The 2026 GPHG Winners: Rexhep Rexhepi Takes Home The Aiguille d’Or

The watch industry gathered in Geneva on Saturday, November 7, for the 26th edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). The annual awards recognize achievements across the watchmaking industry, from traditional complications and precision engineering to artistic crafts and jewellery watches. This year, the ceremony also welcomed the Director-General of UNESCO, adding a cultural dimension to an event celebrating watchmaking as part of humanity’s heritage.

Hosted by Stéphane Bern and Arianne Alcorta, the ceremony presented 20 prizes following a selection process involving an Academy of more than 1,000 members and an international Jury chaired by Wei Koh. The evening’s highest distinction, the Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix, went to Rexhep Rexhepi for his Chronograph Flyback. Other winners included established names such as Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, Chopard, and Grand Seiko, as well as independent watchmakers and smaller brands.

Below, we’ve gathered all 20 winning watches and the Special Jury Prize recipient.

Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix — Rexhep Rexhepi Chronograph Flyback

The most prestigious award of the evening went to Rexhep Rexhepi for his Chronograph Flyback. The recognition marks another major achievement for the independent watchmaker, whose work continues to attract attention for its approach to traditional horology.

The Chronograph Flyback takes the top prize in a year with strong competition across the categories.

Iconic Watch Prize — Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5 “150th Anniversary”

Audemars Piguet takes home the Iconic Watch Prize with a particularly elaborate interpretation of the Royal Oak. The RD#5 combines an extra-thin self-winding movement with a flying tourbillon and chronograph. Created for the manufacturer’s 150th anniversary, it brings together a handful of technical elements within one of watchmaking’s most recognizable designs.

Special Jury Prize — Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition

Rather than recognizing a watch, the Special Jury Prize acknowledges Patek Philippe’s contribution to watchmaking culture through its Watch Art Grand Exhibition. The award highlights the importance of preserving and presenting the knowledge, craft skills, and history behind the industry.

Audacity Prize — Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Mystery

Konstantin Chaykin receives the Audacity Prize for the ThinKing Mystery. The independent watchmaker is known for unconventional approaches to watch design, and this award recognizes a creation that stands out for its distinctive concept. In this case, a record-breakingly thin timepiece.

Chronometry Prize — Ferdinand Berthoud Birth Of A Watch 3

Ferdinand Berthoud adds another GPHG award to its collection, this time in the Chronometry category. The Birth of a Watch 3 takes its name from the process behind its creation, placing the emphasis on precision and the technical work involved in developing a timepiece.

Horological Revelation Prize — Dominique Renaud Pulse60 Titanium Black

The Horological Revelation Prize goes to Dominique Renaud for the Pulse60 Titanium Black. The award recognizes a watchmaker whose work brings a distinct perspective to mechanical watchmaking. With the distinctively hypnotic rhythm of its 1hz escapement, the titanium model is the winning entry in this year’s category.

Mechanical Exception Watch Prize — Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie

Blancpain wins the Mechanical Exception Watch Prize with the Grande Double Sonnerie. The award is reserved for exceptional mechanical achievements, making it a fitting category for a watch built around one of traditional horology’s most demanding complications: the striking mechanism. Check out our in-depth video on this watch here.

Complication Watch Prize — Cleguer Inspiration One

Cleguer takes home the Complication Watch Prize with the Inspiration One. The award recognizes a timepiece whose mechanical functions and execution set it apart within this broad category. It is also a notable result for the independent brand.

Chronograph Watch Prize — Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Mysterious Chronograph

Parmigiani Fleurier receives the Chronograph Watch Prize for the Tonda PF Mysterious Chronograph. The watch brings the brand’s restrained Tonda PF design language to a chronograph complication, resulting in a more unusual take on a familiar watch category.

Tourbillon Watch Prize — Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 2TV

Ferdinand Berthoud also wins the Tourbillon Watch Prize with the Chronomètre FB 2TV. The award recognizes the brand’s work in one of the most technically demanding fields of traditional watchmaking. This second prize makes it one of the evening’s most successful names.

Sports Watch Prize — Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Diver

Grand Seiko takes the Sports Watch Prize with the Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Diver. The watch combines the brand’s Spring Drive technology with a professional dive-watch format. Its recognition highlights the continued relevance of technical innovation in the sports-watch category.

Calendar And Astronomy Watch Prize — Audemars Piguet 150 Heritage

Audemars Piguet earns a second prize with the 150 Heritage pocket watch, winner of the Calendar and Astronomy Watch category. The award recognizes the pocket watch’s place among this year’s notable calendar and astronomical creations.

Essential Watch Prize — Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton

Daniel Roth wins the Essential Watch Prize with the Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton. The watch pairs the brand’s Extra Plat design with an open-worked movement and a rose gold case. It is a reminder that a relatively restrained watch can still offer plenty to appreciate in its construction and finishing.

Time Only Watch Prize — Chopard L.U.C 1860

Chopard’s L.U.C 1860 takes the Time Only Watch Prize. With its focus on hours, minutes, and seconds, the watch represents a more traditional approach to mechanical watchmaking. The award recognizes the appeal of a well-executed time-only watch among a field that also includes far more complicated creations.

Jewelry Watch Prize — Chopard Mystery Nut

Chopard also wins in the Jewelry Watch category with the Mystery Nut. The award celebrates the intersection of watchmaking and jewelry, recognizing a creation in which artistic design and craftsmanship are central to the result.

Artistic Crafts Watch Prize — Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Arty Automata

Louis Vuitton takes the Artistic Crafts Watch Prize with the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata. The watch combines the brand’s Tambour design with an automaton display and artistic craftsmanship. Its recognition reflects the growing presence of decorative and mechanical artistry in contemporary watchmaking.

Gemset Watch Prize — Piaget Swinging Pebble

Piaget wins the Gemset Watch Prize with the Swinging Pebble. The brand has a long history of combining watchmaking with jewelry techniques, and this award recognizes its work in that field.

Petite Aiguille Watch Prize — Otsuka Lotec No.8

Japanese independent watchmaker Otsuka Lotec receives the Petite Aiguille Watch Prize for the No.8. The category recognizes watches in a more accessible price segment, giving smaller brands an opportunity to stand alongside more established manufacturers.

Challenge Watch Prize — SpaceOne X Baltic Seconde Majeure

The Challenge Watch Prize goes to the SpaceOne X Baltic Seconde Majeure. This collaboration brings together two independent brands for a watch that stands out in the entry-level category. Its win is another reminder that interesting watchmaking does not always require a high price or a particularly complicated movement.

Mechanical Clock Prize — La Vallée Cosmo

Rounding out the prize list, La Vallée wins the Mechanical Clock Prize with the Cosmo. While most of the GPHG focuses on wristwatches, this category recognizes the continued relevance of mechanical timekeeping beyond the wrist.

The 2026 GPHG Winners On Tour

This year’s ceremony recognized a broad range of watchmaking, from the technical achievements of Rexhep Rexhepi and Ferdinand Berthoud to the artistic work of Louis Vuitton, Piaget, and Chopard. It also highlighted the contribution of independent watchmakers and smaller brands, with names such as Dominique Renaud, Cleguer, Otsuka Lotec, and SpaceOne among the winners.

The 84 watches nominated by the Academy remain on display at Geneva’s Musée d’Art et d’Histoire until November 15. The award-winning watches will then travel to London, where visitors can see them at the Watches of Switzerland boutique in Knightsbridge from November 18 to 23.

For the full list of nominees, winners, and further information, visit the official GPHG website.