Read time: 7 min

Every year, the GPHG Awards celebrates excellence and creativity in the watchmaking industry. Brands submit timepieces for awards in different categories, and an academy of industry players vote, first on finalists, and then for winners. With this year’s edition occurring after auction season on November 9, 2023, votes were tallied and finalists announced this week.

There are six finalists in each of the fifteen categories spanning everything from Men’s to Ladies’ to Complication and more. Some of the winners from previous competitions have solidified their places as exquisite timepieces well beyond the award – De Bethune’s iconic DB28 won best in show (Aiguille d’Or) in 2011 while Kudoke’s K2 took home the “Petit Aiguille” for best watch under $10,000 in 2019.

Today, we’re diving into some of our favorites from the shortlist of finalists for GPHG 2023, including what impressed us and why they should win their category.

Calendar and Astronomy – Felipe Pikullik Moon Phase 1

The Felipe Pikullik Moon Phase 1 (Source: Felipe Pikullik)

Our newest brand partner, Felipe Pikullik is at the forefront of the next generation of independent watchmakers. The first step in Felipe’s effort to develop complications and movements in house at his workshop in Berlin, the Moon Phase 1 is both masterfully finished and exceptionally designed in its minimalism. While it’s still the early days for Felipe, he has found a strong footing with his own aesthetic identity. There’s a clear throughline from his Sternenhimmel timepieces to the HTH to this Moon Phase 1. Surrounded in the category by brands much bigger and much more established, this timepiece is a testament to how much Felipe punches above his weight class.

Mechanical Exception – Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité

The Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité (Source: Czapek)

WIth a slew of recent releases over the past few years, Czapek has found strong footing in the collector community. The openworked Antarctique Chronograph made a big splash in 2021, bringing the brand to a new level of technical complexity. The Place Vendôme Complicité is yet another step forward for Czapek’s mechanical prowess. Averaging both with a differential, the double escapement on the dial-side of this openworked timepiece is a feast for the eyes. The marvel of this timepiece is that the brand was able to find a partner capable of maintaining the desired architecture for the double escapements at 4:30 and 7:30 while placing the differential above at 12:00. The man with the solution was Bernhard Lederer – a low-profile indie with astounding technical genius in Sainte Blaise, near Neuchâtel. Overall, this is a massive contribution from Czapek to the architecture of double escapement timepieces. It’s sure to influence many others that tread down this road in the future.

Mechanical Clock – L’Epée 1839 Time Fast II Chrome

L’Epée 1839 Time Fast II Chrome (Source: : L’Epée 1839)

If you’ve followed us for long (or short!), then you will probably know that we are enamored by all things “L’Epée.” In terms of creativity, few do it better across all watchmaking in all of its forms. From the Grenade to the Time Fast D8, they can’t miss. The Time Fast II Chrome brings more to the table that makes L’epée exceptional – a functional engine powered by a separate movement that triggers the V8 pistons when the dashboard key is turned. With all their creations, it’s simply the seamless integration of design, mechanics, and functionality into a single timepiece.

Men’s Complication – Kari Voutilainen World Timer

Kari Voutilainen World Timer (Source: Kari Voutilainen)

Voutilainen is almost always amongst finalists, year after year. Last year, the Val-de-Travers watchmaker won the Artistic Crafts Watch Prize with the amazing lacquered Ji-Ku. In 2020, he took home the Men’s Prize with the 28SC – the first center second on a Vingt-8. Now, Voutilainen is back with an entirely new case shape – a cushion – on this World Timer. This is the watchmaker’s interpretation of more modern design while retaining one of the brand’s hallmarks: the timepiece’s anthracite color guilloché dial. We like that Voutilainen is experimenting with new case shapes. It’s really exciting to see such a high-level watchmaker pursue new lines of creative thought, and hope it’s rewarded in this category.

Men’s – Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans

Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans (Source: Simon Brette)

In the Men’s category, we would be remiss to not mention Simon Brette’s Chronomètre Artisans. In more recent memory, there’s no one with a debut timepiece as admired and beloved by both purists and tourists of watchmaking. It is an exceptional timepiece and well deserves to be in the final six for best in show. Our general sense is that Brette is one of the major contenders for the prize, something that would put the watchmaker’s debut in a league of its own. The Chronomètre Artisans is lavishly decorated and technically complex for a “time-only” watch. It’s rare that a time-only provides so much for the eye to admire from the hand-engraved “Dragon Scales” dial to the openworked seconds wheels and winding systems. Extremely steep competition in the Men’s category this year – we’re very keen to see who wins.

Men’s – De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas

In 2011, the DB28 won the Aiguille d’Or and has since cemented that timepiece’s status as an icon in modern indie watchmaking. This year, De Bethune returns with an upgraded DB28xs Starry Seas – pushing well beyond the foundation laid by the original DB28 over a decade ago. This timepiece is smaller at 39mm and features an updated in-house caliber with all what you would expect from De Bethune’s technical innovativeness. The major addition comes with the brand’s experimentation with finishing. Denis Flageollet, the mastermind behind De Bethune, invented a method to randomize the application of guilloché. The result is something akin to the movement of the seas (the timepiece’s name) – it’s both chaotic and beautiful, simple and atypical. From our vantage point, this is definitely one of the favorites in the Men’s category and for good reason.

Ladies’ - Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight

Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight (Source: Arnold & Son)

The Ladies’ category has some exceptional timepieces, and the Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight sticks out to us. This new women’s complication from the Chaux-des-Fonds brand presents a view of the moon from Earth. Diamonds, mother-of-pearl and ruthenium crystals create a textured landscape that feels much more part of a painting than a typical watch. Earning its name from the mint green, turquoise, teal, and sky blue colors, the added touch of mother-of-pearl elevates the Mintnight’s color palette well. Very beautiful and staying true to Arnold & Son’s focus on maritime complications,

Chronograph – Petermann Bedat Chronographe Rattrapante

Petermann Bedat Chronographe Rattrapante (Source: Petermann Bedat)

Two young, extremely talented watchmakers, Gaël Petermann and Florian Bedat won the “Horological Revelation” Prize – best timepiece from a brand less than 10 years old – in 2020 for their 1967 Deadbeat Seconds. Back again in the Chronograph category, the duo brings the design language established in their first timepiece to new technical heights. Monopusher, jumping minute counter, incorporated safety mechanisms to ensure reset occurs when rattrapante is stopped, semi-openworked dial, 339 parts, 43 jewels – this is a serious show of watchmaking force. More than anything, this is one of the many timepieces that show how great an era it is right now for independent watchmaking.

While there are plenty of brands that do not participate in the awards, it’s difficult to find historical winners that have aged poorly for independent watchmakers. On this level of watchmaking, previous Aiguille d’Or Award winners for best in show are legendary timepieces – Greubel Forsey’s Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision in 2015, MB&F’s LM Sequential Evo last year, De Bethune’s DB28 in 2011 as mentioned in the introduction. We’re pulling for more wins for independent watchmaking and are excited to see this year’s show. Tune into the GPHG Awards live on social media on November 11, 2023.

GPHG Finalists – a look at some of our favorites