Raul Pajes is the winner of the first edition of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. On February 6, at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, he was honored for his RP1 watch during the Régulateur à Détente evening, which took place in the presence of watch enthusiasts and experts.
Foster innovation, boldness and know-how to promote and support independent watchmaking. This project, dear to Jean Arnaud as he was head of the watchmaking department at Maison Louis Vuitton, resulted in the creation of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. A great first for the watch industry to see a major luxury brand highlighting the excellence of watchmaking and its exceptional craftsmanship.
Raoul’s victory Pages:
The prize for the first edition was awarded to Raúl Pajes. The watchmaking sees its RP1 -Regulateur à Détente, an exclusive timepiece that meets the most demanding standards of traditional watchmaking, crowned with success. The unique piece is a hand-winding watch entirely conceived and designed by the hands of Raoul Paget in his workshop in Les Brenets, a small village near Neuchâtel, Switzerland. It is equipped with an intense escapement, a highly technical solution, often considered the holy grail of precise chronometry, whose miniaturization in a wristwatch format is a rare feat. The modern and elegant timepiece is presented in a steel case that houses an ultra-fine dial whose dial display offers its own space for each of the hands that make up the hours, minutes and seconds. As the winner, Raoul Pajes will receive a year-long mentorship from the Swiss manufacturing house La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton to support him in the development of his creative work. Both technical and financial support (€150,000) in addition to marketing and strategy consulting to support the growth of its brand and the implementation of future projects.
Signed trophy
“Convincing the jury of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for independent creators is the greatest recognition for me as an independent watchmaker,” said Raoul Pajes, who was very excited after being announced as the winner. The winner was presented with an impressive silver trophy inspired by the balance spring, an important component of a watch’s mechanical movement, during an evening at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, notably in the presence of Bernard Arnault, his wife and his wife. the entire watchmaking industry. The award was personalized by Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton’s master engraver during the grand winner announcement and presented in a monogrammed canvas tote bag adorned with a black and white hand-painted “V” symbolizing the fact that “Victoire”- the A journey in Louis Vuitton”.
Award to support the future of independent creativity
Launched last year, the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize is one of the most exciting initiatives for independent creators to take place in fine watchmaking recently. Biennially, it aims to celebrate the creative talent, know-how and courage of the artisans and entrepreneurs of the independent watchmaking industry and to encourage future generations of watchmakers. “Watchmaking is not a dormant industry. it is not inaccessible. The younger generations of watch enthusiasts are passionate and eager to see new innovations in the market. This is why we want to create this initiative at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton,” said Jean Arnaud, founder of the award. “It is a charitable and independent initiative aimed at encouraging innovation in watchmaking and rewarding the best ideas,” he adds.
After announcing the creation of this prize, the house received nearly 1,000 applications, which were scrutinized by a committee of international experts, made up of distributors, collectors, journalists, artists, craftsmen, designers and other watchmaking enthusiasts. Based on the criteria of design and aesthetics, creativity and boldness, technical innovation, details, finishing and sophistication, five finalists and their creations were selected: Petermann Bédat (Gaël Petermann & Florian Bédat) and its Reference Rattrapante Chronograph 2941, Simon Brette and his Artisans. Chronometer, John-Mikaël Flaux and his Mechanical Abeille, Andreas Strehler (Andreas Strehler & Enrico Santoni) and his sympathetic Tischkalender and finally Raúl Pagès and his RP1 Relaxation controller.
Source: Le Figaro
