For the sixth time, a creation of the Russian "Konstantin Chaykin" watch manufacture was short-listed by the most prestigious international watchmaking competition, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2023. The Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin (Time-Eater) model, created in collaboration with the Swiss brand was nominated for the watchmaking Academy Award in the "Petite Aiguille" category.
Established in 2001, the yearly Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève celebrates and awards the most illustrious creations in the watchmaking world. Every year, several hundred highest-rated watches enter the competition, and only 20 receive the GPHG award.
This summer the 850 members of the GPHG Academy have made their decision and determined 90 pieces that will compete for the twenty awards. In every category, six most promising contestants were selected. The "Petitte Aiguille" category includes the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin watch, which will compete with the Octo Roma Automatic by Bulgari, the C1 Bel Canto by Christopher Ward London, the Chrono-Felix Top-Second by Habring2, the Magraph by Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès by Massena Lab and the Tudor Black Bay by Tudor.
The Time-Eater watch is a result of a collaboration between the Russian watchmaker and the Swiss brand, an artistic reimagining of several mythological and cultural images. The hour indicator, the dial located at 12 o'clock, is the spinning eye of a cyclops, and the smaller second dial located at 6 o'clock turned into a toothy maw, referencing Goya's paintings and Stephen King's "The Langoliers". The model was released in two version, in a 39mm case with a purple scale and in a 42mm case with a green one, both in limited editions of 178 pieces each.
In 2018 Konstantin Chaykin's Clown watch received the GPHG special "Audacity prize". Additionally, the Joker (2017), the Joker Automaton (2018) created in collaboration with the famous watchmaker Svend Andersen, the Minotaur (2021) and the Harley Quinn (2022) watches were also nominated.
The 23rd GPHG awards ceremony will take place in Geneve on November 9, 2023. The winners will be chosen by a jury of 30 people, which will convene behind closed doors a few days before the ceremony.