Thai watch fans are getting rare front-row access: Bangkok has been named one of just four cities worldwide to host the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Nomination Tour 2026. The exhibition runs from October 15 to 18 at The Forum inside Gaysorn Amarin on Phloenchit Road, and it is being hosted by The Hour Glass, the region's major luxury watch retailer.
On display will be 90 watches nominated for the 26th edition of the GPHG awards, often described as the Oscars of watchmaking. That includes contenders for the top honour, the Grand Prix de l'Aiguille d'Or, with the actual winners not revealed until the awards ceremony in Geneva on November 7. In other words, Bangkok visitors will see the shortlist before the world knows who wins.
The GPHG has spent more than two decades as one of the most respected honours in the watch industry, and its travelling exhibition normally touches only a handful of cities. This year's route links Bangkok with Mumbai, Geneva and London — and Bangkok's stop is now in its eighth consecutive year, a sign of how serious the Thai watch community has become. Collectors, enthusiasts and industry people have grown steadily more knowledgeable, and the country also has a flourishing independent watchmaking scene.
The 2026 edition brings notable changes to how watches are judged. The long-standing 'Men's' and 'Ladies' categories have been retired, replaced by Essential Watch and Complication Watch — a shift towards judging pieces on their technical achievement and purpose rather than gender. There is also a new Gem-set Watch category celebrating jewellery-setting as its own discipline, plus a wider spread of prizes honouring enduring design, innovation and contributions to the future of watchmaking.
Beyond the exhibition itself, The Hour Glass is putting together a curated programme of talks and events aimed at learning, discovery and community engagement, so visitors can go deeper than a simple browse past display cases.
For travellers, this is a genuinely uncommon opportunity. If you're passing through Bangkok in mid-October, a free afternoon at Gaysorn Amarin puts you among a small global audience that gets to see the year's most acclaimed timepieces outside Switzerland. The Phloenchit location is about as convenient as Bangkok gets — the mall sits directly above the BTS Phloenchit station, with the Ratchaprasong shopping district and its hotels within walking distance. Pair it with the neighbourhood's other attractions and you have an easy, low-effort cultural stop in the middle of a bigger city break.
With awards season buzz building towards Geneva in November, catching the nominated pieces in Bangkok means you'll know exactly which watches matter before the trophies are handed out.
