On 13 November 2025, Haute Horlogerie gathered for the 25th edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Gen\u00e8ve. In the ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.timetotems.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GPHG2025_L1330224_-G-Maillot_point-of-views-ch_-1920x12781-1.jpg?resize=840%2C559&ssl=1\")
B\u00e2timent des Forces Motrices, this emblematic power station on the banks of the Rhone, the anniversary edition of the world’s most important watch award ceremony took place. Raymond Loretan, President of the GPHG, opened the evening with a reference to the location itself: “This emblematic site perfectly reflects the spirit of watchmaking art \u2013 the connection between art and industry, mechanics and poetry, mystery and mastery of the microscopic, the pursuit of the infinite.”<\/p>\n
The GPHG has developed over a quarter of a century into the leading institution that honours and promotes watchmaking art. Five years ago, the Academy was founded, which today counts over 1,000 members worldwide. It is they, together with the jury, who determine the winners. Watchmaking art itself has been recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity \u2013 a status that underlines the importance of this craft.<\/p>\n
On this evening, 20 prizes were awarded in various categories. From entry-level watches under 3,000 Swiss francs to the highest award, the Aiguille d’Or, the spectrum covered the entire range of contemporary watchmaking art.<\/p>\n
The Prix Challenge, which honours watches under 3,000 Swiss francs, went to Dennison for the model “Natural Stone Tiger Eye in Gold”. St\u00e9phane Tsch\u00f6k and Toby Sitton accepted the prize. The brand was revived exactly one year ago, on 22 October 2024 \u2013 an old English watch brand brought back to life. “A lot of work, but what a pleasure,” Tsch\u00f6k summarised. The design is by Emmanuel Gate. The team is small \u2013 only five people \u2013 but the passion is great. Sitton had secured the brand at the age of 21, with the vision of reviving it one day. After almost 20 years, this moment had arrived.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Petite Aiguille category \u2013 named after the small hand indicating the hours \u2013 went to MB&F for the MAD 2 Green. Maximilien B\u00fcsser, founder and Creative Director of MB&F, accepted the prize. “This brand should never have existed,” explained B\u00fcsser. Five years ago, the idea arose because all the people important to him \u2013 childhood friends, family \u2013 could not afford an MB&F. So The design of the MAD 2 Green is a tribute to the legendary MAD Nightclub in Lausanne, with mixing disc and strobe lights as design elements. B\u00fcsser especially thanked Eric Giroux, his companion for over 25 years. “Eric, if you hear us, if you see us \u2013 this prize belongs to you.”<\/p>\n The prize for the sports watch went to Chopard for the Alpine Eagle. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele described it as “a very family project”, on which father, son and he himself worked. Three generations of Scheufele united in one watch \u2013 a fitting winner for the sports category, which combines robustness with elegance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The “Iconique” category honours watches that have shaped watch history for at least 20 years. 2025 The complication is poetic: a hand-carved dial shows the four seasons, which are passed through over the course of a year. A disc, crafted by M\u00e9tiers d’Art artisans, rotates once per year and reveals three colours \u2013 one for each season. The watch transforms over the year. Diamonds and jewellery work, Caroline’s specialty, are added. A technical and artistic masterpiece in one.<\/p>\n The prize for Artistic Crafts was won by Kari Voutilainen. Jack Carlson, American jury member and CEO of his eponymous Voutilainen thanked for the choice of this “very special watch”. The centerpiece is a GMT complication with unusual operation: by pressing the crown, the central disc moves \u2013 technically a small challenge. But the true art lies in the dial. Voutilainen worked with M. Kitamura from Japan, “who is regarded as the best in his field worldwide”. The connection came about through Masato Hayashi, a long-time friend and former student of Voutilainen. The dial unites Japanese lacquer technique, gold powder and leaves, as well as other materials, into a work of art that adorns an exquisitely decorated movement.<\/p>\n The men’s watch category was won by Urban J\u00fcrgensen with the UJ-2: Double Wheel Natural Escapement. The brand celebrates its 250- The watch combines inspiration from the past with modern execution. “It was a challenge for me and the team to create something timeless and yet always modern \u2013 and not a copy of something already existing.” The design codes of the J\u00fcrgensen family are visible in the movement, but the creativity of the movement is completely contemporary. Urban J\u00fcrgensen is over 250 years old, but “we are just beginning this next chapter”.<\/p>\n The Time Only category, which honours watches that focus solely on time display, was won by Daniel Roth with the Extra Plat Souscription Rose Gold. A watch that convinces through reduction and elegance.<\/p>\n The prize for the women’s watch went to G\u00e9rald Genta for the Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal. The organic shape of a sea urchin (Oursin) was set with fire opals \u2013 an elaborate process of faceting, polishing and individually setting each stone. The Fabrique du Temps and its craftsmen created an exceptional piece of jewellery.<\/p>\n The prize for the men’s complication went to Bovet for the R\u00e9cital 30. Pascal Raffy, President of Bovet, accepted the award After six years of development, the result is astonishing: 25 rollers rotate by 90 degrees and show the correct city in the correct time zone for each phase of the year. “That is really a very beautiful achievement,” said Raffy. Moreover, the R\u00e9cital 30 is the first case entirely manufactured in the Bovet manufactory. Raffy had just returned from a world trip \u2013 from Zurich via Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo to Mexico, Las Vegas, Palo Alto, Oklahoma City, New York and back to Switzerland. “The R\u00e9cital 30 is a daily companion. It is useful, it is versatile.”<\/p>\n For the 203-year-old Bovet manufactory, this watch marks a turning point towards a more modern identity. Raffy thanked his three children Audrey, Alexandra and Amadeo for the “freshness” of the design: blue for the sky, yellow for the sun, and a vintage touch that he “deeply loves”.<\/p>\n The prize for mechanical exception went to Greubel Forsey. CEO Michel Niedegger took the microphone with humorous self-irony: Bulgari won the Tourbillon category with the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon \u2013 the tenth finesse record for the brand. Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari and the LVMH Watch Division, accepted the prize. The Flying Tourbillon presents engineers with the challenge of “testing the physical limits without compromising reliability.” Babin reflected on 25 years in the watch industry: “There probably won’t be another 25 years, because I’m getting old.” He thanked not only his colleagues at Bulgari, but also at Tag Heuer, his former brand, which he now leads again. Over 20 GPHG prizes have been won by these two brands together, including two Aiguilles d’Or. “In the year 2000, these brands were not really seen as legitimate,” he recalled. Thanks go to the jury and the academy for the trust that made this transformation possible.<\/p>\n The mechanical clock \u2013 meaning the category for table and standing clocks \u2013 was won by L’\u00c9p\u00e9e 1839 Albatross in collaboration with MB&F. The clock unites over 1,520 components, 16 pairs of propellers and an eight-day power reserve. “A masterful blend of mechanics and poetry,” as the laudation described it. The prize for the best student of the first year at the \u00c9cole d’Horlogerie de Gen\u00e8ve went to \u00c9douard Lay. “It is an honour for The award for horological revelation \u2013 brands under ten years \u2013 went to Anton Suhanov. The prize is awarded to brands that have already developed a distinctive and unique voice. Previous winners were R\u00e9my Cools, Sylvain Pinaud and Simon Brette. Suhanov, visibly surprised, explained: “This prize is not the last step, but the beginning of even harder work and greater challenges.” He thanked his wife for belief and support, his family, his colleagues and friends.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The prize for horological boldness went to the Chinese brand Fam Al Hut for the M\u00f6bius. Quentin Epinet, founder and ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.timetotems.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Gross-gphg2025_Dennison_Natural_Stone_Tiger_Eyesin_Gold_v2_002_e49a196708.jpeg?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPetite Aiguille \u2013 MB&F MAD 2 Green<\/h4>\n
<\/a>500 pieces were made for “Friends & Family”. Then social media picked up on the topic. Today, MAD Edition has become an independent brand that B\u00fcsser had not originally planned.<\/p>\nMontre de Sport \u2013 Chopard Alpine Eagle<\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n## Montre Chronographe \u2013 Angelus<\/h4>\n
<\/a>Angelus won with the Chronographe T\u00e9l\u00e9m\u00e8tre. The telemeter function, once used for distance measurement during thunderstorms or in military applications, finds here a modern interpretation in a classic chronograph case.<\/p>\nMontre Iconique \u2013 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar<\/h4>\n
<\/a> <\/a>went to Audemars Piguet for the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar 26674 \u2013 the Royal Oak was designed by G\u00e9rald Genta in 1972. The prize came in the year of Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary. CEO Ilaria Resta accepted the award. Brice Lechevalier, publisher of GMT Magazine, presented the prize and pointed out that both the GPHG and GMT Magazine celebrate their 25th anniversary this year. The Royal Oak remains “a cornerstone in the art of dial design” and inspires the entire industry to this day.<\/p>\nComplications pour Femmes \u2013 Chopard Imperial<\/h4>\n
<\/a>In the women’s complications category, Chopard won with a watch from the Imperial Collection. Caroline Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard, called her brother Karl-Friedrich to the stage, as the watch unites both their competences: Karl-Friedrich’s L.U.C. manufacture movement and Caroline’s jewellery expertise. “It is the first time that a women’s complication from Chopard has won such a prize,” Karl-Friedrich proudly explained.<\/p>\nM\u00e9tiers d’Art \u2013 Kari Voutilainen<\/h4>\n
<\/a> <\/a>brand, presented the award with humorous reference to his role as “token American on the jury”. He praised the finalists as “a celebration of colour and texture”, showing that craftsmanship and fun can indeed be combined.<\/p>\nMontre pour Homme \u2013 Urban J\u00fcrgensen UJ-2<\/h4>\n
<\/a>th anniversary. But the real highlight is hidden inside: the movement was created by Kari Voutilainen and his team in Biel. “We actually honour the work that Kari and his incredible team have done,” explained the Urban J\u00fcrgensen spokesperson at the award ceremony.<\/p>\nJoaillerie \u2013 Dior La D de Dior Buisson Couture<\/h4>\n
<\/a> The jewellery watch prize was won by Dior with the La D de Dior Buisson Couture. The watch combines Haute Joaillerie with watchmaking art at the highest level.<\/p>\n<\/h4>\n
<\/h4>\n
Time Only \u2013 Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription
<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n
Montre pour Femme \u2013 G\u00e9rald Genta Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal<\/h4>\n
<\/a>Montre pour Femme \u2013 G\u00e9rald Genta Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal<\/p>\n<\/h4>\n
Complication pour Homme \u2013 Bovet R\u00e9cital 30<\/h4>\n
<\/a>visibly moved. “The R\u00e9cital 30 was born in the middle of the pandemic,” he explained. As video conferences across continents became the norm, the problem of wrong time zones and times arose regularly. From this everyday experience, the idea emerged: a universal time display that absolutely precisely depicts the “Daylight Saving Time Issue” \u2013 the four phases of the year with their time changes.<\/p>\n## Exception M\u00e9canique \u2013 Greubel Forsey<\/h4>\n
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\n“I am here to take most of the credit for the work of others \u2013 work to which I have contributed nothing, which I only partially understand, but which I deeply respect and admire.” The award, he emphasized, belongs to the 130 watchmakers, finisseurs and engineers of Greubel Forsey, “who always dream big and will continue to do so.” The award-winning watch features a Foudroyante complication \u2013 an extremely rare function that divides each second into six segments, while simultaneously consuming incredibly little energy. “A revolution, a true mechanical exception,” as the laudation stated. Niedegger thanked Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey for their vision and their never-ending demand for expertise and excellence. With a wink, he concluded by thanking Mark Zuckerberg: In an era of automation, bits and bytes, the Foudroyante proves that “real mechanics and poetry will always have a place.”<\/p>\nTourbillon \u2013 Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra<\/h4>\n
\nFor Babin, this prize was particularly emotional: “Not only because Bulgari wins, but because Mr. Sabu is a very good friend of mine.” Yasho Sabu, jury member and founder of Ethos & Taratec from India, presented the prize \u2013 with a remarkable speech about India’s growing importance for the watch industry.<\/a><\/p>\nHorloge M\u00e9canique \u2013 L’\u00c9p\u00e9e 1839 Albatross X MB&F<\/h4>\n
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\nThe Chinese presenters Shining Zhu (journalist) and Xu Zheng Cheng (collector and president of the Macao Watch Association) awarded the prize with a charming remark: “In China, you must never give someone a clock. But I don’t care, because… parce que je les aime tous!” (because I love them all!).
\nL’\u00c9p\u00e9e thanked for 15 years of trust in the manufactory’s clocks, “when clocks were not yet quite in fashion.” Co-branding has a long tradition at L’\u00c9p\u00e9e \u2013 the first collaboration was in the 1970s with Herm\u00e8s. Maximilien B\u00fcsser of MB&F, who had already won the prize for the Petite Aiguille, thus won twice this evening.<\/p>\n## Prix de l’\u00c9cole \u2013 \u00c9douard Lay<\/h4>\n
<\/a>me to stand here on the stage of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Gen\u00e8ve,” said the young watchmaker. He thanked his close ones, his family, his friends and fellow students, as well as all professors. A youth prize that underlines the importance of training for the future of the industry.<\/p>\n## R\u00e9v\u00e9lation Horlog\u00e8re \u2013 Anton Suhanov<\/h4>\n
## Audace Horlog\u00e8re \u2013 Fam Al Hut<\/h4>\n
<\/a> <\/a>CEO of Forbes Global Properties Swiss & Alps \u2013 the main sponsor of the GPHG \u2013 presented the prize. The jury praised “a rich mixture of styles and cultural references” as well as the integration of a double-axis and double-retrograde complication into a small volume at a moderate price.
\nFounder Daishin Yen (Chinese Dai Xingyan) introduced himself in Chinese and English: “I did not expect to win this prize. It is the first time our brand participates in the Grand Prix.” His message was clear: “We want to present the world with a different vision of ‘Made in China’.” The future? “We will continue to admire the pioneers of Swiss Haute Horlogerie and bring further remarkable creations.”<\/p>\n## Chronom\u00e9trie \u2013 Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135<\/h4>\n