“This evening, we celebrate all the collectors who buy a watch believing it will be their last.” Aurel Bacs’s knack for a memorable phrase remains as sharp as ever. As he opened the second edition of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives alongside his Phillips colleague Alex Ghotbi, the auctioneer highlighted the growing prominence of independent watchmakers.
The momentum behind them is nothing new. It can be traced back to the 2000s, when the market developed a strong appetite for emerging independent brands such as MB&F, Richard Mille, and Greubel Forsey. Over time, the spotlight shifted to a new wave of independent creators, including more seasoned figures like Dufour, Voutilainen, F.P. Journe, and Ballouard. In the past five years, a younger generation has taken the stage, with names like Théo Auffret, Aaron Becsei, Cyril Brivet-Naudot, Sylvain Pinaud, and Raúl Pagès gaining increasing attention.
The purpose of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize? To push this movement even further by recognizing today the talents of tomorrow—effectively, a fourth generation of independent watchmakers.
“We are casting a wide net for talent”
“Independent watchmaking has a character all its own,” Jean Arnault explains. “Consider vintage watches: a model’s success or failure from one year to the next has little bearing on the brand overall. For a young independent watchmaker, however, even a single difficult year can be critical. They may face delays in delivering their pieces, lose clients, and ultimately risk disappearing altogether. The purpose of this Louis Vuitton initiative is to support them in their early stages and help them establish themselves,” adds the Louis Vuitton watch director.
“This is a project we had been working on since 2021, and we wanted it to be as open and global as possible. Watchmaking has traditionally been centered in Switzerland, or at least in Europe. Our ambition was to uncover new talent far beyond those borders, including individuals who may not necessarily follow conventional watchmaking practices.”
More than 100 applicants, a single winner
The brief was more than met, with over a hundred watches submitted—although the presence of very young candidates, some having produced only a single piece, alongside a long-established figure of haute horlogerie such as Bernhard Lederer, whose career spans 45 years, may raise a few eyebrows.
A panel of 64 experts carried out the preselection. From there, five jurors awarded the one and only prize—there are no second or third places in the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize—to one of the five finalists, representing China, France, Switzerland, and Japan (with two contenders).
A tightly contested decision
“It was far from straightforward,” says Carole Forestier-Kasapi, Director of Movements Development at TAG Heuer. “The morning deliberations lasted two hours. We quickly agreed on eliminating the same two finalists, but when it came to the final three, it became much more complex. Instead of continuing with eliminations, we chose to assign points. It remained extremely close right up to the end.”
Ultimately, the prize went to the Hazemann & Monnin duo for their “School Watch,” featuring a jumping hour and passing strike. The workshop was founded ten years ago, when the two met at the Morteau watchmaking school. Despite its name, however, the brand is already well established, employing around fifteen people. It was awarded a €150,000 grant, along with a year-long mentorship from LVMH’s watchmaking division, led by La Fabrique du Temps and Louis Vuitton. The next ceremony is scheduled for 2028.
