Students reinterpret TAG Heuer’s Monaco

by eyetee | November 1, 2010 12:00 am

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Students and master watchmakers will sit side-by-side as part of TAG Heuer’s collaboration with Parsons, The New School for Design.

The eight-week ‘Art of Watchmaking’ design competition will have students reinterpreting the Monaco Automatic Chronograph, while learning the nuances of haute horology. Three winning pieces will be selected and one will be produced as a limited-edition watch.

This is the first time TAG Heuer has collaborated with students to redesign a watch.

“The Monaco chronograph embodies the daring, forward-thinking, confident spirit that has propelled TAG Heuer for 150 years,” said Ulrich Wohn, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of TAG Heuer North America. “This piece is the perfect marriage of vintage sex appeal and modern coolness, and is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago. Through our partnership with Parsons, one of the most prestigious design schools in the world, we have found an unparalleled platform for celebrating our passion for revolutionizing timekeeping and commitment to craftsmanship and evocative design.”

Twenty-six junior-level Parsons students will work on the project, which began in September. They were given the task of interpreting all aspects of the Monaco, including the material choice, as well as colour and design of the dial, subdials, hands, indexes, and folding buckle. Each team will render 100 original designs, which will be narrowed down into one final design.

“Parsons has a rich tradition of partnering with—and introducing our students to—companies at the leading edge of design,” said the school’s dean, Joel Towers. “Through our programs with LVMH and its brands, Parsons takes the creativity and innovation of our talented students, and applies it to the kinds of challenges they will face in the future as professional designers.”

A panel of executives from TAG Heuer, its parent company LVMH Moët Hennessey Louis Vuitton, and others will judge the completed designs. The public will also be able to vote for its favourite take on the Monaco on TAG Heuer’s Facebook page.

Source URL: https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/news/students-reinterpret-tag-heuers-monaco/

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