At the F.P.Journe manufacture in Geneva, the 2026 Young Talent Competition crowned 27-year-old Shin Ohno for his creation, “Fuyu-Geshiki“. The competition, founded in 2015 and supported by The Hour Glass, seeks the next generation of independent watchmakers and gives them more than applause: a diploma and a CHF 50,000.- grant to buy tools or fund a project.
Ohno’s piece is inspired by the winter landscape of Nagano and unites a grande and petite sonnerie, a quarter repeater, and a tourbillon. There is ambition here, but also discipline. He designed the movement himself, manufactured the components in his own workshop, and worked without a base movement. In short, no shortcuts and no safety net.
The jury looked for technical achievement, complex realization, quality of craft, and aesthetic sense. “Fuyu-Geshiki” answered with clear intent: a movement architecture that makes sense to the eye, careful work on acoustics, and thoughtful choice of materials and finishes. The kind of honesty you hear before you even see it.
The award was presented by Michael Tay, Managing Director of The Hour Glass, and François-Paul Journe, with jury members and former winners in attendance. This year’s jury gathered Andreas Strehler, Giulio Papi, Marc Jenni, Michael Tay, Elizabeth Doerr, and François-Paul Journe.
Competitions can be noisy. This one prefers signal over volume. By putting real independence on stage and funding the bench, F.P.Journe and The Hour Glass keep the focus where it belongs – on the work.
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