Primary Engineer announces new partnership with Christopher Ward
We are thrilled to announce that Christopher Ward have joined us as a partner in the “If you were an engineer what would you do?” Competition for pupils 3 – 19 across London and as a partner for the national Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal!
As a regional partner in London on our Leaders Award competition, pupils from ages 3-19 will discover the engineering genius of all things Horological and then they will answer the question “If you were an engineer, what would you do?”.
Pupils aged 3-19 across the UK submit tens of thousands of entries brimming with creativity and ingenuity. The competition encourages pupils to interview engineers, fostering connections and sparking curiosity. Pupils then use these interviews to identify innovative solutions to real-world problems, building communication and writing skills through an annotated illustration and crafting a persuasive letter that explains their ideas. All submitted entries are read and graded by professional engineers, with every single pupil who takes part receiving a named and graded certificate. Pupils build lasting memories at regional public exhibitions and awards ceremonies where their incredible, innovative ideas are celebrated in the summer term.
But it doesn’t stop there! Christopher Ward are also a partner for our Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal where a pupil’s engineering idea will go from paper to reality, in a journey of pure innovation.
From the tens of thousands of pupils who answer the question “If you were an engineer, what would you do?”, selected ideas are brought to life by Industry and University Prototeams, which are made up of students, early careers engineers and industry professionals from their Industry and University Partners. These ProtoTeams are tasked with turning a pupil’s idea into reality, and they collaborate with the pupils throughout, taking their idea from a piece of paper to a physical working prototype.
Completed prototypes are unveiled to the pupil, school and general public in the summer term at the competition regional award ceremony. Before being submitted for consideration in the prestigious Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal, supported by The MacRobert Trust.
The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal celebrated it’s third year in 2024, with the Official Award Ceremony being hosted at Barony Hall, Glasgow. 24 prototypes were built, 17 were shortlisted and 10 were awarded medals. The judging panel consisted of some of the most senior figures in the engineering industry, who deliberated over every applicant. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were handed out at the award ceremony as we celebrated their amazing achievements. Read more about this event here.
Details about our 2025 Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal event will be published closer to the time so keep an eye out!
Susan Scurlock said “The innovation and sheer beauty of the work of Christopher Ward resonates so perfectly with the quality and diversity we see in the ideas of young people leading to the outstanding innovation on display at the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medals. We are delighted to be partnering with Christopher Ward.”
Christopher Ward are passionate about supporting causes they care about through their 2% for GOOD initiative, huge thank you for their support.
Mike France, CEO and co-founder, Christopher Ward, said: “Engineering and innovation drives progress – something that is fundamental to our DNA at Christopher Ward. That’s why we’re delighted to be partnering with Primary Engineer to inspire young minds, spark curiosity in watchmaking, and perhaps even help shape the future of our industry.”
About Christopher Ward
Christopher Ward is an English-Swiss watch company and the UK’s largest watch brand. Since its inception in 2004, Christopher Ward has defied industry norms, becoming the first premium watch brand to operate exclusively online, offering exquisitely hand-crafted, Swiss-made mechanical watches at previously unheard-of prices.
Christopher Ward boasts a global customer base spanning over 100 countries. Known for its trailblazing style of watchmaking, the brand created the first commercially viable mechanical watch movement by a British brand in over five decades, the renowned Calibre SH21. In 2023, Christopher Ward’s innovative approach was honoured with the Petite Aiguille Award at The Grand Prix D’Horlogerie De Genève (GPHG) for its chiming watch, the Bel Canto. The success continued with lifestyle outlet T3 naming it Brand of the Year in 2024.