SpotlightOn The GPHG 2022 Nominees: Genres And Complications

GPHG category: Tourbillon

Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon

The manual-winding movement in this prestigious piece features a constant-force mechanism—allowing for a consistent flow of power regardless of the level of winding—and a tourbillon as one unit on a single axis. This affords the calibre many benefits, including no loss or change in the torque, and a power reserve of up to 50 hours. This calibre 9STL is showcased through a skeletonised dial, while the escapement’s sound presents a once-per-second impulse owing to the constant-force mechanism. Housed within a 43.8mm case in 950 platinum and ‘brilliant hard’ titanium, the watch comes with a calf leather strap.

GPHG category: Tourbillon

H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton

This Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon presents a skeleton display—which you don’t often see from H. Moser. The vertically-constricted mechanism of the cylindrical hairspring, which is extremely hard to make, lends this watch an ultra-sophisticated appeal—more than what a regular tourbillon timepiece would offer. The magic happens at six o’clock, with everything beautifully constructed for a clear view, while the skeletonised gold rotor of the automatic, 74-hour HMC 811 calibre, seen through the caseback, is the show-stealer. This 42.8mm steel watch comes paired with a strap in leather, rubber or steel.

This Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon presents a skeleton display—which you don’t often see from H. Moser

₹87,00,000

Check Our Selling Price

The vertically-constricted mechanism of the cylindrical hairspring, which is extremely hard to make, lends this watch an ultra-sophisticated appeal

₹87,00,000

Check Our Selling Price

The off-centred timekeeping dial features Globolight on the hour markers and hands. This ceramic-based luminous material enhances readability in the dark

₹87,00,000

Check Our Selling Price

01

GPHG category: Tourbillon

Parmigiani Tonda PF Flying Tourbillon

Set in prestigious 950 platinum is an equally prestigious flying-tourbillon 48-hour automatic calibre, which showcases the whirlwind complication cage at seven o’clock. It is minimalistic in appeal, like all other Tonda PFs, but extremely sophisticated—probably more than all others from the series. With a view of the movement from the caseback, and attention to detail in all the finishing, textures and patterns seen across elements, this 42mm timepiece is quite the stunner.

Other nominees for the GPHG Tourbillon prize

• Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked
• Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture
• Theo Auffret Tourbillon Grand Sport

GPHG category: Calendar and Astronomy

Arnold & Son Luna Magna Platinum

From a key pillar of Arnold & Son’s, the Luna Magna has been a flagship series for the brand since last year when the first edition was released. Subsequently, we’ve seen jewelled versions and now this one in platinum. Not only is it set in the prestigious metal, it also features meteorite on the backdrop of the dial and for the dark side of the large, 3D moon. The timekeeping dial and the light side of the moon have intense Super-LumiNova and light up in the dark, making this almost magical. Like the previous Luna Magna, this one also runs on the manual-winding 90-hour calibre A&S1021, which also features a more conventional moon phase indicator on the reverse, visible through the display caseback.

Not only is this new Luna Magna set in prestigious platinum, it also features meteorite on the backdrop of the dial and for the dark side of the large, 3D moon

The timekeeping dial and the light side of the moon have intense Super-LumiNova and light up in the dark, making this almost magical

Category: Calendar and Astronomy

H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Calendar

The famed perpetual calendar from H. Moser is no stranger to the GPHGs. An earlier edition of the calendar complication won the complication prize back in 2006. And here, the minimalistic interpretation of the perpetual calendar is seen in the brand’s more recent collection of integrated-metal watches—the Streamliner. Stripped down to the basics—hours, minutes, seconds, date, central month hand, power reserve display, and the leap year on the 168-hour manual-winding movement, visible on the reverse—it’s a winner already. The 42.3mm steel case is even water-resistant to 120m, making this timepiece all the more functional.

An earlier edition of Moser's perpetual calendar won the GPHG complication prize back in 2006. And here, the minimalistic interpretation of the perpetual calendar is seen in the brand’s more recent collection of integrated-metal watches—the Streamliner

Other nominees for the GPHG Calendar and Astronomy prize

• DRT Tempus Fugit
• HYT Moon Runner Supernova Blue
• Krayon Anywhere
• Sarpaneva Watches Nocturne

GPHG category: Chronograph

Breiting Navitimer Cosmonaute Limited Edition     

Breitling’s Cosmonaute’s fame goes back to 1962, as the first Swiss wristwatch in space—worn by NASA astronaut Scott Carpenter, when he orbited the Earth as part of his Mercury-Atlas 7 mission. Having used Navitimer before as a pilot, he had requested a version of the watch with a 24-hour display to be able to tell night from day when not in the Earth’s atmosphere. Sixty years later, Breitling reissued that timepiece with modern updates, but retaining the very classic dial with big numerals, the slide rule and contrasting chronograph counters. This 41mm watch in steel and platinum runs on a 70-hour automatic, COSC-certified chronometer movement.

To mark 60 years of the Cosmonaute, Breitling reissued that timepiece with modern updates, but retaining the very classic dial with big numerals, the slide rule and 24-hour time

Breitling’s Cosmonaute’s fame goes back to 1962, as the first Swiss wristwatch in space—worn by NASA astronaut Scott Carpenter, when he orbited the Earth

Having used Navitimer before as a pilot, Carpenter had requested a version of the watch with a 24-hour display to be able to tell night from day when not in the Earth’s atmosphere

01

GPHG category: Chronograph

Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante Ice Blue

There are skeleton watches and there are skeleton watches that really showcase a baffling amount of depth, even with a relatively sleek profile. This Antarctique Rattrapante is the latter, presenting an ice blue display and blue sapphire crystal elements. With such layers in the movement’s construction, you tend to forget that it’s an advanced calibre, equipped to provide a split-second chronograph feature, while offering a power reserve of 60 hours. The incredibly well-finished calibre is housed in an equally well-finished steel case, sized at 42.3mm, with an edgy construction, it is paired with an integrated bracelet.

GPHG category: Chronograph

Louis Moinet Time To Race

Louis Moinet, the 18th-19th-century watchmaker whom this brand is named after, is one of the people credited with inventing the chronograph. And this watch is one of latest chronographs from the brand that celebrate the stopwatch complication. Based on the Memoris collection’s template is this series of motorsport-inspired watches, which retains the collection’s format of putting the chronograph front-and-centre, with the timekeeping pushed lower towards six. Nominated here is the racing green edition, with ‘18’ seen on the hour-and-minute dial, but the number is customisable. The 48-hour automatic movement is housed in a 40.7mm titanium case.

GPHG category: Chronograph

Parmigiani Tonda PF Chronographe Steel

This nomination is one of five for the Parmigiani Tonda PF series at this year’s GPHGs. This here is the chronograph edition, in 42mm steel—water-resistant to 100m—with heavy knurling on the bezel and the brand’s barley-corn pattern on the blue dial. With 12-hour and 30-minute chronograph counters at nine and three, small seconds at six and the date next to four o’clock, this watch’s functions are powered by a 65-hour automatic movement. This integrated steel sport chronograph watch has an evergreen quality to it.

This nomination is one of five for the Parmigiani Tonda PF series at this year’s GPHGs. This here is the chronograph edition, in 42mm steel—water-resistant to 100m

With 12-hour and 30-minute chronograph counters at nine and three, small seconds at six and the date next to four o’clock, this watch’s functions are powered by a 65-hour automatic movement

Parmigiani Tonda PF

₹33,50,000

Check Our Selling Price

Other nominees for the GPHG Chronograph prize

• Grönefeld 1941 Grönograaf Tantalum
• MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential Evo

GPHG category: Diver’s

Breitling Superocean Automatic 42

Looking distinctly different from Superoceans of recent years, this here is Breitling’s most prominent redesign of their signature dive watch. Launched in a plethora of colours and presenting dive-watch standards, with renewed flair, the watch with a 60-minute dive-timer one-way bezel, bold markers, and comes paired with prominent hands—the square-lollipop minutes hand is the most distinguished. It may look a little jarring to have three different shapes for the hands, but that just makes reading time underwater far easier at a glance. The 42mm bronze watch comes with a green dial and rubber strap (there’s one in brown also), and is water-resistant to 300m. Like all Breitling movements, the 38-hour automatic in this one is COSC-certified as a chronometer.

Looking distinctly different from Superoceans of recent years, this here is Breitling’s most prominent redesign of their signature dive watch

The 42mm bronze watch comes with a green dial and rubber strap (there’s one in brown also), and is water-resistant to 300m

It presents dive-watch standards, with renewed flair, including a 60-minute dive-timer one-way bezel, bold markers, and comes paired with prominent hands

01

GPHG category: Diver’s

Doxa Army Limited Edition

Doxa have been known for dive watches for the longest time, from making great strides in the genre back in the day to now focusing entirely on their dive collections in the modern day. In the 60s, they even made professional dive tool watches for the Swiss Army, but couldn’t talk about it since army-issued products were completely classified. With the Swiss Army declassifying such records last year, Doxa were able to mention such distinctions, and they even came out with a re-edition of that Army watch, as a 100-piece limited edition, for their retail partners Watches of Switzerland. This 42.5mm automatic comes in titanium and ceramic, and has beige, black and orange tones like the original army watch.

GPHG category: Diver’s

Grand Seiko Spring Drive 5 Days Calibre 9RA5

From the Evolution 9 collection’s sportier edition launched this year, this Grand Seiko dive watch comes in 43.8mm high-intensity titanium, and is water-resistant to 200m. Housed within is a Seiko Spring Drive calibre that combines the best of mechanical watchmaking with quartz technology. This automatic offers a power reserve of 120 hours. The dial, with the five-day power reserve indicated, features textural refinement that Grand Seiko’s nature-inspired abstract patterns are known for. The components within come with the brand’s famous Zaratsu distortion-free mirror finish.

From the Evolution 9 collection’s sportier edition launched this year, this Grand Seiko dive watch comes in 43.8mm high-intensity titanium. Housed within is a Seiko Spring Drive calibre that combines the best of mechanical watchmaking with quartz technology

GPHG category: Diver’s

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 1000 Superdiver

In 2021, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer collection was entirely updated with modern updates to the case structure, with a general streamlining of the design. After 200m and 300m editions, this year, the brand unveiled the new Superdiver, water-resistant to 1,000m (1km). Not only does this piece have capabilities to be used for professional diving, including dive-watch staples such as a unidirectional-rotating dive-time bezel and large indexes, it also comes with a COSC-certified chronometer calibre—a 70-hour automatic. This 45mm steel timekeeper is the latest from a line of 1,000m Divers from TAG Heuer, first launched in 1982.

Other nominees for the GPHG Diver’s watch prize

• ArtyA Depth Gauge
• Tudor Pelagos FXD

Click here for all the nominees for the 2022 GPHGs