The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize elected to further its dedication to fostering talent (Photo: Louis Vuitton)
Louis Vuitton has announced the semi-finalists for the second edition of its Watch Prize for Independent Creatives, an initiative organised by its La Fabrique du Temps division in the service of supporting independent creators’ talents. This year’s shortlisted 20 were narrowed down from hundreds of submissions that included designers, entrepreneurs and recent graduates from across the globe in pursuit of cutting-edge innovation and traditional savoir faire.
Following the success of the inaugural competition in 2024, when Swiss watchmaker Raúl Pagès claimed victory, the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize elected to further its dedication to fostering talent and unique craftsmanship in the realm of horology through the 2025/26 instalment.
“An important aspect of watchmaking lies with independent creators who transform a singular vision into mechanical artistry,” says the maison’s watch director Jean Arnault. “The bold creations of the semi-finalists … are a testament to this spirit.”
Following this reveal, submissions of the successful participants will go on to be assessed by a panel of 65 experts this fall. Each timepiece will be judged based on design, creativity and audacity, technical innovation, details and finishes, as well as complexity, culminating in the unveiling of five finalists on Dec 14. Among those in consideration are Russian manufacture Anton Suhanov’s St Petersburg Easter Egg Tourbillon Clock, a luxurious historical piece filled with technical secrets; the dynamic and fantastically intricate Möbius wristwatch by Chinese maker Fam Al Hut; and from the Land of the Rising Sun, Daizoh Makihara’s Beauties of Nature, which captures the delicate beauty of traditional Japanese artistic techniques.
After a concluding round of presentations and interviews, the second edition’s champion will be crowned on March 24, 2026. The victor will receive a grant of €150,000 and a one-year mentorship tailored to the winner’s project from La Fabrique du Temps and Louis Vuitton’s experts.
This article first appeared on July 28, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
