Breaking: The Winners of the Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow 28th Edition
Eleven young watchmakers from France, Switzerland, and Belgium unveiled visionary creations in La Chaux-de-Fonds, redefining how time is perceived through technical innovation, artistic craftsmanship, and creative storytelling.
By Sébastien Aeberli
Design, Content & Social Media
Reaffirming its commitment to nurturing future generations of watchmaking talent, Cartier’s 28th edition of the Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow was held today at the Maison des Métiers d’Art in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
Bringing together some of the most promising young watchmakers from across Europe, the prestigious competition began accepting submissions in September 2025 and challenged participants to rethink the very nature of time under the theme “Shifting the Balance: Reading and Understanding Time Differently.”
The event celebrated creativity, technical mastery, and innovation, showcasing remarkable projects that push the boundaries of traditional horology while preserving the excellence and craftsmanship for which Cartier is renowned.
A Historic Setting Inspiring Creative Visions of Time
For the first time, the Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow was held at the Maison des Métiers d’Art in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Founded in 2014, this center embodies Cartier’s commitment to preserving and advancing rare artistic crafts that bridge the worlds of watchmaking and jewelry. As a place where heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation converge, it provided an inspiring backdrop for a competition dedicated to reimagining how we perceive time.
Reflecting this spirit, the 28th Edition’s theme, “Shifting the Balance: Reading and Understanding Time Differently,” challenged participants to move beyond conventional approaches to timekeeping. Drawing inspiration from Cartier’s legacy of creative horology – including its mystery clocks and groundbreaking timepieces – the finalists explored concepts of suspension, balance, movement, and stillness. Their creations offered fresh and thought-provoking interpretations of time, transforming it from a simple measure into a richer and more emotional experience.
The finalists’ creations were evaluated by a distinguished jury composed of renowned figures from the watchmaking world, including Roy Davidoff, Pascale Lepeu, Nathalie Marielloni, Pascal Ravessoud, and the celebrated independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen. Their expertise ensured that each project was assessed not only for technical excellence but also for creativity, originality, and the ability to challenge traditional perceptions of time.
Reimagining Time: The Visionary Apprentice Watchmakers
The first place in the Apprentice Watchmakers category was awarded to Aymeric Peters of IATA, Namur, Belgium, for his Silence Choisi. This remarkable clock challenges traditional timekeeping by keeping its hands frozen until activated by a key-operated mechanism, symbolizing time as something consciously summoned rather than constantly perceived.
Inspired by historical clocks from the late-19th and early-20th centuries, the piece combines classical aesthetics with an innovative mechanical concept, transforming the simple act of reading time into a deliberate and poetic experience. By inviting the user to actively engage with the mechanism, Peters encourages a more thoughtful relationship with time, one that values presence over constant measurement.
Second place in the same category was jointly awarded to Layla Sluysmans, also from IATA, for Nymphéa, and Edouard Nicod from Lycée Edgar Faure in Morteau, France, for La Dualité Des Opposés.
Sluysmans’ creation takes the form of a mechanical water lily that gradually opens over a two-hour cycle, revealing its dial only when fully in bloom. This piece is meant to encourage viewers to slow down and appreciate the passage of time with greater mindfulness. Thus, the gradual unveiling of the dial transforms the reading of time into a contemplative ritual rather than an automatic gesture.
Nicod’s La Dualité Des Opposés explores the concept of equilibrium through an original reinterpretation of traditional watchmaking codes by making the visible movement the focal point of the composition and balancing it with a sculpted panther counterweight. The result is a captivating reflection on the relationship between motion and stillness, tension and harmony, offering a philosophical perspective on the nature of time itself.
Pushing Boundaries: Technical Innovation Meets Creative Expression
In the Technicians category, Arthur Choquet from Lycée Jean Jaurès in Rennes received the first-place prize for Un Instant, a creation inspired by Parisian architecture that reflects on the relationship between movement, memory, and the passage of time.
Drawing inspiration from Haussmann-style façades and historic Parisian streetlamps, the timepiece pays tribute to the city where Cartier was founded with its distinctive composition that explores the balance between stability and motion, inviting viewers to reflect on how time shapes both personal and collective history.
Second prize went to Adam Deroche from Lycée Diderot in Paris for Médusée, a captivating clock where fixed hands contrast with moving numerals, creating the illusion of frozen time.
Inspired by both the mythological figure Medusa and the nearly immortal jellyfish and created using a combination of ceramics, enamel, resin, and traditional watchmaking decoration techniques, this piece elegantly explores the paradox between permanence and transformation. The result is a visually compelling object that blurs the boundaries between sculpture, design, and horology
Third place was awarded to Adrien Stefenelli, also from Lycée Jean Jaurès, for Echo, an unconventional timepiece that replaces visual indicators with sound, encouraging users to experience time through auditory cues rather than constant observation.
Rather than displaying hours and minutes, the piece marks the passage of time through delicate chimes reminiscent of water droplets. Moreover, its bold architectural design creates a sense of suspension and imbalance, reinforcing the idea that time can be felt and experienced in ways that go far beyond traditional measurement.
Shaping the Future of Watchmaking
The six winners were rewarded with a Cartier watch and an exclusive immersion program at the Maison. Meanwhile, the first-prize recipients in both categories were also offered internship opportunities with Cartier. Beyond recognizing technical excellence, these distinctions celebrate the creativity, vision, and daring spirit that define the next generation of watchmakers.
Following another successful edition that showcased the remarkable talent of emerging watchmakers from across Europe, Cartier has announced that applications for the 29th edition of the Prize will open this autumn, with the introduction of a new Jewellery/Métiers d’Art category.
Continuing its mission to inspire and support the watchmakers of tomorrow, the competition remains a unique platform for young talents to express their creativity, demonstrate their technical expertise, and contribute to the future of contemporary horology.
For more information about Cartier, the Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow, and upcoming editions of the competition, visit Cartier’s website.