A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION
Since its founding in 1847, Cartier has championed the preservation and transmission of its watchmaking expertise. To help train the next generation, the Maison inaugurated its Watchmaking Institute in Switzerland in 1993, providing courses in watchmaking, polishing, and micro-engineering. The Cartier Prize was a natural extension of this commitment, created in 1995 to support and guide emerging talents. According to Karim Drici, Senior VP and Chief Operating Officer, the prize acts as a "springboard" for watchmaking enthusiasts to express their vision and uphold the discipline's legacy of excellence.
A 2025 EDITION DEDICATED TO CHANGE
For this year's competition, candidates must create a new piece based on a pendulette (desk clock) movement, an iconic creation from the Maison. The theme "Changing the Balance" encourages participants to move beyond traditional time-telling methods and propose a personal interpretation that incorporates a movement expressing this concept. The theme echoes Cartier's recent unveiling of a new interpretation of the Tank à Guichets, a cult watch with no hands or dial that offers an unprecedented digital reading of time.
Submissions will be accepted from September 8 to October 31, 2025. A jury of five watchmaking experts, including vintage watch specialist Roy Davidoff and independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, will select twelve finalists in early December. The finalists will have three months to develop their prototypes, benefiting from individual mentorship from an expert of their choice. The awards ceremony will take place in the spring of 2026 at the Maison des Métiers d’Art in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
