The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève has named its 2026 winners, with the industry’s attention once again fixed on Geneva and the annual benchmark for contemporary watchmaking achievement.
Held on 7 November at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, the 26th edition awarded the “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix to Rexhep Rexhepi for the Chronograph Flyback.
The result places an independent watchmaker at the centre of this year’s honours, while the wider list reflects the breadth of modern horology, from precision timing and high complication to jewellery, craft and accessible mechanical watchmaking.
At a glance
- Rexhep Rexhepi won the 2026 “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix for the Chronograph Flyback.
- The 26th GPHG ceremony took place at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva on 7 November.
- Category winners included Chopard, Audemars Piguet, Ferdinand Berthoud, Grand Seiko, Piaget, Blancpain and Baltic x SpaceOne.
Rexhep Rexhepi Takes the Top Honour
The “Aiguille d’Or” is the GPHG’s highest distinction, awarded to what the jury recognises as the finest timepiece of the year.
For 2026, that honour went to Rexhep Rexhepi’s Chronograph Flyback, a result that underlines the continued influence of independent makers at the highest level of Swiss watchmaking.
Rexhepi’s win also gives the chronograph renewed prominence in a year where the category field itself was notably strong, with Parmigiani Fleurier separately recognised in the dedicated Chronograph category.
The 2026 Category Winners
The main awards covered a wide sweep of watchmaking disciplines, from time-only restraint to automata, clocks and gem-set pieces.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Time Only | Chopard L.U.C 1860 |
| Essential | Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton |
| Complication | Cleguer Inspiration One |
| Mechanical Exception | Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie |
| Gemset | Piaget Swinging Pebble |
| Tourbillon | Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 2TV |
| Chronograph | Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux |
| Calendar and Astronomy | Audemars Piguet 150 Heritage |
| Sports | Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Diver |
| Jewellery | Chopard Mystery Nut |
| Artistic Crafts | Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Arty Automata |
| “Petite Aiguille” | Otsuka Lotec No.8 |
| Challenge | Baltic x SpaceOne Seconde Majeure |
| Mechanical Clock | La Vallée Cosmo |
The “Petite Aiguille” category is reserved for watches with a retail price between CHF 4,500 and CHF 10,000, while the Challenge category covers watches priced at CHF 4,500 or under.
Special Prizes and Notable Recognition
Beyond the main categories, the 2026 GPHG also recognised work that stood apart for audacity, revelation, iconic status, chronometry and cultural contribution.
| Prize | Winner |
|---|---|
| Audacity Prize | Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Mystery |
| Horological Revelation Prize | Dominique Renaud Pulse60 |
| Iconic Watch Prize | Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5 “150th Anniversary” |
| Chronometry Prize | Ferdinand Berthoud Naissance d’une Montre 3 |
| Special Jury Prize | Patek Philippe WATCH ART Grand Exhibition |
The Chronometry prize is awarded to the competing timepiece distinguished by remarkable precision timekeeping performance and officially certified to ISO 3159 standards by at least one inspection authority.
Ferdinand Berthoud’s presence across both the Tourbillon and Chronometry prizes made it one of the evening’s most visible technical names.
A Broad Snapshot of Contemporary Watchmaking
This year’s list shows how wide the GPHG lens has become, moving comfortably between established maisons, revived names, independents and newer accessible players.
Chopard appeared twice among the winners, taking the Time Only prize with the L.U.C 1860 and the Jewellery category with the Mystery Nut.
Audemars Piguet also secured recognition in two different contexts, winning Calendar and Astronomy with the 150 Heritage and the Iconic Watch prize for its Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5 “150th Anniversary”.
For collectors, the 2026 results offer a useful map of where the jury saw excellence this year, from the independent authority of Rexhep Rexhepi to the continued relevance of high complication, precision and craft-led watchmaking.
