The 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is at its starting block: 84 watches have been shortlisted across 14 categories, all vying for one of the year’s awards.

This year’s categories include the usual like Men’s Complication, Chronometry, Mechanical Exception, and Challenge (for adorable watches under 4,000 Swiss francs), but also grows to encompass two new categories, Divers and Iconic. But the top prize of the evening remains the Aiguille d’Or, or “golden hand”, which is the best of show.

Given the number of independent brands that found success at the 2018 contest – of the 16 prizes, nine were awarded to independents, with Bovet scooping the Aiguille d’Or – the watches in contention this year include a broad spectrum of independent watchmaking, from establishment names like MB&F to newcomers like Alchemists.

The 30-member jury, composed of the industry notables like auctioneer Aurel Bacs, watchmaker Philippe Dufour, Jack Forster of Hodinkee, and also our founder Jiaxian Su, will meet to evaluate the watches and cast their vote by secret ballot in the week before the prize ceremony in November.

At end September, the watches will soon go on a world tour, prior to the awards ceremony on November 7 at the Théâtre du Léman in Geneva. (The tour calendar is at the end of the article.)

Here’s the finalists, by category:

Ladies

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Pink Gold and Diamonds
2. Chanel J12 Calibre 12.1
3. Hermès Galop d’Hermès
4. Hublot Classic Fusion Orlinski Titanium Alternative Pavé
5. Moritz Grossmann Tefnut Arabian Nights Milanaise
6. Van Cleef Perlée watch

Ladies complications

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Bulgari Divas’ Dream The Roman Night
2. Chaumet Soleil de Minuit Flying Tourbillon
3. Jacob & Co. Fleurs de Jardin
4. Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Air Paved
5. MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT
6. Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Zodiac Lumineux Aries

Men’s

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Alchemists Mechanical Healing Cu29
2. De Bethune DB28 Yellow Tones
3. Grand Seiko Spring Drive Manual-winding Platinum
4. Gronefeld 1941 Principia Automatic
5. Laurent Ferrier Bridge One
6. Voutilainen 28TI

Men’s complication

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Minute Repeater Supersonnerie
2. Czapek Geneve Place Vendôme “Ombres”
3. Candaux DC6-Solstice
4. Ulysse Nardin Freak X
5. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon
6. Zenith Defy El Primero Double Tourbillon

Iconic

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-thin
2. Girard-Perregaux Quasar
3. Hamilton Intra-Matic Automatic Chronograph
4. IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition “150 Years”
5. TAG Heuer Monaco Eighties
6. Zenith El Primero A384 Revival

Chronometry

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Antoine Preziuso TTR3 Blue Equalizer Frequencies
2. Armin Strom Pure Resonance Rose Gold
3. Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre Carburised steel regulator
4. IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “Le Petit Prince”
5. TAG Heuer Autavia Isograph
6. Zenith Defy Inventor

Calendar and Astronomy

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Perpetual Calendar
2. Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre Far side of the moon
3. Girard-Perregaux Cosmos
4. Hermès Arceau L’heure de la lune
5. Sarpaneva Lunations
6. Ulysse Nardin Marine Mega Yacht

Mechanical Exception

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin
2. Bulgari Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar
3. Genus GNS1.2
4. Ulysse Nardin Freak NeXt
5. Urwerk AMC
6. Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat perpetual calendar

Chronograph

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic
2. Chopard L.U.C Chrono One Flyback
3. Hublot Classic Fusion Ferrari GT 3D Carbon
4. Louis Moinet Chronosphère
5. TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Nanograph
6. Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Carbon

Diver’s

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. De Bethune DB28GS Grand Bleu
2. Longines HydroConquest
3. Reservoir Hydrosphere Blackfin
4. Ressence Type 5
5. Seiko Prospex LX line diver’s
6. Ulysse Nardin Diver Great White

Jewellery

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Romani
2. Chopard Waterlily
3. Hermès Arceau H Déco
4. Hublot Big Bang One Click Rainbow
5. Jacob & Co. The Mystery Tourbillon
6. Van Cleef & Arpels Jardin de Glace Secret

Artistic Crafts

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Anderson Genève Vita Vinum
2. Bereve Timepieces Numbers – Enamel Grand Feu
3. Chopard L.U.C XP Esprit de Fleurier Peony
4. Hermès Arceau Baobab Cat
5. Jacob & Co. Astronomia Dragon
6. Voutilainen Starry Night Vine

Petite Aiguille

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. David Rutten Meteorite Watches Streamline
2. IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire
3. Kudoke 2
4. Maurice Lacroix Aikon Mercury
5. Trilobe Les Matinaux Sunray Grey
6. Zenith Pilot Type 20 Silver

Challenge

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Ciga Design Single-Hand Mechanical Wristwatch Series·Globe
2. Doxa SUB 200
3. Gorilla Watches Fastback GT Drift
4. Ming 17.06 Copper
5. Seiko Presage Arita Porcelain Dial
6. Tudor Black Bay P01

Exhibition tour calendar

September 28-29 – The Hour Glass, Sydney, Australia 

October 4-5 – PMT The Hour Glass, Bangkok, Thailand

October 16-17 – Salón Internacional Alta Rellojería México (SIAR), Mexico City, Mexico

October 19-20 – Museo Internacional del Barroco, Puebla, Mexico

November 2-14 – Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Geneva, Switzerland

November 20-24 – Dubai Watch Week, DIFC, Dubai, UAE

For more on the 2019 contest, visit GPHG.org.