GPHG replaces gender-based watch categories for 2026 awards
The Geneva watchmaking competition has also introduced a Gemset category and broadened eligibility for its Iconic Watch and Special Jury prizes.
The Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) has replaced its Men’s and Ladies’ categories with two technical classifications for its 26th edition. Winners of the 2026 competition will be announced in Geneva on 7 November.
The new categories are Essential Watch and Complication Watch. Organisers said the change responds to shifts in buying habits and industry expectations, with traditional distinctions becoming less clear. The competition features 84 watches and clocks across 14 categories, with 19 prizes to be awarded.
A new Gemset category covers watches containing gemstones totalling up to six carats. The Iconic Watch Prize, meanwhile, will consider eligible watches even if they have not been entered in the competition. They must have been released during the year and reinterpret a model whose influence on watchmaking has lasted more than 20 years.
The Special Jury Prize can now honour brands as well as individuals and institutions, recognising a significant watchmaking development or an exemplary ethical and sustainability approach. Brands need not be competition entrants. A panel drawn from collectors, watchmakers, journalists and auctioneers selects the winners, while watches in every category can compete for the top award, the ‘Aiguille d'Or’ Grand Prix.
