Announced: The Finalists For The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize For Independent Creatives 2025–2026

The final round of the second Louis Vuitton Watch Prize competition will commence in the spring of 2026. The initiative aims to support and celebrate independent watchmakers who challenge convention. It highlights creativity, technical mastery, and a strong personal vision. That’s not just a clever way of connecting the brand name to some serious horological street cred; it is also a commendable initiative to put the spotlight on some of the biggest up-and-coming talent.

The 2025–2026 Louis Vuitton Watch Prize attracted submissions from around the world. From these, 20 semifinalists were selected and evaluated by a committee of experts. This group included 65 collectors, enthusiasts, and industry professionals, including our very own RJ. The evaluation followed five criteria — design, creativity, innovation, craftsmanship, and technical complexity.

More than mere recognition

The winner of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize will be announced on March 24th, 2026, in Paris. The prize includes a €150,000 grant and a one-year tailored mentorship. Experts from La Fabrique du Temps and Louis Vuitton will provide the winner with additional guidance. The goal is practical support in knowledge and finances, not just symbolic recognition. Rest assured, then, that the stakes are high for the five finalists.

Join me for a quick overview of the five watchmakers and their creations.

Louis Vuitton Watch Prize nominee: Daizoh Makihara – Beauties of Nature

Daizoh Makihara has worked independently since 2017. His project, Beauties of Nature, reflects a strong connection between Japanese craft and watchmaking. The watch introduces an automatic petal mechanism that opens and closes at set intervals. It operates across two time displays, with separate 24-hour and 12-hour indications at 10 and 2 o’clock, respectively.

The hand-wound DM 02 movement also includes a perpetual moonphase indicator. It remains accurate to one day in 122 years. The dial marks a world first: Makihara uses Edo kiriko, a traditional Japanese cut-glass technique, to depict birds and cherry blossoms. Hand-engraved hemp-leaf patterns also appear on both sides.

Louis Vuitton Watch Prize nominee: Xinyan Dai – Möbius

Xinyan Dai founded Fam al Hut in 2024. His Möbius wristwatch features what is described as the most compact bi-axis tourbillon to date. The tourbillon’s cage follows a möbius-shaped structure and rotates on two axes. The other half of the watch replaces a traditional dial. It combines double retrograde displays with jumping hours. The lug-free case measures 42.2mm long and 24.3mm wide, keeping proportions restrained despite the complexity.

Each Möbius watch requires more than 200 hours of handcraftsmanship, something the jury will surely appreciate.

Louis Vuitton Watch Prize nominee: Hazemann & Monnin – School Watch

Victor Monnin and Alexandre Hazemann launched Hazemann & Monnin in 2024. Their School Watch pays tribute to the Morteau school of watchmaking. While the name might sound a bit casual, rest assured that the watch is anything but.

The 39.5mm case houses the HM01 caliber. The movement was conceived, manufactured, and finished entirely in-house. It avoids any existing architecture. Working in synchronization are two rare complications — a passing strike that chimes each hour and an instantaneous-jumping hour hand.

Louis Vuitton Watch Prize nominee: Bernhard Lederer – CIC 39 mm Racing Green

Bernhard Lederer is the most established name on the list. He has worked independently since 1985. His CIC 39 mm Racing Green showcases the first fully functional Dual Detent Escapement in a wristwatch. The movement uses twin escapements and dual remontoirs d’égalité to deliver constant energy.

Through the transparent case back, the architecture remains fully visible. The 212-component COSC-certified movement, which Lederer manufactures 98% in-house, uses double gear trains and constant-force mechanisms. On the front side, the matte green dial highlights the patented escapement and layered sub-dials with inverted seconds, housed inside a 39mm by 10.75mm rose gold case.

Louis Vuitton Watch Prize nominee: Quiet Club – Fading Hours

Quiet Club was founded in 2024 by Norifumi Seki, and the Fading Hours watch is conceived and handcrafted in Tokyo. It houses a mechanical movement made almost entirely in-house. The watch also features a unique alarm system. A vertically mounted hammer strikes the dial directly to produce sound. A single pusher controls all alarm functions, and a rotating bezel sets the alarm time. When inactive, the alarm hands remain hidden beneath the time display.

The 40mm titanium case measures 12mm thick and 44mm lug-to-lug. The manual-wind movement offers a 50-hour power reserve. All in all, Quiet Club presents a functional complication built around daily usability.

The jury

Louis Vuitton revealed not only the five finalists but also the final five jurors of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize. They were nominated by their peers within the Committee of Experts. Each brings a distinct perspective on contemporary watchmaking.

Carole Forestier-Kasapi serves as President of the Jury. She is Haute Horlogerie and Movements Strategy Director at TAG Heuer. Our colleague Frank Geelen represents independent media as the founder of Monochrome Watches.

The jury also includes Matthieu Hegi, Artistic Director at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. François-Xavier Overstake, founder of Equation du Temps, joins as a collector and enthusiast. Master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen completes the panel.

Closing thoughts

To be perfectly honest, I am glad that I am not part of the jury here. I would have a terribly hard time picking a winner out of these contestants.

I love the out-of-the-box thinking presented by Quiet Club. Then again, if I ask myself which I would most like to wear, it would be the Möbius. But Lederer is one of my favorite independent watchmakers. My head is spinning already, so let me take the cowardly way out and refer this one to the official jury. Good luck!

Which would be your winner out of these five? Let us know in the comments section below. We’ll be back to report on the proceedings of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives in the spring of 2026.