The Foundation of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG 2023) : Best Mens Watch Nominations
5 min read
Announcing the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG 2023) nominations for the best mens watches of 2023. This category can include men’s watches with the following indications only – hours, minutes, seconds, simple date (day of the month), power reserve, classic moon phases – and potentially adorned with a maximum 9-carat gem setting.
GPHG 2023 nominations for best mens watch -
1. DE BETHUNE - DB28XS STARRY SEAS
The DB28 collection at De Bethune has grown to encompass a whole family of styles, sizes and complications. The collection now gets a timepiece distilled to the minimalist of proportions as the latest DB28xs Starry Seas is launched in the brand’s smallest case size till date – 39mm.
The timepiece represents the heart and soul of what De Bethune is all about: Innovation, Creativity and Aesthetics. This latest interpretation, undeniably Avant-Garde in its creation, extends the poetic vision of the watchmaking genius at De Bethune, Denis Flageollet. Read more here
2. PARMIGIANI FLEURIER - TONDA PF MICRO-ROTOR
After steel with a platinum bezel, and after 18ct rose gold, the iconic Tonda PF Micro-Rotor has evolved into an all-platinum case, bracelet and dial version. The watch is driven by its ultra-thin 3mm self-winding movement with platinum micro-rotor, Calibre PF703. This small oscillating weight is integrated into the thickness of the movement, unlike a classic half-moon-shaped rotor that would have covered it. This enables a significant reduction in thickness, meaning the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor measures only 7.8 mm on the wrist, synonymous with comfort, refinement and elegance. Most of the overall finishing is done by hand, both for the movement and for the case elements. While Parmigiani Fleurier watches are contemporary and modern, they all obey the intangible rules of top-flight watchmaking craftsmanship.
3. AUDEMARS PIGUET - CODE 11.59 BY AUDEMARS PIGUET STARWHEEL
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel, a timepiece that combines black ceramic with 18-carat white gold. Invented in the 17th century, wandering hours are a type of horological complication that displays the hours using a system of satellites that gravitate along a minute scale arranged in the form of an arc. Today, the Starwheel is making a comeback in the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection, whose ultra-contemporary design highlights this fascinating display while also paying tribute to a relatively unknown classic in Haute Horlogerie complications.
4. FERDINAND BERTHOUD - CHRONOMÈTRE FB 3SPC
Powered by a mechanical movement featuring a novel construction and a cylindrical balance spring, the Chronomètre FB 3SPC approaches the core theme of precision from a new angle. It took several years to perfect the adjustments of the regulating organ before obtaining official "chronometer" certification (ISO 3159 standard): a first for such a movement.
The only cylindrical balance-spring chronometer certified by the COSC. Appearing at 9 o'clock, the three main escapement organs – the balance wheel, pallet-lever, and escape wheel – are thus individualized, distinct, and prominent. This ample space dedicated to the regulating organ enables its operation to be admired in full, and the cylindrical balance spring to be seen beating throughout the three-day power reserve, including through a large water-resistant porthole created in the case middle at 9 o'clock.
The Chronomètre FB 3SPC.1 features an 18-carat white gold case, 2N pale yellow gold movement components and an eggshell-coloured dial in sandblasted silver-toned brass. Production of the Chronomètre FB 3SPC is naturally limited by the capacities of the Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud workshop in Fleurier to a maximum of 25 of these timepieces per year.
5. SIMON BRETTE - CHRONOMÈTRE ARTISANS
The Chronomètre Artisans stands out for its intense degree of finishing and exacting standards. It reveals a multitude of technical prowess, custom-made components and meticulous decorations, often applied by hand. Every detail is subtly drawn, contrasted and orchestrated to accentuate the sense of visual depth, like the finely bevelled, hand-polished edges of the three-quarter bridge, or the mirror-polished concave screws set in solid gold chatons.
6. XHEVDET REXHEPI - MINUTE INERTE
A first of its kind - Minute Inerte . A classic, innovative and timeless with a complication that allows you to read the time precisely to the minute. The second hand turns in 58 seconds before pausing at 60 for 2 seconds at each lap, while keeping the chronometry of the movement. The minute hand is inert and jumps instantly by one minute when the second hand starts. The opening of the dial at 6 o'clock allows one to see the mechanism of the complication. The case is in platinum with a diameter of 38 mm and a thickness of 8.5 mm. The finishing are made in the respect of the codes of artisanal decorations.
Read more here.
