La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton has announced the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. That’s right, the French house wants to reward the horologically gifted for their creativity and savoir faire, as well as their independence and innovation.

The winner will receive a grant plus a one-year mentorship from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, tailored to make the most of their project. The talented recipient will also enjoy their own dedicated support team (is there an artist alive who doesn’t want this?), to help in various ways including copyright and legal aspects, communication, strategy, financial management of a brand, and communication. 

Louis Vuitton, known for its iconic trunks and handbags, and the kind of sunglasses you promise you won’t lose this time, got started with watches via its Tambour design in 2002 when it opened a workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland. The company acquired the Geneva watchmaking workshop La Fabrique du Temps in 2011.

Online submissions will open at the start of 2023 and last through May, with 50 industry experts selecting groups of semi-finalists and finalists in September and December. A committee of international experts will choose five finalists based on innovation, technical complexity, design, creativity, and craftsmanship. The winner will be announced during a special awards ceremony in January 2024 hosted by Louis Vuitton. 

Each candidate may apply once and submit only one creation, and they must have independently designed a timepiece that has been legally protected under a registered enterprise. Head here to start the application process. Go ahead and shoot your shot; the clock is ticking.