What Was Tudor Doing At GPHG 2020?

The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève was held on November 12th this year, and as has been the case for the last 19 years, the event showcased the absolute bleeding edge of watch design and movement innovation. It’s the kind of awards show where you can’t swing a bat without hitting a few tourbillons. Yet amongst the Audemars Piguets and Vacheron Constantines, the GPHG also honored a more understated watch brand compared to its compatriots: Tudor.

TUDOR: A ROLEX ENVOY?  

Of course, Tudor’s win wasn’t a huge surprise. Rolex doesn’t submit watches for consideration of the GPHG, but it does let kid brother Tudor offer up its references for review. Predictably, GPHG gives a courteous nod to Rolex via Tudor by honoring its watches in the Petite Aiguille Prize (watches priced between CHF 4,000 and 10,000) or the Challenge Prize (watches under CHF 4,000). For the last several years, Tudor has managed to earn a spot among the haute couture watchmakers, albeit at the lower end of the price range. 

THE NAVY BLUE TUDOR BLACK BAY 58 WINS THE GPHG 2020 CHALLENGE PRIZE

Sure, Tudor took a beloved BB58 and reimagined it in a new color, but judging from its sales numbers, that simple design alteration had a lot of fans. The GPHG had to honor the design and craftsmanship of the BB58, even if only to make up for the fact that the original release of the Black Bay 58 wasn’t similarly recognized. (Of course, it’s hard to trust the GPHG when it also awarded a Challenge Prize in 2019 to the head-scratchingly odd Tudor P01, but to each their own.) 

THE FUTURE OF TUDOR AND THE GPHG 

As it has done since 2016, Tudor will continue to submit watches for consideration in the Challenge Prize, and GPHG will continue to award them with it. Tudor’s first win was in 2016 with the Heritage Black Bay Bronze, and it won again in 2017 with the Black Bay Chrono. It was skipped over in 2018 but took home a prize in 2019 and in 2020. We predict that Tudor will submit the fêted Tudor Royal in 2020 and may even bring home a three-peat win.   

GIVE YOUR TUDOR A PRIZE-WINNING LOOK  

It’s somewhat reassuring that even the gods of horology at the GPHG can’t resist Tudor...and honestly, neither can we. To update and personalize your Tudor, try an Everest Bands rubber strap for Tudor watches. Our watch bands are carefully designed for individual reference, so you’ll have a perfectly fitting aftermarket strap. Just wait for the compliments to roll in, so you can smugly explain that you have an award winning watch on your wrist. Good luck pronouncing the name of the foundation that gave the award, though.