The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie De Genève Unveils The Composition Of Its Jury
3 min read
The 24 personalities comprising the 2026 Jury represent a curated mix of experts from the worlds of watchmaking and the arts. The selection of the jury utilizes a dual-pronged approach: half of the members are drawn by lot from the esteemed GPHG Academy, while the remaining half are directly chosen by the Jury President. Created in 2001 and overseen by a public interest foundation since 2011, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève has spent over 25 years celebrating and promoting the art of watchmaking.
Days before the awards ceremony, this distinguished panel will convene behind closed doors. They will physically evaluate the competing timepieces to determine this year’s winners via a secret ballot conducted under strict notarial supervision. To read about how GPHG dropped the gender catagories, click here.
A "Formidable Task"
Jury President Wei Koh emphasized the scale and gravity of the challenge ahead of this year's panel. "It is not lost on us that we the Jury have a formidable task ahead, given the incredible creativity of the timepieces on the running this year, and in particular with two fully open prizes, such as the Iconic Watch Prize, where our challenge will be to discern the timepiece with the best emblematic qualities from the entirety of the watch industry. The Jury comprises some of modern horology’s most passionate and discerning scholars, collectors and experts and we are fully committed and ready to rise to the occasion." He said. To know why GPHG is called the oscars of watchmaking, click here.
The Role of the GPHG Academy
The evaluation is not left entirely to the physical jury. The GPHG Academy, composed of over a thousand key stakeholders within the watch industry, will also participate in selecting the winners. Through a digital vote, the Academy's collective selections will account for one-third of the final result, ensuring broad industry consensus.
The 26th Awards Ceremony
The culmination of this evaluation process will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026. A total of 20 prizes will be awarded throughout the evening, headlined by the prestigious “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix. The 26th GPHG awards ceremony will commence at 7:00 PM at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva. For international audiences, the event will be broadcast live on gphg website.
As the watchmaking world looks toward Geneva this November, the 2026 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève promises to be a rigorous and highly anticipated celebration of horological excellence. With a discerning jury led by Wei Koh and the collective expertise of the expansive GPHG Academy, the stage is set to honour the most creative and emblematic timepieces of the year. Enthusiasts and industry stakeholders alike now eagerly await the full jury reveal in mid-September, building momentum toward the definitive crowning of the prestigious “Aiguille d’Or” on November 7th.
To read more about the Indian brands participating in GPHG this year, click here.
When and where is the 2026 GPHG awards ceremony taking place?
The ceremony will be held on November 7, 2026, at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva.
How does the GPHG Academy influence the final results?
The Academy participates through a digital vote that accounts for one-third of the overall decision.
How are the 24 members of the 2026 Jury selected?
Half are randomly drawn from the GPHG Academy, while the remaining half are directly chosen by Jury President Wei Koh.
