About the Programme
The programme intends to promote the skill and craftmanship of decorative watchmaking utilising the expertise of The King’s Foundation paradigm of educational delivery. The partnership will benefit from the savoir-faire of Maison des Metiers d’Art Cartier, and explore the creative and technical interface between skills, materials, making, and design.
The programme will be a postgraduate-level training programme that is much-needed in the UK’s educational landscape, where design and making are prized in equal measure. With a focus on excellence, we will prepare our students to enter the workplace with skills, design, and industry insight, or elevate the skills of an early career jeweller or decorative watchmaker. Through discussions with industry, we have identified the specific needs and gaps in training across the UK. The programme will focus on materials exploration and skills development in two main areas, champleve and grisaille enamel, along with additional development in creative artisanal processes and materials associated with the luxury watchmaking industry.
Students will be taught by artisans from Cartier’s Maison des Metiers d’Art, both at our headquarters, Dumfries House in Scotland, and during two week-long residencies in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Teaching day-to-day will be overseen by our in-house experts and guided by performance review and feedback.
Students are supported with cost-of-living expenses through a monthly bursary of £1,500 paid on the 20th of each month. Tuition costs, materials and travel to Cartier premises, Switzerland are also covered.
Students will have the opportunity to make their own accommodation arrangements or select shared accommodation on-site at Dumfries House with rent deducted directly from the bursary.
Programme Structure
Teaching will be five days per week over the seven-month period with a two-week break at Christmas. Students will spend five months on technical development and the final two months on the final project.
Phase 1: Materials Exploration and Skills Development
- Introductory week at Dumfries House.
- Orientation of the site, House visit, creative workshops, and team building.
- Craft discovery week in Switzerland at the Maison des Métiers d’Art Cartier in La Chaux-de-Fonds
- Explore enamel materials and process through workshops and professional practice
- Visit to Highgrove Estate
- Creative workshops in wider skills such as wood and straw marquetry. Sacred Geometry, drawing and design development, rooted in The King’s Foundation’s philosophy of Harmony
- Performance review and feedback
Phase 2: Skills Elevation and Refinement
- Skills refinement through teaching, demonstration and practice
- Technical briefs set
- Design development through inspiring visits and workshops
- Mentoring from industry experts and artisans
- Performance review and feedback
Phase 3: Personal Discovery and Presentation
- Final Brief set by Maison Cartier and The King’s Foundation
- Personal Discovery Brief and portfolio preparation
- Creation of a portfolio of finished items showing creative and technical innovation
- Mentoring from industry experts and artisans
- Presentation at Dumfries House or at one of the sites of The Kings’ Foundation
Location
The Programme will take place at The King’s Foundation headquarters at Dumfries House, East Ayrshire, Scotland. Students are required to relocate to Scotland for the duration of the programme. There will be some overnight travel required as part of the programme.
Dumfries House is approximately a 30-minute drive from Ayr or Kilmarnock, with bus routes available to the estate’s outskirts. Please note that travelling by public transport will also require a short walk of around 20 minutes to reach the Textile Centre location.
Nearby towns such as Cumnock, Auchinleck, New Cumnock, or Ochiltree may also provide accommodation options. Access to a car may be beneficial for those living in more remote locations.
Glasgow is another option, located around one hour by car. Trains and buses are available, but services may be limited. The nearest train station is Auchinleck.
How to apply
Applications will open on Monday 27th April 2026. Check back to this page for a link to the online application form.
Application will close on Friday 12th June 2026
In-person interviews will take place at Dumfries House week commencing 22nd June 2026
This programme is open to UK Citizens and those with the Right to Work in the UK.
Who can apply?
This programme is open to recent graduates (within 5 years) and early career practitioners (within 2 years of the startup)
- BA Jewellery Design / Manufacturing /Silversmithing
- BA Applied Arts / Crafts /Metalwork and Jewellery
- Early career practitioner in the decorative arts, metalwork or jewellery sector
Selection criteria for interview
We are looking for motivated individuals with excellent technical skills, a clear understanding of the translation from design to outcome. Attention to detail and a desire to learn fine skills to an exceptional level. An ambition to develop a career in decorative jewellery and watchmaking in the UK industry.
Video submission
Applicants should submit a short video (maximum 2 minutes) introducing themselves, their practice, and their personality. The video should summarise your application and explain why you are motivated to undertake an intensive training programme.
Please talk through a key piece from your portfolio, reflecting on technical process, skills, design development, and creative influences. We would also like you to outline areas of technical skill and design that you would like to develop, and how you feel this programme could support your career development.
- Tips for recording:
- Record on a phone or laptop in a well-lit, quiet environment
- Face the camera directly
- Use notes only as prompts, not a script
- Relax and let your personality come through
Videos should be submitted as an MPEG 4 file via WeTransfer using this link (or by sending to DH.education@kings-foundation.org). Please ensure your name is in the title of the video and mark your email ‘The King’s Foundation and Cartier: Decorative Metiers d‘Art in Watchmaking’.
Written submission
Please include a short-written piece that shares with us your perspective on luxury craftsmanship. This could reference a designer, collection, or brand that inspires you. Please explain:
- Why you have chosen this example
- How you would interpret its qualities in your own practice
- How you might translate these ideas through silhouette, movement, colour, texture, and material
Portfolio submission
Your portfolio should include 15 pages showcasing your inspiration, creative process, technical skills, and final projects.
We would like to see:
- Research and design development (mood boards, drawings, influences)
- Work in progress, prototypes, and samples
- Finished outcomes demonstrating precision and finish
- A clear visual identity that reflects your personal style
- Annotations to explain your work, inspirations, and decision-making
We are particularly interested in how your work has progressed over time and how you approach problem-solving in design and making.
Application will open via the online form on Monday 27 April 2026.
Videos should be submitted as an MPEG 4 file via WeTransfer via WeTransfer using this link (or by sending to: DH.education@kings-foundation.org)
Please ensure your name is in the title of the video and mark your email ‘The King’s Foundation and Cartier: Decorative Metiers d‘Art in Watchmaking’.
Shortlisting and interviews
A shortlist of candidates will be selected by a panel consisting of The King’s Foundation’s Directors, Managers and industry partners. A shortlist will be reviewed, and the final selection invited to interviews in person. If successful at interview, candidates will be notified approximately one week beforehand, subject to references and checks.
Interviews will take place at Dumfries House, Dumfries House Estate, East Ayrshire, Scotland, KA18 2NJ
Please contact DH.education@kings-foundation.org if you have any questions.
