes and size (38.6 millimeters), it is resolutely contemporary in its logic and design. An authentic work of the 21st century, every detail affirms its origin: carved with a CNC machine with the intention, guided by designer Barth Nussbaumer (Barth.studio), of “tapping the full potential of advanced technology”.
The dial, too, is all about subtle brilliance. Rich in materials and textures for its finishes, it echoes the Gaël Petermann & Florian Bédat signature that became evident with their first creation, reference 1967. Here, the semi-open structure, deliberately emphasizing the dramatic arc between technique and aesthetics, underpins the entire design of the 2941.
Sports Watch Prize: Tudor, Pelagos 39
Featuring grade 2 titanium, luminescent ceramic composite monobloc hour markers, a rapid adjustment system for the clasp and a diver’s extension, the Pelagos 39 model combines Tudor’s professional dive watch heritage with the versatility of a 39 mm case and the striking radiance of sunray satin finishes on its bezel and dial. The result is a sports watch that boasts both cutting-edge watchmaking technology and a chic aesthetic, as at ease in the city as on the shore.
Jewellery Watch Prize: Bulgari, Serpenti Cleopatra
The Serpenti Cleopatra is a colorful celebration of Bulgari’s unique inspiration and long-lasting icon: the snake. Empowered by fascinating myths, the snake has been since ancient times an emblem of wisdom, rebirth, and vitality, often used as a talisman. The «manchette» is also a timeless piece of jewelry as it was worn on all the wrists during Antiquity and especially on the most famous one: Cleopatra’s.
This new interpretation goes further and celebrates the unique encounter between Italian design with its contemporary expression and its way of expressing jewelry and Swiss watchmaking.
Serpenti Misteriosi Cleopatra High-Jewelry watch in rose gold set with 3 topaz (~24 ct), 2 rubellites (~13,4 ct), 2 tanzanites (~13 ct), 2 amethysts (~11 ct) and pavé-set diamonds (F-G IF-VVS ~86.5 ct) on the bracelet, case and dial. Quartz movement. Water-resistant up to 30 meters.
Artistic Crafts Watch Prize: Piaget, Altiplano Métiers d'Art - Undulata
Inspired by the unexpected beauty and strength of nature, the Metaphoria collection by Piaget explores, as always with the Maison, this theme in high jewelry and high watchmaking creations. Among these masterpieces lies the magnetic Undulata watch.
Subtly mixing the green, blue, and iridescent hues into one hypnotic dial, the French artist Rose Saneuil created miniature marquetry of volume, textures, and colors. This meticulous piece includes several layers of wood, straw, and leather, patiently assembled by hand to create a mesmerizing effect to the signature Piaget flying tourbillon manufacture movement. For this limited edition of 8 pieces in white gold and diamonds, she carefully cuts each element before incrusting them one at a time on the dial. This diligent operation requires precision and patience, as these infinitely thin materials must perfectly fit. It took her over 44 hours to create this intricate dial.
“Petite Aiguille” Prize: Christopher Ward London, C1 Bel Canto
The C1 Bel Canto is a watch that demonstrates Christopher Ward’s ambition and commitment to bringing haute horlogerie to as many people as possible. The Bel Canto features what’s called a passing chime, or Sonnerie au Passage complication, which translates as ‘Passage of Time’.
The key to the Bel Canto is FS01, a new chiming module named after current technical director Frank Stelzer. Ten years ago, CW’s first master watchmaker, Johannes Jahnke, designed JJ01. This was a module created to offer the most accurate jumping-hour function possible. Johannes achieved this by spreading the load evenly over an entire hour. This success became one of the starting points for Bel Canto’s FS01. In 2019, Frank began developing the hour-long charge and hour jump from JJ01 into a passing chime complication. Eventually, this led to the creation of 50 new components.
CW intended to create a watch that looked as beautiful as it sounded. This presented a challenge to designer Will Brackfield in achieving visual balance across the entire face. This was achieved by hiding minor components behind the platine to highlight the main striking components and spectacular sunray finish, applied to the platine through the positive coating.
Once FS01’s design was perfected, it required a finish reflective of its class. CW couldn’t create such supreme finishing alone, so the Bel Canto is also a tribute to many brilliant suppliers and partners, all noted specialists in their fields. Perhaps the most famous is Armin Strom, maker of high-end open-worked watches, which contributed to the platine, but Chronode (the bridges, hammer, and gong) and “Viquodeco” (the special wheels required) were also crucial suppliers.
Launched on the 1st of November 2022, this limited edition Azzuro Blue iteration broke company records, selling out in a matter of hours.
Challenge Watch Prize: Raymond Weil, Millésime automatic small seconds Mechanical
Raymond Weil, the renowned Swiss watchmaker, is proud to present the Millésime collection, paying homage to the rich heritage and traditions of horology while celebrating the simplicity of refined design.
The Millésime Collection is a testament to Raymond Weil's commitment to excellence and attention to detail. The complex and carefully orchestrated watchmaking process behind the timepiece showcases the brand's expertise, skill, and precision. From the delicate assembly of the mechanical self-winding movement to the intricate finishing touches, every component is crafted with the utmost care and precision.
The new Millésime 2930-STC-65001 exudes classical elegance; the thin stainless-steel case with a diameter of 39.5mm, is complemented by a grey leather strap, with unique W stitched detail to the strap. The sapphire crystal glass box plays host to textured and sectored dial treatments, and a captivating small seconds display reminiscent of a compass. It is a symphony of intricate details and finishes that captivates watch enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.
The Millésime Collection stands as a testament to RAYMOND WEIL's enduring legacy and commitment to preserving the artistry and heritage of watchmaking. It invites discerning individuals to embrace the beauty of classical elegance and vintage charm while honoring the craftsmanship, artistry and passion of watchmaking.
Clock Prize: L'Epée 1839, Time Fast II Chrome
Time Fast II is inspired by racing sports cars of the 1960s, a golden era of long-distance automotive competition.
The name Time Fast II references the fact that it’s a 2-seater car, has two movements (one for time and one for the engine automate), racing cars are getting faster, modern time seems to be running faster, and it is L’Epée 1839’s second car inspired clock. The floor and body are screwed to a H-chassis as in their full-sized counterparts.
Time Fast II features two independent movements, both with their own power source. The first movement is in the cockpit and is responsible for keeping the time. Hours and minutes are displayed by rotating stainless steel disks on the air filters feeding the dual carburetor banks on top of the engine. The 8-day movement is regulated by a visible 2.5 Hertz escapement in the ‘driver’s helmet’ and powered by a mainspring visible in the passenger’s ‘seat’.
The second movement powers the engine automat. Turning the dashboard key starts the engine, triggering the pistons of the V8 to go up and down. This animation is completely independent of the time movement.
A manual gear lever selects between winding the time movement, winding the engine automate or neutral. Winding is accomplished by selecting the appropriate gear and pulling the car backwards.
The three-spoke steering wheel is assembled just as the original steering wheels were, with a center rim and two outer rims held together by 12 rivets. The steering wheel is turned counterclockwise to set the time, while turning clockwise allows repositioning of the wheel to center.
Highlighting just how much meticulous attention to detail L’Epée 1839 put into ensuring that Time Fast II is as accurate as possible to the cars that inspired it, the stainless-steel spoked wheel rims are crafted just like the real racing wheels were in the 1960s. The tires are in soft rubber for optimal grip when winding the movements and filled with a carefully selected foam compound so that the tires are slightly flat on the bottom to the same degree as real sport’s car racing tires on a real car racing track.
