As the quarter-century mark of this century draws to a close, the creative industry is grappling with a myriad of threats, crises, and disruptions. The arts and crafts world is reeling from funding cuts, skills shortages and the looming fear of an AI takeover.
However, the world of rare luxury watchmaking has quietly weathered the storm. Every year, the finest watches are celebrated. Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix The (GPHG) awards ceremony will be held in November to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Here, the incredible mastery and exquisite skill that defines this industry will once again be in the spotlight as 90 watches compete for coveted prizes across 15 categories including Women’s, Men’s, Calendar & Astronomy, Jewelry & Mechanical.
the highest honor known asgolden needleThe Grand Prix is open to all watches in all categories. Last year, the IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Eternal Calendar won.
The winners, determined by a jury of experts including watch collectors, watchmakers, journalists and auctioneers, will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday, November 13th at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva.
This year also marks the fifth anniversary of the GPHG Academy, which now consists of over 1,000 members, all of whom are passionate about contributing to the global impact of watchmaking. It plays a central role in the selection process for watches in competitions.
Each spring, members begin pitching eligible watches, subject to brand approval. In the summer, scholars will nominate six finalists in each category before participating in the fall selection process. award winneralong with the judges, the judges themselves are also made up of Academy members.
Nominated watch goes on world tour
This year, 84 and 6 watches out of 302 models from 184 brands are traveling around the world for the awards ceremony, known as the “Oscars” of watchmaking.
The watch was exhibited in Shanghai in early October as part of an effort to promote cultural exchange between East and West.
The tour continued in Istanbul from October 15th to 20th, where they attended an exhibition organized with Turkish fashion group Vako at a private hotel on the banks of the Bosphorus.
The Museum of Art and History in Geneva will display the nominated watches in its historic grounds from October 29 to November 16, 2025. As part of this event, a wide range of cultural outreach programs will be offered to the public and schools.
As the final stop on the 2025 Tour, Dubai Watch Week will honor the 2025 winners from November 19th to 23rd.
Watches to watch at the 2025 awards ceremony
6 watches are nominated for each categorysome have already attracted the attention of industry experts.
Gerald Genta’s Gentissima Ursine Fire Opal is a standout in the women’s category. Over-decoration is prohibited for watches competing for this award, so Genta’s watch instead makes a statement with a flame-colored dial surrounded by 137 individually set fire opals. GPHG’s description aptly calls it “bold elegance.”
Last year, Van Cleef & Arpels Ladies and Ladies Complications Awardbut this year there are no entries in either category.
In the men’s category, the Grand Seiko Spring Drive UFA attracts a lot of attention as it is the most accurate wind-up watch in the world. “While the size and design may not be the most eye-catching on the list, it’s hard to argue with the accomplishment,” writes GPHG Academy member Mark Kauzlarich.
Last year, IWC Schaffhausen won the Aiguille d’Or because of the precision of its entries. The Portugieser Eternal Calendar is officially certified by Guinness World Records as the “Most Accurate Moon Phase Watch”.
With a theoretical error of just one day in 45,361,055 years, the Portuguese Eternal Calendar’s double moon display beats the previous world record by more than 43 million years.
The mechanical exception category is defined by the GPHG as watches with special mechanisms such as innovative or sophisticated displays, automatons, percussion functions or other acoustic functions, special escapements, belt-driven movements, or with another original and/or exceptional watch concept.
Considering this requirement, you can’t go wrong with Louis Vuitton’s Escale Haut Pont Neuf pocket watch. More a work of art than a timekeeper, this work uses a bas-relief technique to depict the French capital’s oldest bridge in exquisite and whimsical detail. There are 13 moving elements, including a barge loaded with Louis Vuitton trunks that slowly opens to reveal a golden monogrammed flower. The price is an astonishing 3.15 million Swiss francs (3.4 million euros).