GPHG 2016: Haute Time’s Favorites

The red carpet event for the watch world is coming up again. It is time for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). They are often referred to as the Oscar’s for the watch world and that is indeed a good comparison. On November 10 the winners will be announced after the jury has come to a verdict over the pre-selected watches.

A daunting task even for a jury that consists out of industry insiders such as Vice-chairman of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons , watchmaker-extraordinaire Philippe Dufour and author John Goldberger. But as always, even in a list that represents the creme-de-la-creme of the watchmaking world, you have your favorite and these are ours:

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
Redesigning a classic like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is always a daunting task, yet Audemars Piguet pulled it off with flying colors. This can especially be said about the new perpetual calendar, which was launched last year. The case of the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar grew from 39 mm to 41 mm, and the brand used that space to make the different functions easier to read. The addition of the week number is something that is probably appreciated by many owners, as is the moon phase function which now features even more details of the nightly sky.

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze
Could Tudor have made the Black Bay any cooler is a question we might have answered with a clear no about a year ago. Then came Tudor with the Heritage Black Bay Bronze, and they did actually just that. The bronze case adds an extra dimension to the Black Bay, and since the bronze case will take on a unique patina over time, the watch is only bound to become even cooler.

De Bethune DB25 World Traveller
De Bethune always had a nick for creating unique complications, and they went all out for their very first world-time watch. Most eye-catching detail is the all-blued titanium balance wheel bridge and shock-absorption system, which can absorb the shocks of even the roughest landings with ease. One of their signature miniature globes not only indicates the time in the selected city but also shows wether it is AM or PM. Unique about the DB25 World Traveller is that you can set the local and reference time zones independently, making it a truly worthy travel companion.

Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Répétition Minutes
Creating an Ultra-slim minute repeater is already quite a unique feat, but when wrapped in the highly seductive case of the Bvlgari Octo, you get a one of a kind watch. Its design is modest in appearance yet almost extravagant in terms of shape, a unique combination of qualities that Bvlgari skillfully accomplished by using a matte dial and case, both crafted from titanium to ensure the very best sound.

Hublot Big Bang Unico Sapphire
The ultimate Big Bang? Probably, because Hublot is not holding back and showing it all in this watch that features a case crafted completely from sapphire. This gives an unprecedented view of the Unico movement. That Hublot is building 500 of them shows that the brand has mastered the unique manufacturing process of the sapphire cases, which until recent could only be accomplished in very limited editions.

Will any of our favorites win? We will know November 10 and will reflect on the event shortly after that date as well.