SpotlightHere’s To The Trailblazers: Mechanical Exception, Iconic, Jewellery And Artistic Crafts Nominees At The 2024 GPHG Awards
A great watch starts with an idea whose execution must become a shared dream between design geniuses, highly-skilled craftsmen and some of the greatest mechanical minds in watchmaking, a process that, in due course, may well lead to the birth of an icon. Here are the 2024 GPHG nominees in Mechanical exception, Iconic, Jewellery and Artistic crafts categories
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GPHG Category: Mechanical Exception
Bovet 1822 Récital 28 Prowess 1
The Bovet 1822 Récital 28 Prowess 1 addresses the issue of daylight saving time (DST), an issue that world timers have to be manually adjusted for. DST is a time-maximising concept that works well in temperate regions, but one that’s largely ignored in equatorial countries. To address this seemingly random change in about a third of the world, the brand engineered a ground-breaking roller system to accurately and automatically adjust time. Twenty-four city rollers display city names and a 25th shows time zones—UTC, American Summertime (AST), Europe and America Summertime (EAS), and European Wintertime (EWT). A sapphire cabochon on the crown prompts all 25 rollers to turn 90 degrees simultaneously, automatically adjusting the time in 24 cities. In addition to its ground-breaking worldtimer functions, the Récital 28 Prowess 1 functions as a perpetual calendar, features a tourbillon, and boasts a 240-hour power reserve, indicated on the dial.
Bovet 1822 Récital 28 Prowess 1 In A Nutshell
- Case: 46.3mm, titanium, ‘writing desk’ case
- Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Partially skeletonised, timekeeping sub-dial in aventurine glass; tourbillon at 12, Worldtimer, day, date and month indication, power reserve indicator
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, month, year, power reserve indicator, world time, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, daylight saving time indication
- Movement: R28-70-00X, hand-wound
- Strap: Leather
GPHG Category: Mechanical Exception
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC
Bulgari had created the world’s slimmest mechanical timepiece with a chronometer certification in their Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC. With an integrated titanium bracelet, the latest Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC measures 40mm and features a thickness of 1.70mm. The ultra-thin, manually-wound, COSC-certified movement, the BVL180 features a non-coaxial regulator display. Regulator-style counters for hours and minutes on the right are crafted from sandblasted brass with grey PVD treatment. This lends the watch a monochromatic aesthetic. A tungsten carbide main plate forms the base for an openworked dial. White indexes decorate the hours and minutes sub-dials, where timekeeping hands are rhodium plated. Satin finishes enhance the seconds wheel, winding and time-setting wheels, and the ratchet, which is engraved with a geometric pattern.
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC In A Nutshell
- Case: 40mm, thickness of 1.70mm, titanium
- Dial: Skeletonised; hours, minutes in regulator-style sub-dials
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
- Movement: BVL180
- Strap: Titanium
FAQs
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What is a chronometer certification?
A watch movement earns a chronometer certification when it measures up to a certain standard of timekeeping accuracy. While movements can be certified as chronometers by facilities in places such as Besancon in France, Saxony in Germany, as well as Japan, the most well-known certification is bestowed by the COSC (or the Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometers) in Switzerland. The COSC’s standard of accuracy is a maximum timekeeping deviation of -4 to +6 seconds per day.
GPHG Category: Mechanical Exception
Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad
The latest in an impressive line-up of Freaks, the Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad features a futuristic-looking flying carousel movement, the UN-251, against a sand-coloured hand-guilloche baseplate. With no dial, hands or crown to speak of, the Freak S Nomad displays two oscillators with blue silicon balance wheels. The flying carousel tourbillon rotates on its own axis every hour, with the movement’s bridges acting as the minutes hand. Artistry of the movement is displayed against a diamond guilloché pattern crafted by hand in a sandy hue. A pointer on this rotating baseplate serves as the hour hand. Each component of the Freak S Nomad stands out thanks to contrasts of colour and texture.
Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad In A Nutshell
- Case: 45mm, titanium and high-tech carbon
- Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Skeleton; hours, minutes, flying carousel movement with silicon oscillators, UN patented grinder system to wind the movement
- Functions: Hours, minutes
- Movement: UN-251
- Strap: Leather, rubber
Other nominees for the GPHG Mechanical Exception prize
- Hermès Arceau Duc Attelé
- MB&F HM11 Architect
- Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon
GPHG Category: Iconic
Breitling Navitimer B12 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute
For their 140th anniversary, Breitling revive the Navitimer B12 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute, the first wristwatch in space with a 24-hour dial. Created in 1962, at the request of Mercury Seven astronaut Scott Carpenter, who wanted to tell night from day while in orbit, Breitling’s Navitimer was nicknamed the Cosmonaute for travelling into space. This latest Cosmonaute features a modification that better suits everyday use—an automatic chronograph movement, the calibre B12. A display caseback offers a view of this movement, which boasts a 70-hour power reserve. Framed by an 18-karat red gold case, a deep green dial in a sunray finish is enhanced by golden numerals and blackened sub-dials at three, six and nine o’clock.
Breitling Navitimer B12 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute In A Nutshell
- Case: 41mm, red gold
- Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Green, sun-brushed; gilded numerals; sub-dials at three, six, nine o’clock
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph, 24-hour time display
- Movement: B12
- Strap: Black alligator leather
GPHG Category: Iconic
Hublot Classic Fusion Original Yellow Gold 29mm
To say Hublot created a stir in the watchmaking world with their first timepiece would be an understatement. Created by Carlo Crocco in 1980, the watch was bold, to say the least. Solid gold and fitted with a black rubber strap, the timepiece changed the existing rules of horology at the time. Now, Hublot present the Classic Fusion in a 29mm gold case and paired with a black rubber strap. This tribute to their roots not only features a mix of materials but also the iconic H-shaped screws around a porthole (hublot in French) bezel and dial. The polished and lacquered black dial displays only the bare minimum of markings. A gilded logo at 12, matching timekeeping hands, date window at three, and the words ‘Swiss made’ at six are the only embellishment, which lets the porthole shaped bezel take centrestage on the timepiece.
Hublot Classic Fusion Original Yellow Gold 29mm In A Nutshell
- Case: 29mm, yellow gold
- Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Black, lacquered and polished
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
- Movement: Quartz
- Strap: Black rubber
GPHG Category: Iconic
IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler Edition
Decorated with an aircraft turbine on the small seconds sub-dial, the 2008 Big Pilot’s Watch has become a collectors’ dream. As tribute to this icon, IWC release the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler edition. The limited edition timepiece now features a flying tourbillon at six. Crafted from a titanium alloy, the airplane turbine also doubles up as part of the tourbillon cage. Sized at 43mm, the case of the timepiece is crafted from platinum and features a polished bezel. In contrast, the dial is lacquered black and displays numerals and indexes in white and filled with Super-LumiNova. IWC’s 82905 automatic calibre powers the watch and offers an 80-hour power reserve.
IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler In A Nutshell
- Case: 43mm, platinum
- Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Black, lacquered
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds and tourbillon at six, with an airplane turbine cage
- Movement: 82905
- Strap: Black cordova leather
GPHG Category: Iconic
Urwerk UR-102 Reloaded
A symbol of the brand’s beginnings, the new Urwerk UR-102 Reloaded is a modern interpretation of a 27-year-old icon. Now sized at 41mm, the UR-102 Reloaded is larger than the original 38mm. Its titanium case displays a few upgrades, like the crown which now integrates into its new position at four o’clock. Larger and more angular lugs for a better fit on the wrist, and an updated font are the other changes. Time is read via a bright blue, elongated semi-circular aperture on the dial. Once every hour the hours satellite travels from the nine o’clock position to 60 marked near three. This is made possible by the brand’s UR-2.02 calibre.
Urwerk UR-102 Reloaded In A Nutshell
- Case: 41mm, titanium
- Glass: Curved sapphire crystal
- Dial: Bright blue
- Functions: Hours, minutes
- Movement: UR-2.02
- Strap: Rubber
Other nominees for the GPHG Iconic prize
- Louis Vuitton Tambour
- Piaget Piaget Polo 79
GPHG Category: Jewellery
Bvlgari Fenice High-Jewellery Secret Watch
Breathtaking in every way, the Bulgari Fenice high-jewellery secret watch celebrates the phoenix, a mythical creature that symbolises eternity. A cuff with a dial hidden among the gems, the Fenice (Italian for phoenix) high jewellery watch showcases the brand’s mastery with jewels. Highly craft-intensive, the white gold timepiece displays over 160 carats of stones—including blue, pink and violet sapphires, amethysts, rubies, pink garnets, tanzanites, iolites, aquamarines and diamonds. The result is a kaleidoscope of sparkling colours on the wrist. Hidden behind a rare 9.78 carat central Paraiba tourmaline is a delicate, diamond-studded dial. Powered by the manual winding Piccolissimo movement, the watch offers a 30-hour power reserve.
Bvlgari Fenice High-Jewellery Secret Watch In A Nutshell
- Case:8mm, white gold
- Dial: Diamond pave-set
- Functions: Hours, minutes
- Movement: Piccolissimo manual-winding mechanical
- Strap: Jewellery clasp
Other nominees for the GPHG Jewellery prize
- Chopard Laguna High-Jewellery Secret Watch
- Damiani Margherita Desert Garden Secret Watch
- Dior Montres Grand Soir Reine des Abeilles
- Gucci G-Timeless Planetarium
- Piaget Aura High Jewellery watch
Nominees for the GPHG Artistic crafts prize
- ANDERSEN Genève Jumping Hours Black Jade Stone
- Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 Year of the Dragon
- Hermès Arceau Chorus Stellarum
- Louis Vuitton Escale Cabinet of Wonders Snake’s Jungle
- Piaget Glowing Weave watch
- Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Jour Enchanté
Click here to see a complete list of nominees for the 2024 GPHGs
