Nominated Timepieces of GPHG 2023
Created in 2001, the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) is a Foundation recognised as a public interest organisation since 2011. The GPHG notably plays this unifying promotional role by staging an annual competition involving several hundreds of watches marketed during the year and attributing the highest awards in this domain. In doing so, it contributes to enhancing the traditions, skills and values of Swiss – and indeed universal – watchmaking culture. Often referred to as the watch industry “Oscars”, the GPHG is a not-to-be-missed event in the watchmaking calendar and one of the sector’s most famous media showcases.
Below is the highlight of some categories. The full list of nomination can be found at https://www.gphg.org/horlogerie/en/gphg-2023/nominated-timepieces.
LADIES COMPLICATION
ANDERSEN Genève Arctic Sunrise ANDERSEN Genève X BCHH Celestial Voyager "Arctic Sunrise"
Case: Rosegold with soldered flowing “eagle wings” lugs, 37.8mm
Dial: Cloisonné enamel on hand guilloché dial
Movement: Manual-winding mechanical; 21ct BlueGold hand guilloché “scale” motive
The choice of pink gold for the case and hands imparts a profound sense of timeless warmth and romantic elegance. It draws from the rich history of mid-century dress watches and acts as an excellent frame for the cloisonné enamel dial to express its full magnificence.
The ivory mother of pearl city ring with 24 cities in pink gold evoke dreams of flying through wispy clouds on the way to new adventures. It combines with the pink gold case to form a coherent and soothing appearance.
The "plat de resistance" is the cloisonné enamel & hand guilloché dial. It is created atop a solid white gold base that is intricately engine-turned (guilloche main) according to ancient and time-honoured techniques of craftsmanship. It is made on a guilloché machine dating back to XIXth century. Then afterwards the enamel Artist can start setting the gold wires (0.07mm of diameter) and filling the dial with colours. Thanks to the perfect collaboration between the Guilloché master and the enamel Artist the center dial is joyful for the eye; it is shining differently depending on the orientation. It is like it was breathing.
CHRONOGRAPH
Singer Reimagined 1969 Chrono
Case: Steel, 40mm
Dial: Precious piano-black lacquer finish, dials are enriched with an applied signature golden crown ring
Movement: Automatic winding system caliber 6365
The new Chronograph 1969’s central dial displays the chronographic information in pure Singer style. Seconds, jumping minutes and jumping hours hands are centrally mounted and all point to the same base-60 scale. Singer chronographs are the only ones allowing event tracking of up to 60 hours. Time-of-the-day indication is displayed on the bottom side of the dial, via two disks rotating underneath the dial surface. Disks graphics and time indication arrows are finished in SuperLuminova®.
Stainless steel is the material we chose for the case. Solid, preciously finished and an ever classic. The stainless-steel bracelet is composed of two contrasting elements. The edgy brushed “H” links are designed after racetracks’ curbs shape, providing a contrasted and vibrant effect. In contraposition, the rounded polished center links bring smooth reflections and sparkles of light. This combination ensures exceptional wearability and comfort. The brushed sloping facets are complemented by polished chamfers, visually extending the case profile with polished edges – a brand signature feature. Tapering from 22 to 18mm, the new bracelet, incorporating an adjustable fitting system housed in the folding clasp, is perfected for the widest array of wrists. The micro adjustment mechanism, with 21 steps to precisely adapt the length of the bracelet by up to 2cm, allows an optimal fit, be it for gents’ or ladies’ wrists, without having to take the watch off.
Singer Reimagined timepieces are by definition a love letter to the vintage design of iconic 60’s and 70’s timepieces, now enhanced by functional improvements and state of the art horological engineering.
ARTISTIC CRAFTS
ANDERSEN Genève Jumping Hours Rising Sun Edition
Case: Platinum (Pt 950) case with polished/brushed zones and welded lugs, 38mm
Dial: 18ct hand guilloché “magical losanges” motive
Movement: Manual-winding mechanical; majestically decorated rotor winding rotor in 18ct pink gold, encircled by a ring of 21ct BlueGold
Pink gold and platinum combine to glorious effect in the new edition of ANDERSEN Genève ’s exceptional Jumping Hours watch. In the 1980s, as Svend Andersen achieved growing renown as a leading independent watchmaker, Japan’s discerning collectors and connoisseurs were quick to recognise the skill, artistry and inventiveness of his work. A close relationship was formed between ANDERSEN Genève and the watch community in Japan, a country where craftsmanship, detail and beauty carry such value, and where traditional watchmaking skills are held in such high regard.
The hour is indicated through a window at 12 o’clock, while the minutes tick by discretely on a sub-dial at 6 o’clock, indicated by a white gold hand. This points to a railway-style chapter ring printed in dark blue, as is the ANDERSEN Genève logo above the hour window.
The rest of the dial forms a canvas for a virtuoso display of traditional guilloché engraving, etched directly into the pink gold surface. The dial is dominated by a mesmerising “magic losange” pattern, while a hobnail pattern occupies the minutes sub-dial. Performed by one of Switzerland’s finest artisans, several days are required to engrave a single dial, with three different engine turning machines used to build up the intricately detailed pattern.
The watch is powered by the Frédéric Piguet 11.50 movement, an exceptional, artisanally-made Swiss calibre. Its ultra-slim dimensions make it a perfect base to carry the jumping hours mechanism developed and assembled in-house by ANDERSEN Genève , while its two-barrel architecture ensures a long power reserve of up to 72 hours.
“PETITE AIGUILLE”
Louis Erard Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin
Case: Polished stainless steel, 42mm
Dial: Shiny green hour-circle; sunray wave pattern
Movement: Automatic Sellita SW266-1
Louis Erard delivers his regulator as a sacrifice to a very strange creature: a grotesque saw-mouthed cyclops. A mythological figure reinterpreted by the master watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin. The meeting between Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin gave birth to a strange creature. A one-eyed monster to which the mechanics give life. The difference is that this time we are not even looking at the time, it is the time that is looking at us: the hour is a single, large, round eye.
For the small second at six o'clock, the watchmaker dressed it in a disc with pointed teeth, turning like the devouring mouth of an ogre. Cross inspiration, as Konstantin Chaykin explains: "I remembered Francisco Goya and his Saturn devouring one of his sons. I thought of a Stephen King short story, The Langoliers, time eaters".
The monster was only missing an arm. The central minute hand will give him that. Konstantin Chaykin makes it cross the dial and gives it "two hands turning in a circle". And to complete the cartoonish character, the watchmaker has played with "specific finger combinations", which give the whole thing the appearance of an arrow: a point at one end, a plumage at the other; a finger stretched out on one side, a sign of the horns at the other end. However, the watchmaker adds: "It is up to each person to interpret the meaning".
Stay tuned for the final result!