by Elizabeth Doerr

The 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) has just published the list of “pre-selected” (shortlisted) watches in the run-up to the eagerly anticipated red carpet event in Geneva on November 8, 2017.

The categories for 2017 are: Ladies, Ladies’ High Mech, Men’s, Chronograph, Tourbillon and Escapement, Calendar, Travel Time, Mechanical Exception, Petite Aiguille (watches with retail prices up to 8,000 Swiss francs), Sport, Jewellery, and Artistic Crafts.

The main prize of the evening is, of course, the Aiguille d’Or, which celebrates the overall best watch among all the entrants according to the jury.

The pre-selected watches will go on a world tour, starting in Milan on October 2. From there the watches will travel to Mexico City and Taipei before returning to Geneva’s Cité du Temps for public viewing from October 31 through November 12. They will also be on exhibit during Dubai Watch Week, which takes place November 16 – 20, 2017.

But enough preamble, let’s have a look at the watches that are in serious contention for the big prizes.

GPHG 2017: Ladies

The Ladies category contains women’s watches comprising two at most of the following indications: date, power reserve, classic moon phase, and second time zone. These timepieces may be adorned with a maximum of five carats’ worth of gemstones.

Pre-selected Ladies watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Ladies watches for the 2017 edition of the GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold, Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton, Chopard Imperiale Moonphase, Fiona Krüger Petit Skull (Celebration) Eternity, Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Métropolitaine Selene, and Urwerk UR-106 Flower Power.

Further reading:
Chanel Introduces Première Camellia Skeleton With Manufacture Movement
Fiona Krüger’s Celebration Skull: Life, Death, Mortality . . . And Watches
Fiona Krüger’s Unusual Petit Skull Watches Have Made Me A Fan
Give Me 5! Five Fabulous Ladies Watches From SIHH 2017 From Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels
8 Spectacular And Truly Unique Watches Making Debuts At SIHH 2017 (including Urwerk UR-106 Flower Power)

GPHG 2017: Ladies High-Mech

According to this category’s description, Ladies High-Mech constitutes women’s watches remarkable in terms of their mechanical creativity and complexity. These may feature all kinds of classic and/or innovative complications and indications and do not fit the definition of the simple Ladies category.

Pre-selected Ladies High-Mech watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Ladies High-Mech watches for the 2017 GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: A. Lange & Söhne Little Lange 1 Moonphase, Chaumet Creative Complication Colombes, Claude Meylan Tortue Petite Fleur, Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Celestial, Graff Mastergraff Floral Tourbillon, and Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate.

Further reading: Give Me 5! Five Fabulous Ladies Watches From SIHH 2017 From Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels

GPHG 2017: Men

Men’s watches comprise two at most of the following indications: date, power reserve, classic moon phase, second time zone. These timepieces may be adorned with a maximum of five carats’ of gemstones.

Pre-selected Men’s watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Men’s watches for the 2017 GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Moonphase, Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic, Grand Seiko Re-Creation of the first Grand Seiko, Greubel Forsey Signature 1, Hermès Slim d’Hermès L’Heure Impatiente, and Kari Voutilainen 28ISO Enamel.

Further reading:
Hermès Continues Playful Watch Series With Eagerly Awaited L’Heure Impatiente
Give Me Five! 5 Off-Center Classics With Asymmetrical Awesomeness!
Grand Seiko: A New Direction With New Models For 2017

GPHG 2017: Chronograph

Timepieces entered into the Chronograph category are mechanical watches comprising at least one chronograph indication. Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.

Pre-selected Chronograph watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Chronograph watches for the 2017 GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: Fabergé Visionnaire Chronograph Ceramic, Longines Avigation BigEye, Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter Limited Edition 100, Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Chrono Anniversaire, Singer Reimagined Track 1, and TAG Heuer Autavia.

Further reading:
A Coaxial Vision Of Time: Fabergé Visionnaire Chronograph
Track 1 By Singer Reimagined Is The World’s Most Advanced ‘Flat 6’ Chronograph: It Might Not Sound Like An Air-Cooled 911, But It Sure Laps Like One!
Montblanc’s 2017 TimeWalker And Bronze 1858 Watches: Sporty And Automotive With A Healthy Side Of Nostalgia

GPHG 2017: Tourbillon and Escapement

In the Tourbillon and Escapement category – extended over last year’s simple “Tourbillon” – we find mechanical watches that contain at least one tourbillon. Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.

Pre-selected Tourbillon and Escapement watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Tourbillon and  Escapement watches for the 2017 GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph, Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton, David Candaux 1740 – The First 8, Beat Haldimann Central Balance Pure H12, Louis Moinet Mobilis, and Ulysse Nardin Marine Tourbillon.

Further reading:
Ulysse Nardin Marine Tourbillon: The Evolution Of Classic (And An Unbelievable Price)
Beat Haldimann Introduces H11 & H12, His First Stainless Steel (Relatively Affordable) Wristwatches

GPHG 2017: Calendar

According to the GPHG Calendar category, these timepieces are mechanical watches comprising at least one calendar and/or astronomical complication (e.g. annual calendar, perpetual calendar, equation of time, complex moon phase display, etc.). Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.

Pre-selected Calendar watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Calendar watches for the 2017  GPHG are,  clockwise from top left above: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Annual Calendar, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, Delma Klondike Moonphase, Greubel Forsey QP à Équation, Krayon Everywhere – Universal Sunrise & Sunset, and Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Grande Date Full Open.

Further reading: Mechanical Computers From Then To Now: Greubel Forsey Quantième Perpétuel à Équation

GPHG 2017: Travel Time

The Travel Time category, which was a new one in 2016, includes watches with two or more time zones on GMT, world time, dual time, or UTC watches. Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.

Pre-selected Travel Time watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Travel Time watches for the 2017 GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: Czapek Genève Tourbillon Suspendu Ici et Ailleurs, Frédérique Constant Classic Worldtimer Manufacture, Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT, Louis Vuitton Escale Time Zone Blue, Manufacture Royale ADN Jumping Disk, and Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Hémisphères Rétrograde.

GPHG 2017: Mechanical Exception

The Mechanical Exception category features watches with a special mechanism, such as an innovative or sophisticated display, an automaton, a belt-driven movement, or any other original and/or exceptional horological concept.

Pre-selected Mechanical Exception watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Mechanical Exception watches for the 2017 GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: A. Lange & Söhne, Tourbograph Perpetual Pour le Mérite, Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance, Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Minute Repeater Supersonnerie, Chopard L.U.C Full Strike, Girard-Perregaux Planetarium Tri-Axial, and Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600.

Further reading:
Lange & Söhne Tourbograph Perpetual Pour Le Mérite: Building On Foundations
A Synchronistic Tour De Force: Armin Strom’s Mirrored Force Resonance
Hearing Is Believing: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Supersonnerie And The Science Of Sound

GPHG 2017: Petite Aiguille

Watches entered into the Petite Aiguille category must have a retail price under 8,000 Swiss francs.

Pre-selected Petite Aiguille watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Petite Aiguille watches for the 2017 GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: Bulgari Octo Roma, Habring2 Erwin, Hermès Arceau TGM Manufacture, Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon GMT Black, Seiko First Diver’s Recreation Limited Edition, and Tudor Black Bay Chrono.

Further reading:
In Praise Of Habring2: A Collector’s View
Grand Seiko: A New Direction With New Models For 2017
Tudor And Breitling: Two Sports Watch Manufacturers Unexpectedly – But Not For The First time – Sharing Movements In 2017

GPHG 2017: Sport

The Sport category contains watches linked to the field of sports, whose functions, materials, and design are suited to physical activities.

Pre-selected Sports watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Sports watches for the 2017 edition of the GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: Grand Seiko The Hi-Beat 36000 Professional 600m Diver’s, Hublot Techframe Ferrari Tourbillon Chronograph, MB&F Horological Machine No. 7 Aquapod, Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph Rally Timer Counter Limited Edition 100, Tudor Pelagos LHD, and Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta.

Further reading:
Flying With The Wind In Its Sails: Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta
Medusa In The Sea: Introducing The MB&F Horological Machine No. 7 Aquapod
Competition Spurs Creativity: Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph Rally Timer Counter Limited Edition 100

GPHG 2017: Jewellery

Jewellery watches demonstrate exceptional mastery of the art of jewelry and gemsetting. These timepieces are also distinguished by the choice of stones featured in them.

Shortlisted Jewellery watches for the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Jewellery watches for the 2017 edition of the GPHG are clockwise from top left above: Audemars Piguet Diamond Outrage, Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi High Jewelry, Chanel Les Eternelles de Chanel Camélia Secret Watch, Chaumet Frise Divine, Chopard Lotus Blanc, and Piaget Hide & Seek Manchette.

Further reading: Five $1 Million Wristwatches Already Introduced In 2017

GPHG 2017: Artistic Crafts

Watches in the Artistic Crafts category demonstrate exceptional mastery of one or several artistic techniques such as enameling, lacquering, engraving, guilloche (engine-turning), skeletonizing, and more.

Pre-selected watches in the Artistic Crafts category of the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The pre-selected Artistic Crafts watches for the 2017  GPHG are, clockwise from top left above: Chopard L.U.C XP Esprit de Fleurier Peony, Hermès Slim d’Hermès Promenande de Longchamp, Konstantin Chaykin Joker, Piaget Altiplano Art & Excellence feather marquetry, Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Copernicus Celestial Spheres, and Kari Voutilainen Aki-No-Kure.

For more information, please visit www.gphg.org/horlogerie/en/gphg-2017/preselected-watches.

You may also enjoy our closing remarks from the 2016 competition in What We Liked And What We Didn’t At The 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.