SpotlightOn The GPHG 2022 Nominees: Icons And Innovation

GPHG category: Mechanical Exception

Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance First Edition

Perhaps Armin Strom’s biggest achievement, the Mirrored Force Resonance uses literal physical resonance for chronometric stability like nothing else can provide. By means of a patented ‘resonance clutch spring’, the two hairsprings of the movement are connected, which results in the fastest and most consistent state of resonance you can find in a wristwatch. First introduced in 2016, this one is a reimagining of that mechanical achievement, completely redesigned, with a sleeker profile, featuring a sapphire crystal box for the glass enhancing the visual of the open-worked display—a brand standard. The 48-hour manual winding movement offers a display of synchronisation seconds, in addition to the main timekeeping.

GPHG category: Mechanical Exception

Bovet Dimier Récital 20 Astérium

A piece that is unique in more ways than one, this 46mm watch, in white and red gold, is a mechanical-watchmaking triumph for Bovet. With a sky chart showing the stars as they’d be visible from Earth, the watch displays the astrological zodiac, as one of its several advanced functions. There are also indications of the solstices and equinoxes, and the equation of time—which is the difference between clocked time and solar time. And then there are some regular features: a day/night display, a tourbillon, the day, date, month and year, and of course, plain-old time indications, except that the minute display is of the retrograde variety—because why not! Of course, every element has refined detailing and looks exquisite in the open-worked display. The manual-winding calibre extraordinaire offers a staggering 10-day power reserve, to top all of that!

With a sky chart showing the stars as they’d be visible from Earth, the watch displays the astrological zodiac, the solstices, equinoxes and the equation of time

And then there are some regular features: a day/night display, a tourbillon, the day, date, month and year, and of course, regular timekeeping indications

GPHG category: Mechanical Exception

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra 10th Anniversary

At the time of its launch, the Octo Finissimo Ultra, at just 1.8mm thick, was the thinnest mechanical watch ever produced, breaking all previous records in slimness, including Bulgari’s own—and became their eighth world record. Sure, Richard Mille broke this record later in the year, but with what was basically a concept piece. This Octo is one that can be used and worn and so on, like a regular watch, and isn’t simply to make a statement. It follows design codes of the titanium Octos that came before it. Sized at 40mm, it shows the hours, minutes and seconds at two, five and six o’clock, respectively, with a time-setting wheel at three, and a winding wheel at eight o’clock. It runs on a 50-hour manual-winding movement developed entirely from scratch. Each watch in this 10-piece limited edition comes with a QR code on the ratchet wheel, seen on the façade, which serves as a link to an NFT artwork, exclusively for the watch’s owner, and is also meant to connect them to an exclusive space in the Metaverse.

At the time of its launch, the Octo Finissimo Ultra, at just 1.8mm thick, was the thinnest mechanical watch ever produced, breaking all previous records in slimness, including Bulgari’s own

This Octo is one that can be used and worn and so on, like a regular watch, and isn’t simply to make a statement

It follows design codes of the titanium Octos that came before it. Sized at 40mm, it shows the hours, minutes and seconds at two, five and six o’clock, respectively

Instead of a crown, it comes with a time-setting wheel at three, and a winding wheel at eight o’clock. It runs on a 50-hour manual-winding movement developed entirely from scratch

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Other nominees for the GPHG Mechanical Exception prize

• Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon
• Ferdinand Berthoud FB 2RSM.2-1
• Ulysse Nardin Freak S

GPHG category: Iconic

Breiting Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43     

In a short span of a few years, the branding on Breitling’s most recognisable watch has changed significantly. From the ‘winged B’ emblem that linked the brand to its primary pillar of aviation timekeepers, to a wider-appealing and modern ‘B’ logo, the latest Navitimers now have a logo of wings alright, but not the Breitling wings. In this 70th-anniversary edition especially, one sees the winged emblem of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association—the world’s largest aviators’ club, who adopted the Navitimer as their official timepiece back in the 50s. The rest of it is as iconic and identifiable as ever, even with modern touches of refinement. The 43mm steel watch runs on Breitling’s famous B01 in-house chronograph, 70-hour automatic movement—COSC-certified. The nominated piece is the ice blue edition, but it comes in other hues as well.

The latest Navitimers now have a logo of wings, but not the Breitling wings. In this 70th-anniversary edition especially, one sees the winged emblem of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

₹8,13,800

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The GPHG-nominated piece is the ice blue edition, but it comes in other hues as well, all with contrasting sub-dials

₹8,13,800

Check Our Selling Price

This edition is as iconic and identifiable as ever, even with modern touches of refinement. The 43mm steel watch runs on Breitling’s famous B01 in-house chronograph, 70-hour automatic movement

₹8,13,800

Check Our Selling Price

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GPHG category: Iconic

Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0

Back in the 1970s, Girard-Perregaux made a digital watch that was futuristic and challenged the norms of watch design, like very few players did back then. Eventually called the Casquette, it gained immense popularity, but went out of production. This year, they brought the Casquette back, but with modern upgrades, including the materials used—ceramic and grade-5 titanium. It’s got a sleek retro-futuristic appeal that’s hard to ignore. Sized at 42.4mm by 33.6mm, the digital timekeeper offers indications of hours, minutes, seconds, and even the date, day, month, year, in addition to a dual-time feature and a chronograph.

Girard-Perregaux's iconic digital watch from the 1970s came back this year, but with modern upgrades, including the materials used—ceramic and grade-5 titanium

Sized at 42.4mm by 33.6mm, the digital timekeeper offers indications of hours, minutes, seconds, and even the date, day, month, year, in addition to a dual-time feature and a chronograph

GPHG category: Iconic

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43

One of a handful of aviation timepieces of reference out there, the IWC Pilot’s Watch series, and particularly the Big Pilot’s has been as distinguishable as a watch gets. The oversized, onion-shaped crown is the greatest identifier, in addition to large Arabic numerals, which are a staple of the aviation-watch genre. The automatic with three central hands was released in 43mm for the first time with the 2021 edition, with subtle design updates, and became a standard within the collection. This version here in green was unveiled this year, expanding the series with a popular hue, and a rubber strap. It runs on a 60-hour movement.

The automatic Big Pilot's with three central hands was released in 43mm for the first time with the 2021 edition. This version here in green was unveiled this year, expanding the series

GPHG category: Iconic

TAG Heuer Monaco X Gulf

A poster child for square watches, the Monaco is TAG Heuer’s pride and joy, treasured by collectors who own them. It represents their association with motorsports, and was featured in the film Le Mans about a fictionalised edition of the famous ‘24 Hours of Le Mans’ race. It was seen alongside branding and colours of Gulf Oil—a brand associated with the racing team portrayed in the movie. The on-screen association turned into an off-screen one between TAG Heuer and Gulf, and the Monaco Gulf was born—eventually becoming a massive icon among sport watches. This here is the latest version, with subtle upgrades, sleeker branding and colour accents, and it runs on the Heuer 02 automatic chronograph calibre that offers a huge power reserve of 80 hours.

This here is the latest version of the TAG Heuer Monaco X Gulf chronograph watch, with subtle upgrades, sleeker branding and colour accents

The iconic sqaure-dial sport watch runs on the Heuer 02 automatic chronograph calibre that offers a huge power reserve of 80 hours

GPHG category: Iconic

Zenith  Defy Revival A3642

Almost tailor-made for such awards, Zenith’s Revival series has been on since 2019, which marked 60 years of their El Primero—the world’s first integrated automatic chronograph movement. Bringing back past icons with modern upgrades has been the endeavour with this line. This year, it was the A3642’s turn—the first non-chronograph of the series and the first that runs on a Zenith Elite movement—a 50-hour automatic. This one faithfully interprets signature elements of that 1969 first octagonal luxury sport watch—a chiselled case structure, a gradient brown dial, distinctive hour markers, and Zenith’s ladder-style bracelet.

Bringing back past icons with modern upgrades has been the endeavour with this line. This year, it was the A3642’s turn—the first non-chronograph of the series and the first that runs on a Zenith Elite movement—a 50-hour automatic

Also nominated for the GPHG Iconic-watch prize

• Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra-Thin Openworked

Click here to see the complete list of watches nominated for prizes at the GPHGs 2022