Luxury Watchmakers Honored at GPHG’s 25th Anniversary Gala

Luxury watchmakers are set to shine at the upcoming Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), which will celebrate its 25th anniversary on November 13, 2025. The prestigious ceremony, held at the historic Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva, will showcase the finest timepieces as they compete for top honors in 15 categories. A total of 90 watches and clocks will vie for coveted awards, including the highly esteemed ‘Aiguille d’Or’ Grand Prix, which is open to any watch across all categories.

This year, the event arrives at a time when the creative industries face various challenges, including funding cuts and the potential impact of artificial intelligence. Despite these pressures, the luxury watch sector has remained resilient. The GPHG serves as a platform to highlight the astonishing mastery and exquisite craftsmanship that define this niche market.

Global Exposure for Nominated Timepieces

The nominated watches, selected from 302 models submitted by 184 brands, have been on a world tour leading up to the ceremony, often dubbed the “Oscars” of watchmaking. Recently, an exhibition was held in Shanghai during Golden Week, aimed at promoting cultural exchanges between East and West. Following this, the timepieces were displayed in Istanbul from October 15 to 20, organized with the Turkish fashion group Vakko.

Geneva’s Musée d’Art et d’Histoire will host the nominated timepieces from October 29 to November 16, 2025, offering a cultural outreach program for the public and schools. The final stop for this global tour will be Dubai Watch Week, where the winners will be honored from November 19 to 23, 2025.

Notable Nominations and Categories

Each category features six nominated timepieces, some of which have already garnered significant attention from industry experts. In the Ladies’ category, the Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal by Gérald Genta stands out with its striking flame-hued dial adorned with 137 individually set fire opals. The design emphasizes audacious elegance, a deviation from overly ornamented styles.

In the Men’s category, the Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A has emerged as a focal point due to its status as the most accurate mainspring-powered watch globally. GPHG Academy member Mark Kauzlarich noted that while its design may not be the most eye-catching, its precision is unmatched.

Among the contenders in the Mechanical Exception category is Louis Vuitton’s Escale au Pont-Neuf pocket watch, priced at an astonishing CHF 3.15 million (approximately €3.4 million). This piece is celebrated not just as a timekeeper but as a work of art, showcasing intricate bas-relief engravings and 13 moving elements, including a barge with Louis Vuitton trunks that reveal golden monogrammed flowers.

Last year’s Aiguille d’Or winner, the Portugieser Eternal Calendar by IWC Schaffhausen, set a Guinness World Record as the “most precise lunar phase wristwatch.” It boasts a theoretical deviation of just one day in over 45 million years, surpassing previous records by more than 43 million years.

As the luxury watch community prepares for this milestone event, the GPHG continues to play a crucial role in celebrating and advancing the art of watchmaking on a global stage. The ceremony promises to be a captivating showcase of craftsmanship, innovation, and the enduring allure of fine timepieces.