Issue 180: GPHG Winners 2025 - Justified or Just Plain Wrong?
What won, what deserved to win, and why one of the best watches of the year couldn't be properly recognised despite being included
Hello and welcome back to The Fourth Wheel, the weekly watch newsletter that never shies away from the big decisions. This week, that means deciding not to answer your questions because there is just too much else going on. Sorry to anyone who submitted one: I am going to hold the AMA for a couple of weeks. This issue is dedicated to the GPHG awards and what they got wrong (spoiler alert: plenty), while next week will be a dispatch from Dubai. But the questions will be answered, don’t worry - I’ve had some great ones come in and I thank you for them.
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Here’s a little taste of what you might have missed recently:
GPHG Winners 2025: A Night Full Of Surprises
Tis the season to have arguments. Last night the most celebrated, most scrutinised and - sometimes - the most annoying awards in watchmaking were announced. And I agree with all of them.
Just kidding. I’m going to go category by category and see how right or wrong - in my esteemed opinion - the choices are. Paid subscribers will get my views on the entire list, including the Aiguille d’Or for Breguet, the two most scandalous oversights of the night, and my thoughts on what we learn from the entire set of winners.
I have included images below but here is the list of nominated watches for reference.
Ladies’ Watch Prize: Gérald Genta, Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal
I am totally ok with this. The LV Tambour Convergence was a good option, especially if you care about the actual horological prowess on show, but the Oursin is a lot of fun.
Ladies’ Complication Watch Prize: Chopard, Imperiale Four Seasons
Now we’re cooking. This category was embarrassing from the off, because barely two of the six watches nominated, the other being the Hermes Cut Temps Suspendu, included a complication in the traditional sense (i.e. not a tourbillon or a novel way of displaying hours, minutes and seconds). The Chopard’s whole deal is that the dial rotates once a year; it’s far more impressive for its metiers d’art work than its horological ability. Anyone who thinks women deserve equally impressive watches as men should be irritated at this award from start to finish.
Time Only Watch Prize: Daniel Roth, Extra Plat Rose Gold
Tough category. I struggled to rank them when I voted, and I suspect this was one of the closest calls. I’d have loved to see them brave enough to crown the Tasaki but I think we all knew it was going to be Roth.
Men’s Watch Prize: Urban Jürgensen, UJ-2: Double wheel natural escapement
I called this one wrong; I thought the UJ would get the Aiguille d’Or and the Zenith would take the honours here. Another really tight set of six, and in another universe it would have been fair for Grand Seiko to receive credit for the U.F.A. More on this in a minute...
Men’s Complication Watch Prize: Bovet 1822, Récital 30
Yes. Correct. Admittedly, the Bovet might been seen as fortunate to triumph over four perpetual calendars but it is the coolest watch in this category and undeniably mechanically impressive.
Iconic Watch Prize: Audemars Piguet, Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
I don’t even agree with the existence of the category - it’s such a cooked-up excuse to make sure another establishment brand feels happy - but once it’s here, you cannot tell me any of these others is ‘more iconic’ (what a ridiculous concept) than the Royal Oak in any form. Andersen Geneve might feel peeved, though, and not for the last time.
Tourbillon Watch Prize: Bulgari, Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon
The GPHG loves Bulgari almost as much as it loves Chopard; however, the OFUT1 is a cracking achievement. I think there’s something really interesting about all three Urban Jurgensen watches being entered, because all three could have deservedly won their categories, but there must have been a firm sense among the jury that this would have been Too Much Urban.
Mechanical Exception Watch Prize: Greubel Forsey, Nano Foudroyante
Thank goodness, I say. If this hadn’t won, I’d have been as angry as - well, as angry as I’m about to be over the chronograph category. There were no lightweights in the final six, and it was a really eclectic field, with everything from resonance to automata, but the GF just had to win.
Chronograph Watch Prize: Angelus, Chronographe Télémètre Yellow Gold
This made me glad I wasn’t in Geneva for the awards this year because I would have sworn, loudly and without restraint, when this was announced. I like Angelus and I like this watch; crikey, it’s a gorgeous example of traditional chronograph design but come on, the best chronograph of the year?
