The King’s Foundation partners with Cartier to support decorative watchmaking skills

The King’s Foundation, a charity founded by King Charles III, has announced a three-year partnership with luxury jewellery house Cartier to form a new education programme to teach the next generation of specialist artisans for the watchmaking industry.

In a statement, The King’s Foundation said the move with Cartier was born of a “shared belief in the importance of preserving rare artistry crafts and supporting the next generation of talent,” and continues both organisations’ long tradition of promoting and supporting creative talent.

The King’s Foundation and Cartier: Decorative Métiers d’Art in Watchmaking bursary supports a new seven-month postgraduate programme. The curriculum consists of five months of formal training followed by two months of project-based work, with a specific focus on specialised techniques such as champlevé, grisaille and marquetry.

Jacqueline Farrell, executive director of education at The King’s Foundation, said: “At The King’s Foundation, we are passionate about protecting traditional crafts and we are delighted to be partnering with Cartier, who share this passion, on this exciting new education programme.

“This course will give students a rare opportunity to learn the highly specialised skills involved in the decorative arts for watchmaking. By nurturing the next generation of makers in two extraordinary settings in Scotland and Switzerland, we hope to ensure that these remarkable skills are preserved and developed for years to come.”

The King’s Foundation creates a new fellowship with Cartier to promote the skill and craftsmanship of decorative watchmaking

The fellowship is open to UK-based jewellery and watchmaking graduates or emerging designers in the first three years of running their business in the decorative arts, metalwork or jewellery sector who wish to add to their technical expertise.

The programme emphasises material exploration and professional skill development. Key components include workshops on enamel processes, as well as creative sessions in specialised techniques such as wood and straw marquetry. Participants will also refine their expertise through expert-led demonstrations and visits, practical application, and direct mentoring from industry leaders and master craftspeople from both organisations.

Successful applicants will receive a monthly bursary of 1,500 pounds to assist with living expenses, and all tuition fees, material costs, and travel to Cartier premises in Switzerland will also be covered.

Applications will open on 27 April via The King’s Foundation website. The inaugural cohorts are scheduled to undertake their studies from September 2026 to April 2027, culminating in a final project exhibition in Spring 2027.

The programme will take place at The King’s Foundation’s headquarters, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, with residential experiences delivered at Cartier’s Maison des Métiers d’Art in Switzerland.

Louis Ferla, president and chief executive of Cartier, added: “We are delighted to partner with The King’s Foundation on this important new fellowship programme. Support for creative talents in watchmaking and the métiers d’art is crucial to ensure these ancestral skills are transmitted to the next generation, where they can continue to share their singular beauty.

“This commitment reaffirms the Maison’s longstanding dedication to the shared human adventure of preserving, developing and, of course, celebrating these rare and traditional crafts.”