Some appointments are predictable. Others reorder the field entirely. The selection of Wei Koh as President of the GPHG Jury 2026 belongs to the second category. The founder of Revolution and The Rake — publisher, filmmaker, and one of the most influential voices in global watch culture — takes over from Nick Foulkes, who led the jury since 2021 with characteristic British elegance. A handover that is more than a personnel change.
Who Is Wei Koh?
Wei Koh is Singaporean, worked in Hollywood, completed military service, and eventually arrived in the world of watches and style — where he built Revolution and The Rake into two of the most influential publications in their fields. He is also the creator, host and executive producer of Man of the Hour, the first episodic television series dedicated exclusively to the watch industry. He brings a global perspective that has been underrepresented at the GPHG — beyond the Genevan salons, beyond the European viewpoint. Wei Koh knows the markets in Asia, the United States and the Middle East like few others. The fact that he was already part of the GPHG 2025 Jury makes this appointment all the more logical.
What Does This Mean for the GPHG?
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is watchmaking’s most prestigious award — the Oscars of the industry, as many call it. At Timetotems, we have followed the GPHG closely: from the memorable moments of GPHG 2024 and IWC’s Aiguille d’Or to the 2025 finalists and the 25th anniversary edition. With this appointment, Wei Koh signals that the GPHG wants to become more international — both in jury composition and global visibility. He himself described the appointment as “one of the greatest honours of my life.”
An Open Question
One question naturally lingers: Wei Koh publishes Revolution, a magazine that carries advertising from watch brands — the same brands that submit entries to the GPHG, whose jury he now presides over. The potential conflict of interest is not new in the industry, but it is discussed more loudly when the appointment is this prominent. How Wei Koh navigates this will be part of his tenure. The full 2026 Jury composition will be announced by the GPHG in mid-September.
A New Chapter
For the watch community, this appointment is a signal. The centre of gravity of fine watchmaking is shifting — away from a purely European perspective, towards a more global understanding of quality, craft and relevance. Wei Koh embodies exactly this shift. Whether he can and will lead the GPHG in that direction, we will see in 2026.
GPHG / grand prix de l’horlogerie de Genève / 13 novembre 2025 / BFM / Genève
/photo: nicolas.lieber@nicolaslieber.ch
Above: On the red carpet at the GPHG 2025: Nick Foulkes has been President of the GPHG jury for five years. And this year is his last. “I insisted that he become president for life. Like Xi Jinping,” jokes Wei Koh. “But they wouldn’t have any of it,” Foulkes retorts dryly. His fondest memory? Wei Koh himself. “Someone once said: Was it lively, or was Wei there? And I replied: If a room were full of corpses and Wei were there, we’d have a lively time.”
For the watchmaking community, this appointment sends a signal. The world of fine watchmaking is shifting its centre of gravity – away from a purely European perspective, towards a more global understanding of quality, craftsmanship and relevance. Wei Koh embodies precisely this transformation. Whether he can and will lead the GPHG in this direction, we shall see in 2026. I think so!
