Only A Few Days Left To Apply For The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize
Independent watchmakers can apply for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize until April 15th. It will be the second edition of this competition that takes place every other year. For the last edition, more than 1,000 artisans submitted their creative projects. In the end, the jury selected the Régulateur à Détente RP1 watch from the Swiss Raúl Pagès. This watch with a pivoted detent escapement was crafted and finished entirely in-house by Pagès.
Louis Vuitton Watch Prize
The invitation to apply for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize is open to independent watchmakers worldwide. A dedicated team, in close collaboration with Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, will review all submissions. Then, the committee of watch experts, consisting of collectors, retailers, watch media, artists, designers, etc., will evaluate the 20 semifinalists. Selections are based on five criteria — design and aesthetics, creativity and audacity, technical innovation, details and finishing, and complexity. Importantly, watchmakers do not need to have an in-house movement to take part. All that is required is a mechanical timepiece (watch or time object) that has been marketed before the closing date of the application.
Jean Arnault
Louis Vuitton Watch Director Jean Arnault says, “At Louis Vuitton, creativity and savoir-faire are at the heart of everything we do — two values we share with independent watchmakers. The first edition of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize was a great success and demonstrated not only the House’s genuine commitment to nurturing these exceptional talents but also their ability to push the limits of horological craft. This prize offers a unique opportunity for these remarkable candidates to showcase their unique concepts and extraordinary creations.”
The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize timeline
After the application, the timeline is as follows:
In July 2025, Louis Vuitton Watch Prize organizers and a commission of international and independent watch experts will establish a shortlist of 20 semifinalists. Louis Vuitton will reveal the semifinalists online.
A few months later, in November 2025, the committee of experts will select five finalists based on the five previously mentioned criteria. At the same time, the committee members will have to vote for five members of the final jury among their peers to perform the final round of judging.
Next year, in February 2026, the five finalists for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives will gather to present their work to the final jury. The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize organization will announce the winner at a private reception hosted by them.
The winner of the second edition
The winner of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives will receive a grant of €150,000 and a one-year mentorship tailored to the needs of a creative project with Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini. A dedicated team of experts from Louis Vuitton and La Fabrique du Temps will support the winner in multiple aspects, including communication, copyright, and corporate legal aspects, as well as marketing, industrial strategy, and the financial management of a brand.
For further details, please visit Louisvuittonwatchprize.com.
