Credits: Article and images by Ian Skellern @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/09/30/ians-predicted-winners-of-the-2023-grand-prix-dhorlogerie-de-geneve-gphg/
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Calendar and Astronomy
Calendar and Astronomy: men’s mechanical watches comprising at least one calendar and/or astronomical complication (e.g. date, annual calendar, perpetual calendar, equation of time, complex moon phases display, etc.). Additional indications and/or complications are admissible.
Calendar and Astronomy category finalists in the 2023 GPHG
Congratulations to Piaget for having their Piaget Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin nominated in two categories (the first was in Men’s Complication), but I don’t think that a QP is enough to win here. For that reason, I’ll also rule out the IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Lake Tahoe, Massena Lab Habring² x Massena LAB Chrono Felix Perpetual, and, as much as it pains me not to reward a sensationally finished hand made watch, the Felipe Pikullik Moon phase 1.
With its hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, month, power reserve indicator, retrograde minutes, tourbillon, equation of time, special escapement, annual calendar, and summer & winter equinoxes, the Bovet 1822 Récital 20 Astérium takes the prize for most astronomical and calendar complications; but my pick is the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Chinese Calendar because the oriental calendar is such a difficult complication to develop.
Mechanical Exception
Mechanical Exception: watches featuring a special mechanism, such as an innovative or sophisticated display, an automaton, a striking or any other acoustic function, a special escapement, a belt-driven movement or comprising another original and/or exceptional horological concept.
Mechanical Exception category finalists in the 2023 GPHG
My first not to make my cut are the Jacob & Co Astronomia Revolution and Louis Vuitton Tambour Opera Automata because, while they are both mechanically exceptional, I don’t like the designs and at 47 mm they are both too big.
And as much as it pleases me to see Hautlence here, at 50 mm the Sphere Series 1 is far to big for most to wear as well. At 42 mm, the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4 is not only wearable it blows the competition away with the number of it’s complications: hours, minutes, date, day, month, year, moon phases, flyback chronograph, split second chronograph, perpetual calendar, minute repeater, striking watch semi-Gregorien, plus petite and grande sonnerie, and I can easily see it taking this prize.
I’m a big fan of the Rudis Sylva RS 23 with dual harmonious oscillators, but in this competition, I think another dual oscillator will win, the Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité. And if the Czapek Complicité takes the Aiguilles d’Or (as it well might) or the Chronometry prize, my second choice predicted winner is the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication.
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Credits: Article and images by Ian Skellern @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/09/30/ians-predicted-winners-of-the-2023-grand-prix-dhorlogerie-de-geneve-gphg/
