The Foundation of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG 2023) : Nominations For The Iconic Watch Of The Year
6 min read
Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Mahatma Gandhi amongst others are names that would truly give you a sense of the word iconic. When it comes to watches however it would refer to something widely recognised and well respected. This year the academy of Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG 2023) has nominated six such icons to compete in the category of the Iconic watch of the year..
These watches should stem from an emblematic collection or a model that has been exercising a lasting influence on watchmaking history and the watch market for more than 20 years.
The nominations are:
1. AUDEMARS PIGUET - ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE SELFWINDING CHRONOGRAPH
The first Royal Oak Offshore with a case and bracelet made entirely of ceramic. This material is also used for the push-pieces at 2 and 4 o’clock that operate the chronograph, as well as for the screw-locked crown at 3 o’clock. Only the eight white gold screws attaching the bezel to the case stand out, along with the eight luminescent applied hour-markers that punctuate the hours and the titanium caseback. This reference is powered by Calibre 4404, Audemars Piguet’s integrated chronograph movement with a flyback function.
2. TAG HEUER - CARRERA CHRONOGRAPH
Since it was introduced in 1963, the Carrera has become a symbol of aspiration, achievement and good taste. Across six decades, it has appeared on the wrists of icons of cool, from Mick Jagger to James Hunt to Ryan Gosling.
To commemorate the Carrera’s 60th anniversary, TAG Heuer has reworked and improved this Carrera’s form. Measuring 39mm in diameter, the stainless-steel case has a universal quality, while the overall ergonomics have been honed and refined so the watch is as comfortable to wear as possible, even across a range of wrist sizes.
This is topped with a sapphire crystal shaped like the domed hesalite crystals found on Carrera models from the 1970s. Only now, the crystal has been redeveloped to have a curve that flows seamlessly over the tachymeter scale that runs around the dial edge and into the case. In the same way, the flange and indexes have been curved, too, further contributing to the watch’s seamless aesthetic, coherence and legibility. In keeping with Jack Heuer’s original purpose for the watch, this development is more than aesthetic – it also means the tachymeter can be read from a wider range of angles.
The black and silver ‘reverse panda’ dial, the nickname given to black watch dials with high-contrast silver subdials, is a greatest hits compilation of some of the most coveted Carreras of the 1960s, such as the reference 3147 “Dato 12” , the first Carrera with chronograph and calendar functions, and the reference 2447 NS, perhaps the rarest Carrera of them all, with an extremely limited production run of just a few years.
3. CHOPARD - L.U.C 1860
In a creative gesture imbued with the innate elegance of the L.U.C collection, Chopard Manufacture draws inspiration from the first timepiece in the collection, presented in 1997, by combining the sophistication of a guilloché dial in salmon-coloured solid gold, a 36.5 mm case made of Chopard’s exclusive Lucent Steel™ alloy, as well as a finely crafted chronometer-certified movement. L.U.C Calibre 96.40-L is wound by a gold micro-rotor and equipped with the two barrels based on Chopard Twin technology. Eagerly awaited by Haute Horlogerie collectors, this model is as colourful as it is elegant, while celebrating the Manufacture’s skills expressed through meticulous finishing duly recognised by the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark.
4. ULYSSE NARDIN - FREAK ONE
The Freak ONE is a new timepiece that takes design cues from the original Freak by omitting the dial, hands, and crown. The bezel controls the Freak’s unique time-setting mechanism. When the 6 o’clock locker is called out, the system is unlocked. When you turn the bezel, the hands of the watch automatically follow the rotation of the watch’s internal mechanism. By returning the locker to its original position, the bezel will no longer interfere with the time-setting mechanism.
The complete gear system, a gigantic silicon oscillator, and its orbiting 60-minute flying carousel tourbillon are all supported by the Freak’s signature minute bridge, which floats just below the sapphire crystal. Ulysse Nardin uses their unique DIAMonSIL coating on the escapement. Read more here
5. IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN - INGENIEUR AUTOMATIC 40
Inspired by the 1970s Gérald Genta Ingenieur SL, Reference 1832, this freshly developed automatic model satisfies the most stringent requirements in terms of ergonomics, finishes, and technology while maintaining the bold visual codes of its forebear. With a power reserve of 120 hours, the IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 is driven by the 32111 calibers. The new versions are water-resistant to 10 bars and have soft-iron inner casings to shield the movements from magnetic fields, making them fully functional, multipurpose sports watches for the twenty-first century. Read more here
6. BREITLING - NAVITIMER B01 CHRONOGRAPH 41
There have been many iterations of Breitling’s icon since its debut over 70 years ago, but this new Navitimer captures its most classic features while enhancing them with modern refinements. A flattened slide rule and a domed crystal create the illusion of a sleeker profile. Alternating polished and brushed metal elements give a lustrous yet understated finish. If there is one update sure to spark nostalgia in the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 41, it’s the return of the AOPA wings to their original position at 12 o’clock. The see-through sapphire crystal caseback showcases the intricate and sublime Breitling Manufacture 01—a self-winding mechanical caliber crafted in-house.
The iconic pilot’s watch features luminescent hands—promising legibility even in the dark—and has a power reserve of approximately 70 hours. The ice-blue dial color against stainless steel tastefully rounds off its legendary yet modernized finishings.
Read more here.
