GPHG: 12 of the most beautiful Jewelry Watches of the Year

 

What does the new jewelry watches herald? A new journey? A new chapter? Or simply creations worthy of the Maisons, expressing expertise, singularity and authenticity?

All these Ladies watches are competing for the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève prize offered annually by The Foundation of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). This year’s edition will reward watches launched on the market after March 2017 and before the end of November 2018.

A prestigious jury, bringing together the expertise of 31 members of various nationalities and from a wide range of backgrounds, will be entrusted with the delicate task of acknowledging – through two rounds on models competing for 17 prizes – the excellence of the contemporary watch creations taking part in this 18th edition. The pre-selection will be announced on September 1st 2018 and the winners will be unveiled at the awards ceremony to be held in the Théâtre du Léman in Geneva on November 9th 2018.

Two new prizes are joining the 2018 roster. With the Challenge Watch Prize, reserved for watches retailing at less than 4,000 CHF, the GPHG intends to highlight the challenge involved in producing such creations and to reward excellence across all price segments. The other newcomer is the Audacity Prize, which will enable the jury to honour a bold and offbeat approach to watchmaking.

Chanel – Boy-friend Skeleton in Pink gold

For the first time, the Chanel BOY∙FRIEND watch, created in 2015, houses a Fine Watchmaking skeleton movement, the Calibre 3.

After three years of development, this third in-house movement is designed to be beautiful at any angle. Floating in its octagonal BEIGE GOLD case with its bezel set with 66 brilliant-cut diamonds (~0.92 carat), the skeleton movement features a series of interlinked, vertically aligned circles. The mirror-polished BEIGE GOLD chamfering emphasizes the movement’s depth. The bridges are at the back, allowing the watch’s beating heart to stand out.

Hermès Klikti Grey Gold Jewelry Watch

Attired in white or rose gold, semi-set or full-set, fitted with black, blue, ember red, purple-toned cassis or burgundy alligator leather straps… Hermès Klikti watch is in any case not the culmination of a new watch design, instead opening up whole new creative vistas.

Koncise & Tan ZeHua Pink Dolphin Bay Wiry Enamel Wrist Watch

The dial plate of the watch adopts gold wiry enamel technology, in which the mechanics filigrees on the silver plate with 0.03mm gold wires, applies the enamels, and fires it repeatedly in 800℃ temperature. The dial plate undergoes a total synchrony of 240 hours and is purely handmade.

The design and making of the watch movement is done by Tan Zehua, who is not an alternate member of AHCI, Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants.

The Koncise & Tan ZeHua Pink Dolphin Bay movement adopts double barrels enabling 80 hours power reserve. The move tunnel adopts the 3-bridge splint of classic Swiss pocket watches, and then is made into a 4-finger tunnel creatively, combining the beauty of classic pocket watches and the fashion of modern watches.

What needs to be emphasized is that the data computation of this movement, from the power output to gear transmission to escapement balance wheel speed adjustment, has been accomplished independently by Tan Zehua, without reference to any existing fundamental data of watches, and the making and polishing of the movement is also done by him alone, so that it is a brand-new Chinese movement of complete independent
intellectual property right.

Bovet 1822 Amadeo Fleurier 39 Fan jewelry watch

Each of these miniature painted dials is a unique piece, fitting perfectly within the 39 mm diameter Bovet Fleurier Amadeo case, available in white gold or red gold. It took Bovet seven years to develop the Amadeo case. In just a few simple movements, this ingenious patented system enables the user to convert his or her timepiece into a reversible wristwatch, a table clock, or a pocket or pendant watch for men’s and women’s models respectively, without the need for a single tool.

This collection of fans is a facet of the Art of Bovet, which is renowned for the care lavished on its customizations. In addition to the miniature painting theme, the Maison offers individuals the opportunity to have their timepiece hand-engraved and gem-set with a personal design to match it to their taste and personality.

De Grisogono Cascata watch – a jewellery sculpture that tell the time

Like the de GRISOGONO jewellery creations, De Grisogono Cascata watch radiates with a complex architecture. The secret of the watch lies in a gemset gold wire structure that brings the silhouette of the watch to life. Evoking a stream of precious stones, CASCATA features dainty prongs paved with 126 brilliant-cut diamonds bearing the 72 oval-cut stones composing the hemmed watch bezel. The prongs dominate and punctuate a torrent of gems totalling more than 30 carats, forming a subtly graduated flow that in turn traces the oval shape of the watch and reveals a dial snow-set with 148 stones.

Patience and infinite care have been lavished on sculpting each and every detail of the gems adorning Cascata. To ensure the densest possible setting and create the impression that the gems merge into a seamless whole, the artisans of the Maison de GRISOGONO have spent almost 100 hours recutting the oval- shaped stones.

Chaumet Lauriel Watch

In 2018, the Chaumet gives a new Laurel interpretation with a set of six creative watch pieces. A secret watch, moved by a Swiss automatic movement, completes the jewellery set: a first-time and ground-breaking combination within the Maison jewellery watchmaking collections.

Intertwined laurel leaves dancing with the wind, marked with the Maison jewellery savoir-faire, are composing the precious decor of this white gold timepiece by Chaumet. These lauriel leaves reveal an aventurine dial with deep blue reflections, echoing the satin strap.

This luxurious piece is set with 446 diamonds (3.34 carats) and opens new horological horizons for Chaumet, by highlighting the craftsmanship of the Maison jewellery know-how.

Piaget Possession Lapis Lazuli – Women’s watch in rose gold and diamonds

An icon in motion, this rose gold watch with a diamond-set bezel features a lapis lazuli dial. Its matching lapis blue alligator-skin strap with an ardillon buckle incorporates an ingenious interchangeable system, allowing the wearer to change its style according to her mood.

Louis Moinet Sundance in White gold

A real ladies’ watch that is not a downsized version of a men’s watch, Louis Moinet Sundance opens up new creative horizons thanks to the disruptive use of original materials. The hand-painted mother-of-pearl makes the dial even more luminous. Twelve diamonds are lighting up the hours and three circles of diamonds on the bezel to highlight the case design.

Grand Seiko for women, caliber 9S25

A brand new automatic Grand Seiko caliber 9S25, designed for both compact size and high performance, commemorating the caliber 9S 20th anniversary.

The all-new caliber 9S25 was designed from scratch to offer both a compact size and a high level of performance. It is just 19.4mm in diameter and 4.49 mm in height but delivers a 50 hour power reserve and a precision of +8 to -3 seconds a day. Caliber 9S25 uses Grand Seiko’s most advanced technologies, including Seiko’s proprietary alloy, Spron 610, for the balance spring and MEMS engineering for the pallet fork, escapement wheel and other key components. The gear train layout is entirely new as is profile of the teeth on each gear to ensure maximum energy efficiency. 9S25 is an 8 beat caliber with 33 jewels.

The Longines Record collection goes for gold

These exceptional timepieces, whose movement includes a silicon balance spring featuring unique properties. Longines is now introducing new variations in rose gold or in stainless steel and rose gold, certified as “chronometers” by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).

The Record collection features two separate and distinct sized calibers and in order to enhance the accuracy and longevity of its timepieces, Longines integrates silicon balance springs into its movements. This lightweight material is resistant to corrosion, and is unaffected by normal temperature variations, magnetic fields and atmospheric pressure.

Such excellence deserves recognition. Thanks to their extreme accuracy, the watches in the Record collection have been awarded “chronometer” certification by the COSC (Contrôle officiel suisse des chronomètres – Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute). Equipped with automatic movements, all of the timepieces were tested separately by this neutral and independent organization, and are authorized to have the designation
“CHRONOMETER” stamped on the dial. Bestowed with a high degree of added value, these certified “chronometers” now join the ranks of truly exceptional timepieces.

The watches of the Record collection are available in four sizes (26, 30, 38.5 and 40 mm) and a variety of dials, and are intended for men or women. The stainless steel and rose gold or 18-carat rose gold case features a transparent back that allows for admiration of the detail of the movement.

ArtyA Son of Sea – Capri Set Piece Unique

ArtyA introduced a very unique handmade dial, 1/1, manufactured with seabed treasures, natural pigments, gold leaves, real butterfly wings & fish scales to depict these new fanciful and fabulous underwater sceneries.

A subtle complement to the very unique Son of Earth Butterfly Collection realized with real butterfly wings, theArtyA Son of Sea, incorporate seas well -with elegance and sophistication- the incredible colors of the butterflies wings. This Art Piece for wrist is protected by an exclusive ArtyA case set with 256 VVSI diamonds for 2,4 cts.

Bvlgari Lvcea Tubogas Skeleton

Confirming Bvlgari’s commitment to feminine watches, the Lvcea Skeleton is the only skeletonized watch on the market made expressly for women.

The new Lvcea Tubogas Skeleton in pink gold and diamonds showcases the exquisitely complicated automatic winding BVL 191 skeleton movement, crafted by hand in-house in Bvlgari’s Manufacture in Switzerland. However, this being Bvlgari, the Lvcea Skeleton is not just a mechanical masterpiece that allows women to admire its beating heart. It is the first skeleton watch in history that takes the letters of the watchmaker’s logo and makes them integral to the design.