Breguet Claims Prestigious Aiguille d'Or at Geneva Watch Grand Prix 2025
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) has marked its 25th anniversary with a dazzling celebration of the finest in luxury watchmaking. The event, held on 13 November, brought together industry leaders, collectors, and enthusiasts to honor exceptional craftsmanship and innovation.
In the early years of this century, the creative industries have faced numerous challenges, including reduced funding, skill shortages, and concerns about artificial intelligence's impact. Despite these obstacles, the GPHG, often referred to as the "Oscars of Watchmaking," continues to showcase the resilience and vitality of traditional watchmaking. Raymond Loretan, president of GPHG, emphasized that watchmaking is an art form that blends creativity, mechanics, and precision. He described it as a living art that remains relevant despite current difficulties.
This year’s ceremony highlighted the rarefied world of horology, with 90 timepieces competing across 15 categories, including ladies’, men’s, calendar, astronomy, jewellery, and mechanical. The top prize, the Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix, was awarded to Breguet's Classique Souscription 2025, a watch featuring a single hand that embodies the challenge of simplicity in watchmaking. The design draws inspiration from a 1796 pocket watch, reimagined with a white enamel dial and a minimalist aesthetic.
Winners of the GPHG Watchmaking Awards
Here are the winners of the night’s prestigious awards:
Ladies’ - Winner 2025: Gérald Genta’s Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal - This timepiece features a flame-hued dial surrounded by 137 fire opals, showcasing audacious elegance.
Ladies’ Complication - Winner 2025: Chopard's Imperiale Four Seasons - A rotating disc represents the cycle of seasons, crafted with painted mother-of-pearl marquetry and adorned with a lotus motif.
Time Only - Winner 2025: Daniel Roth's Extra Plat Rose Gold - Celebrated for its purity and craftsmanship, balancing modern elegance with traditional techniques.
Men’s - Winner 2025: Urban Jürgensen's UJ-2: Double wheel natural escapement - A complex mechanism that highlights the beauty of hand-finished components.
Men’s Complication - Winner 2025: Bovet 1822's Récital 30 - A breakthrough in world timers, using rollers for accurate time display during daylight saving periods.
Iconic - Winner 2025: Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar - A new generation perpetual calendar movement offering enhanced user comfort.
Tourbillon - Winner 2025: Bvlgari's Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon - Demonstrates horological expertise with a skeleton tourbillon in a remarkably thin case.
Mechanical Exception - Winner 2025: Greubel Forsey's Nano Foudroyante - Utilizes nanomechanics to reduce energy consumption significantly.
Chronograph - Winner 2025: Angelus' Chronographe Télémètre Yellow Gold - Measures distances based on the speed of light and sound, rivaling advanced technology.
Sports - Winner 2025: Chopard's Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF - Combines cutting-edge technology with a sleek, sporty design.
Jewellery - Winner 2025: Dior Montres's La D de Dior Buisson Couture - Features intricate floral designs with carefully selected stones.
Artistic Crafts - Winner 2025: Voutilainen's 28GML SOUYOU - Showcases Japanese lacquer art with meticulous craftsmanship.
"Petite Aiguille" - Winner 2025: M.A.D. Editions' M.A.D.2 Green - An accessible alternative to high-end watches, inspired by 1990s club culture.
Challenge - Winner 2025: Dennison's Natural Stone Tiger Eye In Gold - A classic design with a unique natural stone dial, praised for its affordability.
Mechanical Clock - Winner 2025: L'Epée 1839's Albatross L'Epée 1839 X MB&F - Features a striking hour function and an automaton with propellers.
Audacity Prize - Winner 2025: Fam Al Hut's Möbius - A bold debut with a bi-axis tourbillon in a compact format.
Horological Revelation Prize - Winner 2025: Anton Suhanov's St. Petersburg Easter Egg Tourbillon Clock - A minimalist take on the traditional Easter egg clock.
Chronometry Prize - Winner 2025: Zenith's G.F.J. Calibre 135 - A modern re-engineering of a historic movement with improved technical solutions.
Special Jury Prize - Winner 2025: Alain Dominique Perrin, founder of the Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain - Recognized for his contributions to promoting high-quality watchmaking.
