The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, highlighting the pinnacle of luxury watchmaking at a glamorous event on 13 November. Over the years, the creative industries have faced challenges such as reduced funding, skill shortages, and concerns about AI replacing human expertise. However, the “Oscars of Watchmaking,” as GPHG is often called, demonstrates that traditional craftsmanship and talent can endure and thrive.
“Watchmaking represents an alliance of art and industry, mechanics and poetry, mystery, mastery of the microscopic and the pursuit of the infinite,” said Raymond Loretan, president of GPHG. “It is a living art. Despite the current difficulties, it displays remarkable vitality.”
This year’s ceremony shone a spotlight on the exclusive world of watchmaking, with 90 timepieces competing for prestigious awards across 15 categories, including ladies’, men’s, calendar and astronomy, jewellery, and mechanical.
The top honor, known as the “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix, is open to any watch across all categories. Last year, it was awarded to IWC Schaffhausen’s Portugieser Eternal Calendar. The winners were selected by a jury of experts, including watch collectors, watchmakers, journalists, and auctioneers.
The selected timepieces will be showcased at Dubai Watch Week from 19 to 23 November.
Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix Best-in-Show Award
The most prestigious award at the GPHG, the Aiguille d’Or, went to Breguet’s Classique Souscription 2025 — a watch featuring only one hand. As the jury noted, “it looks simple, but it embodies one of the greatest challenges of watchmaking: simplicity.” This timepiece draws inspiration from the groundbreaking Souscription pocket watch of 1796, reimagined as a pocket watch. Its design is defined by the purity of the white enamel dial and the single hand displaying time.
Winners of the GPHG Watchmaking Awards
Here is the full list of winners from the night’s impressive awards ceremony:
Ladies’
Watches in this category must feature hours, minutes, seconds, simple date, power reserve, and classic moon phases, with up to 9-carat gemsetting.
WINNER 2025:
Gérald Genta’s Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal
This timepiece makes a bold statement with a flame-hued dial surrounded by 137 individually set fire opals, described as “audacious elegance” by GPHG.
Ladies’ Complication
Watches in this category are distinguished by their mechanical creativity and complexity, featuring various complications like annual calendars, perpetual calendars, tourbillons, etc.
WINNER 2025:
Chopard’s Imperiale Four Seasons
At the heart of this creation is a rotating disc that completes a full revolution over 365 days, following the cycle of the seasons. Crafted in painted textured mother-of-pearl marquetry, this miniature tableau shifts subtly with time.
Time Only
Watches with two or three hands and no gemsetting, bearing exclusively analogue time indications.
WINNER 2025:
Daniel Roth’s Extra Plat Rose Gold
The jury praised this timepiece for its “purity and savoir-faire,” masterfully balancing modern elegance with traditional craftsmanship.
Men’s
Masculine watches featuring hours, minutes, seconds, simple date, power reserve, and classic moon phases, with up to 9-carat gemsetting.
WINNER 2025:
Urban Jürgensen’s UJ-2: Double wheel natural escapement
This timepiece features a double wheel natural escapement, with each component hand-finished and decorated.
Men’s Complication
Watches in this category are notable for their mechanical ingenuity and complexity, featuring various complications.
WINNER 2025:
Bovet 1822’s Récital 30
This breakthrough world timer uses rollers instead of a conventional display, allowing for seamless adjustments during Daylight Saving Time.
Iconic
Watches from emblematic collections or models that have influenced watchmaking history for over 20 years.
WINNER 2025:
Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
To celebrate its 150th anniversary, Audemars Piguet introduced a new self-winding perpetual calendar movement, Calibre 7138, enhancing user comfort with an “all-in-one” crown.
Tourbillon
Mechanical watches with at least one tourbillon.
WINNER 2025:
Bvlgari’s Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon
This watch integrates a skeleton tourbillon into a movement just 1.85 mm thick, showcasing Bvlgari’s horological expertise.
Mechanical Exception
Watches featuring unique mechanisms such as automata, striking functions, or innovative escapements.
WINNER 2025:
Greubel Forsey’s Nano Foudroyante
This timepiece introduces nanomechanics, reducing energy consumption by a factor of 1,800 compared to traditional designs.
Chronograph
Watches with at least one chronograph indication.
WINNER 2025:
Angelus’ Chronographe Télémètre Yellow Gold
This timepiece calculates distances based on the difference between the speed of light and sound, rivaling advanced modern equipment.
Sports
Watches designed for physical activity, with suitable materials and functions.
WINNER 2025:
Chopard’s Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF
This lightweight timepiece combines cutting-edge technology with a sleek aesthetic, featuring a ceramicised titanium case and a Pitch Black titanium dial.
Jewellery
Watches demonstrating exceptional jewelry craftsmanship and stone selection.
WINNER 2025:
Dior Montres’s La D de Dior Buisson Couture
This timepiece features intricate floral motifs made from precious stones, evoking the artistry of embroidered florals.
Artistic Crafts
Watches showcasing mastery of artistic techniques like enamelling, engraving, or guilloché.
WINNER 2025:
Voutilainen’s 28GML SOUYOU
This timepiece highlights Japanese lacquer art, requiring over a thousand hours of meticulous work using materials like Urushi and Kinpun.
“Petite Aiguille”
Watches priced between CHF 3,000 and CHF 10,000, including smartwatches.
WINNER 2025:
M.A.D. Editions’ M.A.D.2 Green
This timepiece pays homage to 1990s club culture, featuring a DJ deck and strobe lighting, available only by lottery.
Challenge
Watches priced at or below CHF 3,000, including smartwatches.
WINNER 2025:
Dennison’s Natural Stone Tiger Eye In Gold
This watch revives a classic cushion case design, featuring a natural tiger’s eye dial with a warm, unique pattern.
Mechanical Clock
Mechanical instruments used for time measurement, excluding wristwatches.
WINNER 2025:
L’Epée 1839’s Albatross L’Epée 1839 X MB&F
This clock features a striking hour function and an automaton with propellers, offering multiple operational modes.
Audacity Prize
Awarded to a non-conformist, offbeat approach to watchmaking.
WINNER 2025:
Fam Al Hut’s Möbius
This debut timepiece redefines technical miniaturisation and spatial design, featuring an in-house bi-axis tourbillon.
Horological Revelation Prize
Awarded to a young brand (less than ten years old).
WINNER 2025:
Anton Suhanov’s St. Petersburg Easter Egg Tourbillon Clock
This minimalist design offers a modern take on the traditional Easter egg clock genre.
Chronometry Prize
Awarded to a timepiece with exceptional precision and official certification.
WINNER 2025:
Zenith’s G.F.J. Calibre 135
This watch honors Zenith’s 160-year legacy, combining historical design with modern engineering.
Special Jury Prize
Recognizes individuals, institutions, or initiatives promoting high-quality watchmaking.
WINNER 2025:
Alain Dominique Perrin, founder of the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain
