GPHG 2026 Jewellery Watch Nominees: Six Extraordinary Timepieces Competing for the Prize

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Bvlgari Tubogas Manchette: A 1970s Icon Reimagined in Gold and Gemstones

Bvlgari revisits one of its most distinctive archival designs with the Tubogas Manchette, a contemporary interpretation of a jewellery watch originally created in 1974. Its wide bracelet combines the sculptural character of yellow gold with a striking selection of coloured gemstones.

The bracelet features diamonds alongside cabochon-cut topazes, rubellites and citrines. Together, the gemstones amount to approximately 17.5 carats, creating a colourful composition that emphasises the watch's jewellery origins.

The Tubogas construction is particularly interesting. Its flexible bracelet combines the distinctive appearance of coiled gold with an elaborate arrangement of precious gemstones. This construction allows the watch to function as both a timepiece and an expressive piece of jewellery.

Inside the compact case is Bvlgari's automatic BVS100 Lady Solotempo calibre, introduced in 2025. Measuring just 3.9 mm thick, the movement delivers a power reserve of approximately 50 hours.

The Tubogas Manchette combines vintage-inspired Italian design with modern mechanical engineering. Its approximate price is CHF 159,000.

Chopard Mystery Nut: A Secret Watch Hidden Inside a Diamond-Set Walnut

One of the most unconventional entries in the Jewellery category comes from Chopard. The Mystery Nut transforms a familiar natural object into an intricate pendant watch, concealing its mechanical movement within a walnut-shaped case.

Crafted from 18-carat rose gold, the exterior reproduces the irregular contours of a walnut shell. White and cognac-coloured diamonds emphasise its texture, while an equally elaborate diamond-set chain allows the creation to be worn around the neck.

A discreet diamond activates the concealed opening mechanism, revealing two decorative surfaces. One contains a miniature watch with hours, minutes and a moonphase display, mounted against a blued titanium background. The opposite half features a diamond-set dove carrying an olive branch, a traditional symbol of peace.

The mechanical complexity extends beyond the unusual case. The watch is powered by a self-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve, while the articulated construction allows the concealed dial to be revealed for reading.

Created as a unique piece, the Chopard Mystery Nut demonstrates how traditional jewellery techniques can transform a mechanical watch into a miniature objet d'art.

Its estimated price is CHF 870,000.

Dior Grand Bal Nuit des Indes: A Moving Display Inspired by Decorative Arts

Dior's Grand Bal Nuit des Indes explores the relationship between ornamental craftsmanship and mechanical movement. Drawing inspiration from 18th-century Parisian architecture, the watch combines elaborate goldwork with a constantly changing dial composition.

The case brings together white and yellow gold, complemented by a white-gold bracelet. Mother-of-pearl and finely executed yellow-gold details create a richly textured dial, with decorative patterns contributing to its architectural appearance.

The most distinctive mechanical feature is the visible oscillating weight of its automatic movement. Unlike conventional automatic watches, where the rotor is generally positioned on the movement's rear side, this design incorporates a decorative rotor on the dial side.

As the rotor moves, its intricate decoration changes the appearance of the watch, producing a shifting kaleidoscopic effect. The oscillating weight therefore serves both a mechanical purpose and a prominent aesthetic function.

The Grand Bal Nuit des Indes is a one-of-a-kind creation that places the movement itself at the centre of its visual identity. Its combination of precious materials and mechanical animation makes it one of the most distinctive designs in this year's Jewellery shortlist.

Its estimated price is CHF 540,000.

Franck Muller Vanguard Curvex Cut Flower: Gemstones Shaped Like Petals

Franck Muller's Vanguard Curvex Cut Flower takes inspiration from flowers, translating their organic shapes into an intricate composition of gemstones and exposed mechanical components.

Presented in a rose-gold case, the watch features floral motifs formed from carefully shaped precious stones. Franck Muller's Curvex Cut technique allows the stones to follow the curved outlines of the petals rather than relying on conventional geometric arrangements.

The unusual gemstone shapes create an impression of depth and movement, with the floral composition extending across the openworked dial. Their arrangement emphasises the relationship between jewellery craftsmanship and the underlying mechanical architecture.

Beneath the decorative elements lies a skeletonised mechanical movement. Its visible bridges and components form part of the composition, creating a layered effect in which the flowers appear to grow across the watch's mechanical structure.

The manually wound movement provides a power reserve of approximately 96 hours, equivalent to four days.

Compared with the more heavily gem-set creations in this year's shortlist, the Vanguard Curvex Cut Flower places particular emphasis on the relationship between gemstone cutting and exposed watchmaking.

Its approximate price is CHF 59,200.

Jacob & Co. Billionaire Double Tourbillon: 80 Carats of Diamonds and Twin Flying Tourbillons

Jacob & Co. presents the most expensive watch in the 2026 Jewellery shortlist with the Billionaire Double Tourbillon Angel-Cut Diamonds, an elaborate creation combining exceptional gem-setting with a sophisticated mechanical movement.

The watch features the brand's patented Angel Cut, developed to enhance the way diamonds reflect light. Each stone has 37 facets arranged to direct light upwards, producing an intense display of brilliance across the watch's surface.

The white-gold watch incorporates 297 diamonds with a combined weight of approximately 80 carats. Its elaborate setting extends across the case and bracelet, while the movement's two prominent tourbillon apertures remain visible.

The mechanical centrepiece consists of two flying tourbillons connected through a differential mechanism. This arrangement combines the operation of the two regulating systems, adding a significant technical dimension to a watch otherwise dominated by its extraordinary diamond setting.

Rather than treating the mechanical movement as a secondary feature, Jacob & Co. gives its twin tourbillons a prominent role within the overall composition. The contrast between the exposed mechanisms and the surrounding diamonds defines the character of the design.

The nominated edition is limited to just six examples, with an approximate price of CHF 3,400,000.

Piaget Flowing Curves Cuff Watch: Sculptural White Gold and Australian Black Opals

Piaget approaches the Jewellery category from a different direction, focusing on sculptural design and the natural colours of ornamental stones rather than mechanical complications.

The Flowing Curves Cuff Watch draws on the brand's long tradition of unconventional jewellery watches, particularly the bold cuff designs that became an important part of Piaget's creative identity during the late 1960s.

Its substantial white-gold bracelet has an irregular, flowing structure decorated with fragments of Australian black opal. The stones display shifting colours that contrast with the brightness and texture of the precious metal.

The dial is also fashioned from black opal, integrating the time display into the wider jewellery composition. The irregular arrangement of the stones gives the watch an organic appearance, with the flowing lines of the bracelet creating a sense of continuous movement.

Unlike several other nominees, the Flowing Curves Cuff Watch uses a quartz movement. The relatively simple mechanism allows attention to remain on the artistic execution, materials and unusual bracelet architecture.

The watch demonstrates Piaget's ability to combine traditional jewellery craftsmanship with a distinctly contemporary design language, turning a functional timepiece into a sculptural accessory.

Its approximate price is CHF 600,000.

GPHG 2026 Jewellery Watch Prize: Which Creation Stands Out?

The six nominees demonstrate how differently established watchmaking houses interpret the relationship between fine jewellery and timekeeping.

Bvlgari combines a recognisable historical design with modern automatic watchmaking, while Chopard conceals an entire mechanical timepiece within an elaborate pendant. Dior turns its automatic winding rotor into a decorative feature, and Franck Muller incorporates gemstone-set flowers into a skeletonised movement.

At the more extravagant end of the category, Jacob & Co. pairs approximately 80 carats of diamonds with two flying tourbillons. Piaget, meanwhile, relies on sculptural goldwork and the natural appearance of black opals to create an equally distinctive result.

The diversity of the shortlist makes the Jewellery Watch Prize particularly interesting. Technical sophistication, originality, traditional craftsmanship and the selection of precious stones all contribute to the character of the competing designs.

The winner will be announced during the 26th GPHG awards ceremony, scheduled for 7 November 2026 at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva. Until then, all six creations remain contenders for one of the watch industry's most prestigious jewellery distinctions.