I’ve been a member of the Academy for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) since its inception in 2020, and it’s both an honour and a privilege, but also sometimes a mystery and a source of frustration. There are some 900 members, from the industry: journalists, artisans and suppliers, industry executives, retailers, enthusiasts, designers and influencers. Members can nominate watches (as can individual brands) and we also take part in the early rounds of voting to determine the winners.

This summer we nominated 90 of the 273 watches entered in 15 categories, from which 20 prizes will be awarded, including the Aguille d’Or, the Grand Prix. Those finalists then become part of a traveling road show in the fall (at the moment, they are on display at Watches of Switzerland in New York, where Robb Report’s watch editor, Allen Farmelo and photographer Atom Moore went in to snap the entries you see in this gallery.) In early November, a jury of 30 members from the Academy will convene in Geneva to inspect the finalists and decide the winners.

I’ve worked hard to nominate what I believe are the worthiest timepieces I see throughout the year, and it’s fascinating to see what my colleagues view as the year’s most worthy. But serving on the Academy has also been at times frustrating. As I’m going over the nominees in each appointed category, I often find myself thinking, “Wait, what about such-and-such,” by which I mean certain watches I’ve written about during the year that are obvious top-grade contenders in certain categories. How, for example, can you leave Cartier out of the jewelry watch category, not to mention the Iconic prize? And where are Omega and Rolex in the sports watch section? And Patek Philippe or Lange & Söhne in Mechanical Exception? The simple answer is that these and other brands, including Breguet, Richard Mille and other top marques, decline to participate.

During a panel discussion on the GPHG at Geneva Watch Days last summer, I asked the directors why nominated watches from some of the big brands were routinely not included as finalists. GPHG director Corinne Maillard responded that “It’s very important for us to showcase the finalists in exhibitions, but these brands decline to participate, and if the brands will not work with us, we don’t have the information, or the watches. So it’s better for us just to have the brands that want to participate … and why should we give them a prize and show their watches if they don’t want to participate?”

Whey wouldn’t a brand want to participate? Max Busser of MB&F said it outright: “All these bigger brands who don’t participate because they’re scared of losing … I feel like telling them: we don’t remember the 90 or so watches that didn’t win; we only remember the ones that did win. There are no losers.”

The big brands should step up, help represent the industry in the GPHG, and turn it into a true Academy Awards of Watchmaking. If they lose occasionally, so what? They should take one for the team.

Here are 10 of this year’s nominees, with their categories in brackets—but do keep in mind that every watch is up for the “Best Of.” They are not Robb Reports picks for the competition—and, to be clear, the magazine doesn’t vote, though I do.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Platinum (Men’s)

This watch is part of Bulgari’s famous stable of world record breaking ultra-thin watches. It’s a manual-wind, with a total thickness of 1.80 mm and a monochromatic look in satin-polished and sandblasted platinum. The integrated bracelet is only 1.50 mm thick. It has an openworked dial, hour and minute regulator display, and is limited to 20 pieces.

Garrick S3 MKII (Men’s)

British brand Garrick displays its “expertise and penchant” for hand craftsmanship with the S3 MK2, with an openworked dial and a manual-wind movement with high watchmaking finishes, including screwed chatons and black polishing. But since each watch is made to order, finishes are optional. Bridgework and components can be frosted, grained, or mirror-polished.

Hajime Asaoka Thunami “Art Deco” (Men’s)

The Hajime Asaoka Tsunami “Art Deco” is a six-piece edition completely made by hand by the Japanese watchmaker. The manual-wind movement incorporates the watchmaker’s trademark large 15 mm balance wheel that hides a secret poising method that allows for symmetrical oscillations without the use of peripheral weights. The dial’s striped centre features vertically contrasting color gradations of silver, azure, green and blue.

Frank Muller Long Island Evolution Master Jumper (Men’s Complication)

This titanium watch is an evolution of Franck Muller’s Long Island series, with a case that retains the silhouette of the original, with an additional inner bezel made of anodized aluminum that secures the manual-wind movement. It’s a triple jumping complication, with hours, minutes and date indicated through a complex mechanism of jumping disks.

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon (Mechanical Exception)

This watch is a celebration of several things: the 150th anniversary of Piaget; the 67th anniversary its first ultra-thin caliber, the 9P; the sixth anniversary of what was at the time the thinnest mechanical watch in the world, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, at 2 mm thick. The new version takes it to the next level by adding a tourbillon – without increasing the thickness.

IWC Portigieser Eternal Calendar (Calendar and Astronomy)

Purists will argue that it is impossible to produce a real perpetual calendar, that it’s all just a grand estimate anyway, but isn’t it a fantastic flex to have created a watch with a moon phase display that is accurate to one day in 45 million years? IWC is renowned for its Kurt Klaus-designed perpetual calendars but this one is special: IWC says it will show the correct length of every month, year, and century, until at least the year 3999.

TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph (Chronograph)

This is TAG Heuer’s first ever split-seconds chronograph movement in a wristwatch, developed by Carol Forestier-Kasapi, the brand’s director of movement development in partnership with Swiss boutique movement maker Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. It is made of titanium – not just the case, but also the movement. The case is a half sapphire crystal and half titanium construction, with a raised bezel made of sapphire covering the dial.

Fabergé Colours of Love Rose Gold (Ladies)

The shape of this 18k rose gold case was Inspired by the symbol most synonymous with the brand: the egg, which Fabergé has been famous for making in jewelled form since 1885. The colours of love referred to in the title are expressed with gemstones. The straps are likewise available in several color options—a trend that has become common among luxury brands.