The 2020 edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) has just published the list of shortlisted (“nominated”) watches in the run-up to the eagerly anticipated red-carpet event in Geneva on November 12, 2020.
The categories for 2020 constitute the following: Ladies, Ladies Complication, Men’s, Men’s Complication, Iconic, Chronograph, Chronometry, Mechanical Exception, Calendar and Astronomy, Divers, Jewellery, Artistic Crafts, Petite Aiguille (watches with retail prices between 4,000 and 10,000 Swiss francs), and Challenge (watches with retail prices under 4,000 Swiss francs).
The main prize of the evening is the Aiguille d’Or, the best watch overall among all the entrants, which will be voted in the room by a smaller jury chosen from the 400 Academy members.
Due to the COVID-19 situation of 2020, there is no world tour scheduled for the shortlisted watches this year. However, they will most likely be available to view in Geneva sometime soon. I fear that must all still be determined.
But enough preamble, let’s have a look at the watches that are in serious contention for the prizes as of today.
GPHG 2020: Ladies
GPHG 2020 Ladies: Beauregard Lili, Bovet Miss Audrey, Chanel Mademoiselle Privé Bouton perle, Dior Grand Bal Ruban, Hermès Arceau Petite Lune Sprinkling of diamonds and sapphires, Piaget Limelight Gala Precious Sapphire Gradient
The Ladies category contains women’s watches comprising only the following indications: hours, minutes, seconds, date, power reserve, and/or classic moon phase. These timepieces may be adorned with a maximum of eight carats’ worth of gemstones.
The shortlisted watches are: Beauregard Lili, Bovet Miss Audrey, Chanel Mademoiselle Privé Bouton perle, Dior Grand Bal Ruban, Hermès Arceau Petite Lune Jeté de diamants et saphirs, Piaget Limelight Gala Precious Dégradé de Saphirs.
GPHG 2020: Ladies Complication
GPHG 2020 Ladies Complication: Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon, Charles Girardier Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse fleur de sel, Jacob & Co. Astronomia Fleurs de Jardin Rainbow, Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Embrace, Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon, Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Ballerine Musicale Diamant
According to this category’s description, Ladies Complication 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 like the annual calendar, perpetual calendar, equation of time, moon phase, a digital or retrograde time display, world time, dual time or others. These do not fit the definition of the Ladies or Mechanical Exception categories.
The shortlisted watches are: Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon, Charles Girardier Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse fleur de sel, Jacob & Co. Astronomia Fleurs de Jardin Rainbow, Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Embrace, Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon, Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Ballerine Musicale Diamant.
Further reading:
- Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon: Precious Metal, Precious Stones, Precious Movement
- Bulgari’s Beloved Serpenti: A Brief History
- LVMH Watch Week 2020: A Round Table Discussion Of A New-Generation Group Fair And A Photofest Of New Watches From Zenith, Hublot And Bulgari
GPHG 2020: Men
GPHG 2020 Men’s: Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Blue, De Bethune DB28XP Starry Sky, Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin Green, Petermann Bédat Seconde Morte, Romain Gauthier Insight Micro-Rotor Squelette Manufacture-Only Carbonium Edition, Voutilainen 28SC
Men’s watches comprise the following indications: hours, minutes, seconds, date, power reserve, and classic moon phase. These timepieces may be adorned with a maximum of five carats’ worth of gemstones.
The shortlisted watches are: Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Blue Dial, De Bethune DB28XP Starry Sky, Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin Green, Petermann Bédat Seconde morte, Romain Gauthier Insight Micro-Rotor Squelette Manufacture-Only Carbonium Edition, Voutilainen 28SC.
Further reading:
- Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic: Enchanting Ultra-Thin In Titanium, Gold, Ceramic And Now In Steel
- 3 Brand-New De Bethune DB28s To Celebrate 10 Years Of This Sensational, Now Ultra-Thin Watch With Floating Lugs
- Romain Gauthier Insight Micro-Rotor Squelette Carbonium: Adding Lightness
- LVMH Watch Week 2020: A Round Table Discussion Of A New-Generation Group Fair And A Photofest Of New Watches From Zenith, Hublot And Bulgari
GPHG 2020: Men’s Complication
GPHG 2020 Men’s Complication: Bovet Récital 27, De Bethune DB28XP Tourbillon, Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light, Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1, Hermès Slim d’Hermès GMT, MB&F HM10 Bulldog Ti
Men’s Complication watches are to be remarkable in terms of their mechanical creativity and complexity. These may feature all kinds of classic and/or innovative complications and indications like the annual calendar, perpetual calendar, equation of time, moon phase, a digital or retrograde time display, world time, dual time or others. These do not fit the definition of the Men’s or Mechanical Exception categories.
The shortlisted watches are: Bovet Récital 27, De Bethune DB28XP Tourbillon, Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light, Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1, Hermès Slim d’Hermès GMT, MB&F HM10 Bulldog Ti.
Further reading:
- 3 Brand-New De Bethune DB28s To Celebrate 10 Years Of This Sensational, Now Ultra-Thin Watch With Floating Lugs
- 4 Exotic New Watches For 2020 By Independent Watchmakers Urwerk, MB&F, F.P. Journe, And Greubel Forsey
- Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1: Hands Breathing Life Into Metal
- Hermès Introduces New 2020 Slim d’Hermès GMT: Traveling In Style
GPHG 2020: Iconic
GPHG 2020 Iconic: Breitling Chronomat B01 42, Bulgari Aluminium Chronograph, Girard-Perregaux Laureato Infinity Edition 42 mm, IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Chronograph, Piaget Altiplano Origin Automatic, Seiko Professional Diver’s 1000M
Iconic is a new category emphasizing men’s or ladies’ watches from a brand’s emblematic collection, meaning one that has had a lasting influence on watchmaking and its history as well as having been on the market for more than 20 years.
The shortlisted watches are: Breitling Chronomat B01 42, Bulgari Aluminium Chronograph, Girard-Perregaux Laureato Infinity Edition 42 mm, IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Chronograph, Piaget Altiplano Origin Automatic, Seiko Professional Diver’s 1000M.
Further reading:
- Breitling Vintage-Inspired AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition, Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition II, and Chronomat B01 42 Bentley: Do They Hit The Mark?
- New IWC Portugieser Chronographs Now With In-House Automatic Movements
GPHG 2020: Chronometry
GPHG 2020 Chronometry: Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force, Bernhard Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer, Brivet-Naudot Eccentricity, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud FB 2RE.2, H. Moser & Cie. x MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon, Theo Auffret Tourbillon à Paris
In the Chronometry category we find mechanical watches that contain at least one tourbillon and/or a special escapement and/or another development improving precision timekeeping. Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.
The shortlisted watches are: Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force in stainless steel, Bernhard Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer, Brivet-Naudot Eccentricity, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud FB 2RE.2, H. Moser & Cie. x MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon, Theo Auffret Tourbillon à Paris.
Further reading:
- Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force: Invention Is No Accident, Or How To Start Fresh
- Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force: Looking Behind The Fresh, Funky Face (Video)
- Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 2RE: Change Is Round
- Hands On & Live Photos: MB&F x H. Moser LM101 And H. Moser x MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon
GPHG 2020: Calendar and Astronomy
GPHG 2020 Calendar and Astronomy: Behrens Apolaire, Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Twin, IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide, Parmigiani Fleurier Hijiri Perpetual Calendar, Sarpaneva Lunations Harvest Moon, Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Squelette
Calendar and Astronomy is a two-year-old category meant to emphasize astronomical and/or calendar complications included in men’s watches. Why only men’s watches I do not know. These timepieces must include at least one of the following: date, annual calendar, perpetual calendar, equation of time, complex moon phase, or other. Additional indications are admissible.
The shortlisted watches are: Behrens Apolaire, Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Twin, IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide, Parmigiani Fleurier Hijiri Perpetual Calendar, Sarpaneva Lunations Harvest Moon, Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Squelette.
Further reading:
- Chopard Updates Mille Miglia And L.U.C Perpetual Twin Collections For 2020
- 7 Brand-New IWC Portugieser Watches For 2020
- IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr On The 2020 Portugieser Collection, COVID-19, And His All-Time Favorite Portugieser
- Sarpaneva Lunations: The Latest Moon Phase Tech That Lasts (Almost) Forever – With Video
GPHG 2020: Chronograph
GPHG 2020 Chronograph: Atelier de Chronométrie Chronographe à Rattrapante, Breitling Top Time Limited Edition, H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic, Kurono Tokyo by Hajime Asaoka, Louis Moinet Memoris Superlight, Parmigiani Fleurier Tondagraph GT
Timepieces entered into the Chronograph category are mechanical watches comprising at least one chronograph indication. Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.
The shortlisted watches are: Atelier de Chronométrie Chronographe à Rattrapante, Breitling Top Time Limited Edition, H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic, Kurono Tokyo by Hajime Asaoka, Louis Moinet Memoris Superlight, Parmigiani Fleurier Tondagraph GT in steel.
Further reading:
- Moser & Cie. Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic With Full Metal Bracelet: Inspiring Amnemori!
- Memoris By Louis Moinet: Paying Homage To Historical Chronographic Ingenuity
- Parmigiani Fleurier Tondagraph GT: A Collector’s View
GPHG 2020: Mechanical Exception
GPHG 2020 Mechanical Exception: Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance, Bovet Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter 2, Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron, MB&F Legacy Machine Thunderdome, Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept, Ressence Type 2A
The Mechanical Exception category features men’s or ladies’ watches with a special mechanism such as an innovative or sophisticated display, an automaton, a belt-driven movement, a striking or other acoustic function, or any other original and/or exceptional horological concept.
The shortlisted watches are: Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance, Bovet Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter 2, Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron, MB&F Legacy Machine Thunderdome, Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept, Ressence Type 2A.
Further reading:
- Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance: Synchronized Oscillations Driving Sonorous Vibrations (Plus Video – It Sounds Fantastic!)
- Bovet Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two: It’s Mind Blowing! (Live Photos)
- MB&F Legacy Machine Thunderdome: The World’s Fastest Triple-Axis Tourbillon – You Can’t Miss It! (Plus Videos)
- Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept, The World’s Thinnest Watch: Shaving Microns To Make Millionths
- Top 10 Thinnest Mechanical Wristwatches: 8 Modern Record Holders And Their 2 Historic Rivals
- 3 New Tourbillons For 2020 By IWC, H. Moser & Cie, And Jacob & Co
GPHG 2020: Divers
GPHG 2020 Divers: Breitling Superocean Automatic 48 Boutique Edition, Doxa SUB300 Carbon Aqua Lung US Divers, Grand Seiko 9RA5 Professional Diver’s 600M, Ming 18.01 H41, Reservoir Hydrosphere Bronze x Revolution The Maldives Edition, Ulysse Nardin Diver X Cape Horn
The Divers category contains watches linked to the field of diving, whose functions, materials, and design are suited to this activity.
The shortlisted watches are: Breitling Superocean Automatic 48 Boutique Edition, Doxa SUB300 Carbon Aqua Lung US Divers, Grand Seiko 9RA5 Professional Diver’s 600M, Ming 18.01 H41, Reservoir Hydrosphere Bronze x Revolution The Maldives Edition, Ulysse Nardin Diver X Cape Horn.
GPHG 2020: Jewellery
GPHG 2020 Jewellery: Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Intrecciati, Chopard Magari, Dior Grand Soir Reine des Abeilles, Jacob & Co. The Mystery Tourbillon Full Ruby, Piaget Limelight Gala Haute Joaillerie Opale Noire, Van Cleef & Arpels Montre Frivole Secrète
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.
The shortlisted watches are: Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Intrecciati, Chopard Magari, Dior Grand Soir Reine des Abeilles, Jacob & Co. The Mystery Tourbillon Full Ruby, Piaget Limelight Gala Haute Joaillerie Opale Noire, Van Cleef & Arpels Montre Frivole Secrète.
Further reading: Bulgari’s Beloved Serpenti: A Brief History
GPHG 2020: Artistic Crafts
GPHG 2020 Artistic Crafts: Andersen Genève Heures Sautantes 40th Anniversary, Bovet Amadeo Tourbillon Squelette 7 Days, Dior Grand Bal Plume, Hermès Arceau Into the Canadian Wild, Jacob & Co. Astronomia Sky Phoenix, Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Soleil Féerique
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.
The shortlisted watches are: Andersen Genève Heures Sautantes 40th Anniversary, Bovet Amadeo Tourbillon Squelette 7 Days, Dior Grand Bal Plume, Hermès Arceau Into the Canadian Wild, Jacob & Co. Astronomia Sky Phoenix, Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Soleil Féerique.
GPHG 2020: Petite Aiguille
GPHG 2020 Petite Aiguille: Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton, Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition II, Habring2 Chrono Felix Panda, IWC Schaffhausen Porgtuieser Automatic 40, Sarpaneva x Moomin, Trilobe Secret
Watches entered into the Petite Aiguille category are offered for a retail price that falls between 4,000 and 10,000 Swiss francs. Smartwatches were admissible here, but none have made it through.
The shortlisted watches are: Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton, Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition II, Habring2 Chrono Felix Panda, IWC Schaffhausen Porgtuieser Automatic 40, Sarpaneva x Moomin, Trilobe Secret.
Further reading:
- Bell & Ross BR 05 For A Week On The Wrist: How It Measures Up
- Breitling Vintage-Inspired AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition, Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition II, and Chronomat B01 42 Bentley: Do They Hit The Mark?
- 7 Brand-New IWC Portugieser Watches For 2020
GPHG 2020: Challenge
GPHG 2020 Challenge: Behrens Rotary, Breitling Endurance Pro, Kurono Tokyo by Hajime Asaoka Anniversary Green Mori, Louis Erard Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein, Ming 27.01 Ultra Plat, Tudor Fifty-Eight
Watches entered into the Challenge category are offered for a retail price under 4,000 Swiss francs. Smartwatches were admissible here, but none have made it through.
The shortlisted watches are: Behrens Rotary, Breitling Endurance Pro, Kurono Tokyo by Hajime Asaoka Anniversary Green Mori, Louis Erard Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein, Ming 27.01 Ultra Plat, Tudor Fifty-Eight.
Let us know your favorites in the comments below!
For more information, please visit www.gphg.org/horlogerie/en/gphg-2020/nominated-watches.
You may also enjoy:
Our Predictions In The Chronograph Category Of The 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG)
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I have my favourites, but only really care about two things: Armin Strom pick up a prize (more likely for Mechanical Exception as the competition in Chronometry may be too strong) and Greubel Forsey win the Aiguille D’or, as it’s just a cut above.
Was disappointed that certain pieces were eliminated from the initial list – like Nakagawa’s Murakumo, Ophion’s Velos, and Wempe’s Iron Walker Diver, which would have been my ideal picks in their respective categories – but there’s still some nice stuff in there.
The Iconic category though, sheesh. I guess hands are tied.
I tend to agree on just about every one of your points. It’s about time Armin Strom was recognized for the great work they’ve been doing! I was also surprised to see some of those watches (and other) voted out too. But there is A LOT to be said for the brands doing proper press work. It would help in circumstances like these immensely.
Ah yes, I see what you mean.
Dear Q&P team, dear Elizabeth, this is always a great fun year by year. What a heavy task now to decide for the winners. I am very curious to see the award winning pieces in november.
Great to see the timeless GP Laureato (although is it not with its Clous de Paris dial) – anyway, this watch deserves more recognition. Very poetic as always – the V Cleef & Arpels Ballerine, wow. For the men´s category: no idea. I really miss the Moritz Grossmann Hamatic. A true artistic masterpiece is Andersens Jumping Hours 40th Anniversary which is stylistically outstanding.
No surprise that I especially like one watch more than any other because of its mindset to see the watchworld: Sarpaneva x MOOMIN. It is the entry of the year for an event like this. What is left to say? Most sadly missed: OPHION Velos.
Final though: Why do companies decide not to participate in GPHG? I cannot understand. Because one might probably lose? No. We all discuss about the entries, we all easily remember some or most winners. Year by year. I never made a top level list of losers – for what ever reason? Nobody does like this. What a poor argument. Participation always has more advantages than shying away. As I said before: great fun year by year. Greetings und schön abstimmen, hahaha, Thomas.