Welcome to the 2018 edition of Quill & Pad’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève predictions in which the team picks favorites and explains why.

The panelists are:

Ian Skellern (IS), co-founder and technical director
Joshua Munchow (JM), resident nerd writer
Martin Green (MG), resident gentleman
Ashton Tracy (AT), contributor, watchmaker, and blogger at Horological Insider

Note: as jury members, editor-in-chief Elizabeth Doerr and resident collector GaryG do not take part in these early predictions.

The GPHG foundation describes the Jewellery category for watches entered as: “demonstrating exceptional mastery of the art of jewelry and gemsetting. These timepieces are also distinguished by the choice of stones featured in them.”

Jewellery category shortlisted watches for the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (clockwise from top left): Antoine Preziuso Trillion Tourbillon of Tourbillons, Bulgari Serpenti High Jewellery, Chanel Bouton de Camélia, de Grisogono Cascata, Piaget High Jewellery Cuff Watch Dentelle d’Or, and Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle

JM: Jewelry is the category I am most unfamiliar with when it comes to techniques and details about what actually goes into making the pieces. My knowledge is very surface level, so my assessment usually comes strictly from a practical standpoint and very subjective personal taste.

Also, since I personally have not handled every piece, and jewelry pieces are definitely a tactile experience as much as a visual experience, my opinions may be far off from those who spend reasonable time with the pieces. Still, I have some favorites as I’m sure the rest of you all do, so I won’t feel too bad nominating the ones I adore!

IS: I agree with you, Joshua, jewelry pieces are both extremely difficult to judge without expertise in the crafts and impossible to accurately qualify without holding and manipulating as they are often so tactile. But if it is uneducated opinion you want, I’m happy to oblige.

MG: One of my all-time favorite categories of the GPHG: the jewelry watches! It may sound funny, but before I studied at the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), I didn’t want to have anything to do with diamonds on watches. However, my courses there gave me a deep appreciation of this actually quite complicated art.

Adding diamonds and other gemstones to a watch is not that complicated, but to do it in such a way that there is synergy requires exponentially more craftsmanship and expertise. This year’s lineup is extraordinary, and I have a solid favorite!

Antoine Preziuso Trillion Tourbillon of Tourbillons

JM: It might be surprising that this is the timepiece with the most complicated mechanical movement of the category and I don’t even have it in my top three. That comes from the fact that while it is very cool, and the movement is a mechanical nerd’s dream, adding diamonds to a watch that has no need for them isn’t what makes the best jewelry watch of the year. Like other years, or other categories, this isn’t a watch designed to showcase the jewels.

Some might find it amazing for its technique, but as a jewelry watch I feel it falls far short of being something worth celebrating in this category.

Antoine Preziuso Trillion Tourbillon of Tourbillons

AT: This isn’t really the watch I expect to find among the offerings in this category. Its focus seems more on the horological side, but it does feature an impressive array of diamonds.

IS: The Antoine Preziuso Trillion Tourbillon of Tourbillons is among the most fascinating pieces of horological engineering I’ve ever seen. The three tourbillon regulators are all connected by a triple input (or output) differential. Understanding how a standard dual output differential (like a car works) can already be a challenging task, a triple just blows the mind.

That said, no matter how many diamonds and no matter how well set they are, a macho-looking 47 mm diameter case isn’t going to be the first choice for many ladies getting ready for a big night out. I suspect it will not be the first choice of the jury.

Antoine Preziuso Trillion Tourbillon of Tourbillons

MG: Antoine, why on earth did you call this watch “Trillion Tourbillon of Tourbillons?” It sounds like it is the latest Jacob & Co! It is, however, an ode to the baguette cut. Preziuso takes this to such an extent that there is hardly any bare metal visible. Quite an accomplishment, not only of the setter but also the cutter as this means that each diamond needs to be custom cut for its precise location on the watch. Combined with the extraordinary movement the term “stunning creation” is a true understatement when applied here.

For more information please visit gphg.org/horlogerie/en/watches/trillion-tourbillon-tourbillons.

Further reading:
5 Dazzling Gem-Set Watches For Men From 2018 Ranging From Relatively Discreet To Obvious And Flagrant Before Ending In Full Bling
Antoine Preziuso Tourbillon of Tourbillons: Fractals Meet ‘Inception’

Quick Facts Antoine Preziuso Trillion Tourbillon of Tourbillons
Case: 47 x 14 mm, white gold
Diamonds: 3 Top Wesselton G+ solitary trillion-cut diamonds rotating between the tourbillon; 233 invisible-set G+ baguette-cut diamonds (24 ct) on case, buckle, crown, and bezel
Movement: manually wound Caliber AFP-TTR-3X with three one-minute tourbillons connected by a triple differential gear comprising a fourth ten-minute tourbillon carriage; 21,600 vph/3 Hz frequency, 48-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: one unique piece
Price: 1,200,000 Swiss francs

Chanel Bouton de Camélia

AT: With 86 diamonds totaling nearly two carats this definitely falls into the jewelry category. The dial is clean and legible, and the watch itself is quite beautiful.

Chanel Bouton de Camélia

MG: This is the Jewellery category of the GPHG, and Chanel sends in its most plain-looking secret watch? Even in its own collection, there are much stronger designs. Some might enjoy the “understated” look, but that is not what this category is for.

Chanel Bouton de Camélia

JM: In third place I chose a timepiece that seems like a wonderful watch to wear in many circumstances – which is much different to most in this category. The Chanel Bouton de Camélia is a beautiful example of a secret watch that isn’t concerned with parading around like a bedazzled queen, but instead takes the position of an elegant lady. The proportions are restrained, the settings are stunning, and the watch feels perfectly legible, something jewelry watches struggle with.

It also is the most “affordable” on the list at CHF 46,050, coming in CHF 271,000 less than the next lowest-priced piece. While that isn’t cheap by any means, having a piece that looks that good and is nearly an order of magnitude cheaper than comparable pieces is definitely a good thing. But since this is the jewelry category and affordability isn’t the main driving factor, it misses the top spot as others have much greater displays of brilliance. Still, it’s probably my favorite piece as an actual wearable watch for a woman (or a daring man).

Chanel Bouton de Camélia

IS: Chanel secret watches are a long-time favorite, but while the Bouton de Camélia is an original design beautifully executed,  I just can’t help feeling I’ve seen it many times before.

For more information please visit gphg.org/horlogerie/en/watches/bouton-de-camelia.

Quick Facts Chanel Bouton de Camélia
Case: 9.5 x 15 mm, white gold set with 86 brilliant-cut diamonds (1.91 ct)
Movement: quartz
Functions: hours, minutes
Price: 46,050 Swiss francs

De Grisogono Cascata

AT: That’s a lot of diamonds.

IS: I’m with you, Ashton, that’s a lot of diamonds! I like the monochrome simplicity of blending case and dial together in what looks not far off one big solid hunk of glittering diamond. I have no doubt that the gem-setting is exemplary, but it’s too difficult for me to judge from the flat images provided. I think it is likely to be nicer than it looks in these images, but that’s just a guess. It’s certainly going to attract those with a penchant for diamonds above all.

De Grisogono Cascata

MG: What can you do with a whole lot of diamonds? Make a Cascata! De Grisogono gives a masterclass in how a pavé-set piece should look: three-dimensional and with hardly a piece of metal in sight! De Grisogono makes clever use of the cut shapes of the diamonds as well as the contrast with the snow-setting on the dial. While technically demanding, and very well executed, I don’t know if it is enough to win the category as the creative approach is a bit less then some of the competition, but other than that this is as good as it gets!

De Grisogono Cascata

JM: De Grisogono makes some amazing jewelry pieces, and I have been a fan of them for a while. The Cascata is a “snowburst” on the wrist and something that would look fantastic during a winter ball at a snowy castle in the Alps. The settings look fabulous, and the snow-setting technique feels perfectly appropriate here. Sadly, it also seems very difficult to read the time with the polished hands and no real contrast to be seen, so as a watch it is a bit lacking.

As a jewelry piece it is still stunning, but I feel in this category it still needs to have a solid horological angle, so I can’t choose this one as a winner this year.

For more information please visit gphg.org/horlogerie/en/watches/cascata.

Quick Facts De Grisogono Cascata
Case: 47.3 x 39.1 x 14.5 mm, white gold, bezel with 72 oval-cut diamonds, lugs sent with 126 brilliant-cut diamonds
Dial: snow-set with 148 brilliant-cut diamonds
Movement: quartz
Functions: hours, minutes
Price: 709,800 Swiss francs

Piaget High Jewellery Cuff Watch Dentelle d’Or

JM: This piece is something that I appreciate on so many levels, but I just don’t like it overall. The filigree is impeccable, and the settings along the delicate bridges make the cuff dazzle. But strangely enough, the dial of the watch with its mother-of-pearl doesn’t feel like it is up to the rest of the piece. It feels a bit dated with the combination, and I think a different finish, stone, or material could have worked better. I also have never been a big fan of cuffs and bangles in jewelry, mainly due to the looseness/rigidness when they are worn. If something is loose I feel it should be soft and flowing, not hard and solid. For those reasons I just feel the Piaget High Jewellery Cuff Watch Dentelle d’Or doesn’t have what it takes to be a winner.

Piaget High Jewellery Cuff Watch Dentelle d’Or

MG: A watch for times long passed: this cuff watch is absolutely stunning and makes me long for more elegant times when this would be worn by well-to-do ladies. The refinement of the design is breathtaking, and the opal dial serves as a stunning center point in this creation. The only thing that still puzzles me is why Piaget fits a watch like this with a quartz movement. Yes, I know that they make their own quartz movements, but with one of the brand’s superb ultra-thin, manual-wind movements it would have been the complete package!

Piaget High Jewellery Cuff Watch Dentelle d’Or

AT: This is a very elegant watch, and one that has been tastefully executed. The gold “lace” combined with the opal dial really bring something special. Despite the fact it is heavily jeweled, I find it is still understated and I hope this to be the year’s winner.

IS: Your first place in my second place, Ashton! I like the apparently simple elegance of the Piaget: for such a work of art it doesn’t ostentatiously draw attention to itself. But when you do pay attention it’s just wow! My number-two pick.

For more information please visit gphg.org/horlogerie/en/watches/high-jewellery-cuff-watch-dentelle-dor.

Further reading: Shrouded In Mystery And Fire: Opals In Jaquet Droz And Piaget Timepieces

Quick Facts Piaget High Jewellery Cuff Watch Dentelle D’Or
Case: 27 x 22 x 6.7 mm, pink gold, set with 30 marquise-shaped diamonds and 382 brilliant-cut diamonds
Dial: white opal
Movement: quartz
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: one unique piece
Price: €337,000 Swiss francs

Bulgari Serpenti High Jewellery

MG: While I love the Bulgari Serpenti collection and consider it a highlight in the world of both watches as well as jewelry, I consider this creation a hot mess. It looks like the designers attached the head and the tail of one model to the body of another. And what is with the diamonds on top of the head of the snake? To me, this is a great example of incredible craftsmanship with a design that simply doesn’t work.

Bulgari Serpenti High Jewellery

AT: This Bulgari is one funky-looking watch. Due to the impressive design and out-there appearance I think it could be runner-up.

IS: The Bulgari Serpenti High Jewellery is more than my runner-up, Ashton, it’s my pick for the top step of the podium. One of my seared-in-brain early memories of Baselworld was the first time I handled a Bulgari Serpenti, the quality and tactility just blew me away. I wanted one (and still do) just to play with.

Because the Serpenti High Jewellery is a model we have seen before, I’m counting that against Bulgari. However, even with those points deducted I feel that design is both original enough and, as Ashton wrote, pleasingly funky enough to be my clear pick for the winner of this category.

Bulgari Serpenti High Jewellery

JM: In second place I had to go with a piece that I have some familiarity with: the Bulgari Serpenti High Jewellery. This is a watch that has come from a long line of Serpenti pieces, all of which are extraordinary in their complexity and quality of construction. If this one is like the predecessor that I spent some time with, then it is guaranteed to feel utterly supple and luxurious with delicate and smooth articulation.

The style is definitely not for the faint of heart, but it catches the eye. Surprisingly, this is the second most affordable piece in the category, and I would say that it is definitely a good deal. The biggest reason this misses out for the top spot in my book is due to style, and while it is awesome it feels a bit less wearable than the winner I chose. But I wouldn’t be surprised if others disagreed with me.

For more information please visit gphg.org/horlogerie/en/watches/serpenti-high-jewellery.

Further reading: Bulgari’s Beloved Serpenti: A Brief History

Quick Facts Bulgari Serpenti High Jewellery
Case: 40 x 21 x 17 mm, white gold set with brilliant-cut diamonds (~24.90 cts) and pink gold bracelet set with brilliant-cut diamonds
Dial: white gold dial set with 82 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.41 ct); “head” decorated with 2 pear-shaped emeralds (0.55 ct) and brilliant-cut diamonds
Movement: quartz
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 8 pieces
Price: 317,000 Swiss francs

Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle

JM: Van Cleef & Arpels is amazing, there is no denying that. And the Secret de Coccinelle is just one more example of the exquisite work that this jewelry house creates. The thin band set with oh-so-many emeralds and garnets looks just like a delicate blade of grass wrapping around your arm, while the remarkably stunning ladybug made with onyx, diamonds, and mystery-set rubies crawls along to reveal the watch dial. The ladybug is the most gently beautiful set of stones I have seen in a long time, and the execution is perfect.

But what takes this piece from the best example of jewelry to the best jewelry watch is the epically tiny and iconic JLC Caliber 101 movement inside. You read that right: it is powered by the smallest and rarest mechanical movement in the world, found only in the most select watches and hardly ever seen in the modern watch world. Anything that uses this movement is instantly in a league of its own as most choose to just use a quartz movement.

And since Jaeger-LeCoultre doesn’t even make the 101 except for very special purposes, having it inside the Secret de Coccinelle is a treat to be sure. If you can argue why another piece is more deserving of the title this year, be my guest, but it goes down as my favorite of the category and possibly of jewelry watches in the last few years.

Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle

AT: My, what a pretty ladybird.

IS: The Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle is my number-three pick; I love the unusual thin leaf shape and the bright colors. The coccinelle (French for “ladybird”) that hides or reveals the watch dial sets everything off perfectly. I can easily see this on an elegant arm at a dressy event.

Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle open and closed

MG: Some other brands should be taking notes as this Van Cleef & Arpels is how you make a secret watch! Fun, creative, and very high end with superb execution. Van Cleef & Arpels takes it to the next level, and one of the things that I like is that it doesn’t use (a whole lot of) diamonds to do it.

It especially makes a case for the beauty of tsavorite garnets, which are stunning but could use a boost in popularity. Another reason why I love this watch is that it also features an amazing mechanical movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Caliber 101. A home run, an example to others, a tour de force, both technically and in terms of design. The Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle is my winner in this category.

For more information please visit gphg.org/horlogerie/en/watches/secret-de-coccinelle.

Quick Facts Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle
Case: 8 x 21 x 5.5 mm, yellow, pink, and white gold set with mystery-set rubies, diamonds, onyx, snow-set emeralds, tsavorites, garnets
Movement: manual-winding Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 101, 32-hour power reserve, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: one unique piece
Price: 1,093,000 Swiss francs

Predicted Winners

Joshua: Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle

Martin: Van Cleef & Arpels Secret de Coccinelle

Ian: Bulgari Serpenti High Jewellery

Ashton: Piaget High Jewellery Cuff Watch Dentelle d’Or

You may also enjoy:

Shrouded In Mystery And Fire: Opals In Jaquet Droz And Piaget Timepieces

5 Dazzling Gem-Set Watches For Men From 2018 Ranging From Relatively Discreet To Obvious And Flagrant Before Ending In Full Bling

Antoine Preziuso Tourbillon of Tourbillons: Fractals Meet ‘Inception’

Bulgari’s Beloved Serpenti: A Brief History