UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 07 FEBRUARY 2019
BA (Hons) Horology alumni Tyler John Davies is celebrating after winning the Young Talent Competition 2019 for his ‘Equilibrium’ time piece - “An expression of the balance between two or more forces”.
Held at SIHH, Geneva, the Young Talent Competition prides itself on discovering the next generation of the most talented young watchmaking apprentices in the world. F.P.Journe, the Swiss high-end watch manufacturer, organises the competition with the support of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, and The Hour Glass luxury watch retailer from the Asia Pacific region.
The three companies aim to support the art of haute horology and the appreciation of horological craftsmanship. With competition entries from across the world, the jury was composed of key members of the international horological industry with the selection criteria based on technical achievement, the search for complexity in their work, and their sense of design and aesthetics.
Tyler received a diploma and grant from The Hour Glass which will allow him to purchase watchmaking tools. The event also gave him the opportunity to present his work at the SIHH in Geneva in front of a number of key industry contacts. This is the second time a Horology student has won the award; Anna-Rose Kirk received the prestigious prize in 2016. Afterwards, Tyler said:
“During this time I met many amazing people and visited some of the most prestigious manufacturers in Geneva, all treating me with warm hospitality. The preparation of the ceremony was quite a whirlwind, with the organisation of getting the clock to Geneva, setting it on the wall and presenting to the media, but it was all the more worthwhile and everyone involved enjoyed it thoroughly.”
Tyler went on to say: “I wanted the clock to be more than a timepiece, to draw people in, be expressive and portray a message. The idea of balance was always in my thoughts and it was consistent across all aspects of the design.”
“Inspired by our ultimate reality, this piece encompasses principles such as polarity, vibration and gender. This mechanism ultilises the laws of the universe, simultaneously reflecting its true nature and beauty in form.”
“I wanted to design and manufacture a mechanical clock with visible escapement. I included some of my own principles such as; the mechanism should be easily viewed, it should be specific and achievable. I made 90% of the components from raw material with use of both traditional and modern manufacturing techniques where suited.”
School of Jewellery Deputy Head and Horology Course Leader Jeremy Hobbins said:
“Really delighted that Tyler’s work completed on our BA Horology course at BCU has received such a tremendous accolade. This, along with the recognition Anna-Rose Kirk received in 2016 reinforces the value of the education we give. A wonderful boost for Tyler, now an Artist in Residence with us, as he develops his ideas for his next project and I look forward to supporting him to further successes.”