In a glittering ceremony last night at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, Louis Vuitton unveiled Raúl Pagès as the triumphant recipient of the inaugural Louis Vuitton Watch Award for Independent Creatives, cementing its status among the pioneers of independent watchmakers.
Pagès comes from Neuchâtel in Switzerland and is known worldwide for his fascinating machine “Tortue”. In 2012 he transformed his craft from a restorer of watchmaking masterpieces to an independent watchmaker.
A strong believer in the “George Daniels Method” described in the Watch Bible WatchmakingPagès carefully handcrafts around four timepieces every year. The award-winning masterpiece, his RP1 – Régulateur à détente, is a hand-wound steel wristwatch with a striking construction and a caliber equipped with a pivoting escapement.
Pagès expressed his gratitude for the award, stating: “Being honored by the jury of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives is the best possible recognition of my work as an independent watchmaker.”
Created by Jean Arnault, the House’s Watch Director, the award represents a commitment to excellence in watchmaking and craftsmanship. Beyond celebrating creative brilliance, Arnault sees the award as an inspiring beacon for future generations of watchmakers.
The first edition of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives, which attracted nearly 1,000 entries from independent watch designers, artisans and entrepreneurs from around the world, was enlisted to judge by an international committee of watch experts. The criteria included design and aesthetics, creativity and boldness, technical innovation, detail and workmanship, and complexity.
The high-profile jury, led by Michael Tay, President of the Jury and Group Managing Director of The Hour Glass in Singapore, included luminaries such as Carole Forestier-Kasapi, Movement Director at TAG Heuer, collector Auro Montanari (aka John Goldberger) and independent watchmaker Rexhep Rexhepi and Jiaxian Su, founders of SJX Watches.
Pagès’ triumph was celebrated with a graceful, spiral-shaped silver trophy inspired by a balance wheel. The trophy, engraved with his name, was presented in a Louis Vuitton trophy chest decorated with Monogram canvas and made in the house’s historic studio in Asnières. A hand-painted “V” on the trunk symbolizes “Victory Voyages in Louis Vuitton.”
While the original trophy will find its home at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, Pagès was also presented with a live engraved replica during the ceremony. In addition to the trophy, he will gain access to a mentorship program from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.
Louis Vuitton took control of La Fabrique du Temps in 2014, acquiring the skills of master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini and a state-of-the-art facility in Meyrin, Switzerland, covering 4,000 square meters.
Through the mentoring program, Pagès gains access to tailored advice from a dedicated team of experts, including watchmakers, engineers and craftsmen, providing a unique opportunity to combine creativity with commercial success.
