"Time Dress Code 2009" Competition
Antoine Preziuso rewards the winners of the "Time Dress Code" competition
At a time when everyone is wondering about the future of luxury goods and the challenge of creativity, the prestigious watchmaker from Geneva, Antoine Preziuso wished to join with the Geneva School of Applied Arts with the launch of a novel competition. The students were set the task of adorning a watchcase from Antoine Preziuso's collection using their own interpretation of the subject of "Time Dress Code". A jury composed of personalities met in Geneva in April to designate the winners.
An original initiative: 9 young students in their 2nd year of the jewellery workshop at the Centre de Formation Professionnelle Arts Appliqués (Professional Training centre for Applied Arts) in Geneva, were invited by the watchmaker Antoine Preziuso to take part in the "Time Dress Code" competition. The complete opposite of a classic dress code was used and for the occasion of this exercise in style, the conventional rules and uses were abandoned to innovation and creation. The three criteria defined within the framework of the competition were aesthetics, technicality and originality. The student jewellers worked for several weeks to dress this case dreaming up the face, hands, index, bracelet and crown. An extremely rich collection emerged by its diversity, with original processes, new ways of telling the time and surprising faces, as well as very evocative names.
From their boundless imagination surprising concepts were born.
The winners
1st prize: "Endless" by Cide Costa Edir
"Endless". © Antoine Preziuso
Telling the time, the top half of the face, very strict and precise from 8 till 5, recalls working hours that are often watched very closely. On the bottom half of the face, the hours fall away, leaving more space and freedom for time.
2nd prize: "Elara" by Ebiner Valérie
"Elara". © Antoine Preziuso
Elara, satellite of Jupiter. The movement of the circle mounted with a ruby cabochon that rotates on itself and around the circle mounted with diamonds tells the time. The position of the circle mounted with a ruby cabochon gives the hour, and the position of the ruby indicates the minutes.
Joint 3rd prize: "Hidden face of time" by Baehler Tiffany
"Hidden face of time". © Antoine Preziuso
The poem, about time, disappears below the abbreviated numbers to show that the passing time is uncontrollable, invisible, secret and cannot be held sway.
Joint 3rd prize: . de vue by Infante Laura
". de vue ". © Antoine Preziuso
Adaptation of Braille and touch, yielding a vivid and visual watch face. Pink sapphires are mounted in Braille at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock. Pink sapphires are mounted on the case visualizing 5, 10, 20, 25, 35, 40, 50 and 55 minutes.
All these works were discovered by the public at a private exhibition by Antoine Preziuso at the Four Seasons des Bergues in Geneva in January 2009. For the occasion, the public could vote for the creation of their choice. These votes were added to that of the jury which took place in April. Led by Antoine Preziuso, the jury, made up of key figures from the world of contemporary art, journalism and teaching, saw these watchmaking creations parade before them. If the jury's attention was focused on all the pieces shaped with creativity and ingenuity, they also had the pleasure of discovering each student dressed in the image of their timepiece. Let us not forget the subject was "Time Dress Code".
At the end of the competition, of which the aim, amongst others, was to raise the student's awareness of the professional world, the laureates will have the chance to join the Antoine Preziuso workshops in Arare for a week to discover the world of fine watchmaking. The lucky winner, Edir Cide Costa, has also won a cultural weekend for two in an historical European town of his choice. As for the other three, they will receive a cheque to treat themselves to some jeweller’s tools.
Antoine Preziuso declared "through this competition I wished to give the young students a chance right at the start of their careers, so that they realize as early as possible the pleasure a creative profession can bring. They have thus been through all the stages of a project: the imagination, the drawing, the elaboration then the exhibition of the work where they are confronted with criticism, then the appreciation of the public.
It was a real pleasure being able to share this adventure with these promisingly talented young jewellers full of audacity and to pass on my passion as an independent".
The others participants (in French only)
Ashura
"Ashura". © Antoine Preziuso
Le personnage manga du cadran, reprend le style bd avec cette découpe bien nette de la silhouette, et jouant avec le contraste gris blanc.
Les cornes du boîtier ont été supprimées et remplacées par un rail avec une découpe poursuivant le style manga.
Les aiguilles et le bracelet rouges sont un clin d’œil au « dress code » japonisant et souvent coloré des soirées manga.
Parnigoni Justine
La roue du temps
"La roue du temps". © Antoine Preziuso
La roue perpétuelle du temps. Un cycle imperturbable où l’homme ne peut intervenir.
La roue tourne sur elle-même et les indications de l’heure sont en chiffres romains pour les 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 et 11 heures. Pour les 3, 6, 9 et 12 heures, la lecture se fait sur les rayons de la roue
Chaque trait, sur la circonférence de la roue, représentent un quart d’heure.
Miller Ivanoé
Destroy time
"Destroy time". © Antoine Preziuso
La corrosion du temps qui passe.
Un esprit trash et résolument moderne dans sa technicité qui évoque la dureté et la brutalité du monde qui nous entoure.
Melcher Mickaël
Day & night
"Day & night". © Antoine Preziuso
Le cadran est constitué d’un disque transparent avec un point noir indiquant l’heure.
Le cercle central, tournant sur lui-même, indique les minutes.Sur ce cercle sont sertis des diamants. Un diamant correspond à 10 minutes.Les minutes se lisent sur midi.
Lorsque l’heure passe sur 3, 6, 9 et 12 heures, une éclipse se crée.
Su Mo
Dat-time
"Dat-time". © Antoine Preziuso
L’heure poursuit son cycle et nous apparaît tout au long de nos journées citadines sur des objets de communication ou de travail.
La date situe et précise le temps.
La montre « date time » prime la lecture de la date, mais laisse apparaître l’heure ; disque tournant sur lui-même ; par une fenêtre. L’aiguille des minutes est bien présente sur le cadran.
Une autre fenêtre rappelle le jour et la nuit.
Centeno Maxime