Presenting the ‘Challenge’ Nominees for This Year’s GPHG Awards

This year’s GPHG edition will see 90 watches competing in 15 different categories. They will get a chance to win the highly coveted Aiguille d’Or, the industry’s highest honour. Without further ado, let us take a closer look at the nominations for the Challenge category of Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2023.

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Kurono Tokyo GMT 1

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Kurono Tokyo’s first world timer, Kurono GMT 1, is designed by master watchmaker Hajime Asaoka. On the watch, the sensei’s strong Art Deco design language is coordinated with a sense of intelligent gentility. The Kurono GMT 1 (Ref. KUR-GMT1) retains the curved Kurono 38 mm high-polish case and adds a polished bidirectional rotating bezel.

The complication adopted for the GMT 1 is a "True GMT", wherein instead of adjusting the 24-hour hand, the local hour hand can be independently adjusted in one-hour increments forward and backward. This enables quick response when there is a need to change time zones. Powering the watch is a Japan-made Miyota 9075 movement with a 42-hour power reserve. 

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NOMOS Glashütte Club Campus 38 Electric Green

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This striking mechanical watch is immediately pleasing. Its spontaneity is also matched by how uncomplicated it is: excellent readability and a robust stainless steel case, with a diameter of 38.5 millimetres (Ref. 726). 

The green-dialled watch gets bar-shaped Arabic and Roman numerals. Powering the watch is a manual winding Alpha movement with 43 hours of power reserve. Finishing the watch is a Velour leather grey strap with a pin buckle.

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Raymond Weil Millésime Automatic Small Seconds

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The Millésime Collection is a testament to Raymond Weil’s commitment to excellence and attention to detail. The 39.5 mm stainless steel watch (Ref. 2930-STC-65001) is silver-sectored, with multiple finishes, and has a 60-seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The grey dial is slightly smoky in appearance, transitioning from mid-grey at the centre of the dial to deep grey near the perimeter.

The sapphire crystal glass box plays host to textured and sectored dial treatments and the captivating small seconds display is reminiscent of a compass. Powering the watch is a self-winding mechanical movement, Calibre RW4250, delivering a 38-hour power reserve. Finishing the watch is a grey leather strap with a pin buckle.

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Seiko 1968 Diver's Modern Re-interpretation GMT

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This marks Seiko’s first-ever use of a mechanical GMT (Ref. SPB381) movement in a Prospex diver’s watch. The GMT hand can be set independently in one-hour increments, without interrupting the time-of-day hands, and it allows the wearer to see, at a glance, the time in a second time zone. The watch is water-resistant for up to 200 metres and has Lumibrite on the hands and on all 12 markers.

Plus it features a unidirectional bezel with a ceramic insert and a luminous pip. Powering the watch is a self-winding Caliber 6R54 with 72 hours of power reserve. Finishing the watch is a stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp, a secure lock, and an extender.

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Studio Underd0g Watermel0n (Perpétuel Limited Edition)

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Studio Underd0g, founded by a young industrial designer, embodies the harmonious blend of an entrepreneurial drive and deep admiration for the art of watchmaking. Born of a heartfelt passion, the brand is propelled by the overwhelming support of watch enthusiasts. This watch features Eastern Arabic (Ref. 01WMB-A) numerals — a subtle yet impactful divergence from the Studio Underd0g Core Collection.

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The dial gets black dotted hour markers, shaped like the seeds of a watermelon. Limited to 50 pieces, this 38.5 mm Dégradé dialled watch is powered by a hand-wound movement with a 50-hour power reserve. Finishing the watch is a black leather strap with a pin buckle.

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Timeless Swiss Watch HMS 003

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Designed in Vevey, Switzerland, the ‘Timeless’ watch synthesises the future seen from the past and the past seen from the future. The second model of the Timeless brand, this steel timepiece is adorned with fine rose gold-plated details and a curved sapphire crystal that suits everyone.

This watch plays with curves, textures, and depth, with shapes and subtle details, and with simplicity and complexity. Limited to only 40 pieces, the watch has a 41.5 mm stainless steel case with a guilloche dial. Powering the watch is a self-winding mechanical movement with 44 hours of power reserve. Finishing the watch is a leather strap with a folding buckle.