Jaquet Droz President and Creative Director Manuel Emch and Bengt Brümmer, winner of the Jaquet Droz Prize for Design

Jaquet Droz, the elite Swiss watch manufacturer, is pleased to announce Bengt Brümmer, as the winner of the inaugural Jaquet Droz Prize for Design. Jaquet Droz partnered with Parsons The New School for Design, a global leader in art and design education, to select the undergraduate student who best embodies the spirit and ideals of Jaquet Droz.

The winner was judged by a group that included Jaquet Droz President and Creative Director Manuel Emch, Chief Curator of the Museum of Arts and Design David McFadden, renowned product designer Dror Benshetrit, gallery owner Marc Benda, Whitewall Magazine President Michael Klug, and Parsons Associate Professors Peter Wheelwright and Ken Stevens.

Mr. Brümmer, a Product Design student, stood out in a talented field of submissions with works like the “Pop Bottle” and the “Flameless Cooker”, designed to help in disaster relief efforts. He was awarded the top prize of $5,000.

“Jaquet Droz Prize for Design enables us to give back to the design community by supporting an up and coming designer. This award honors a student who has shown creative execution, technical mastery and an appreciation for craftsmanship.” says Manuel Emch. “I am impressed with Mr. Brümmer’s work and believe he possesses the talent and vision to reshape the future of design, just as Jaquet Droz is redefining the landscape of fine timepieces.”

About Jaquet Droz:

Jaquet Droz Manufacture is situated in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, in the same location that Pierre Jaquet Droz chose to establish his company in 1738. Specializing in the Art of Watchmaking, Jaquet Droz has developed the concept of limited production quantities and unique pieces. The dial of the watch represents the DNA of the brand, while the Grande Seconde model, inspired by the 1791 timepiece, is its icon.

Eight years after the company was acquired by the Swatch Group, its success is undeniable. Within the Group, the Manufacture is resolutely positioned within the luxury and prestige segment of the market and is now established throughout the world. Manuel Emch, President and head of artistic creation, has set himself the mission of cultivating this spirit of excellence and innovation, while continuing to communicate the core values of emotion and poetry to collectors. The connection between the Age of Enlightenment and the third Millennium is at the heart of the brand’s creative inspiration. For more information, please log on to www.jaquet-droz.com.

About Parsons The New School for Design:

Parsons The New School for Design has been a pioneer in art and design education for more than a century. Based in New York but active around the world, the school offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the full spectrum of design disciplines. Critical thinking and collaboration are at the heart of a Parsons education. An integral part of The New School, Parsons builds on the university’s legacy of progressive ideals, scholarship, and pedagogy. Parsons graduates are leaders in their respective fields, with a shared commitment to creatively and critically addressing the complexities of life in the 21st century. For more information, please visit www.parsons.newschool.edu.