The Concours d'Élégance Horlogère offers the public a unique opportunity to discover rarely seen horological treasures, including some previously unknown. The 34 finalist watches will be presented to the public from 4 to 8 November in Geneva, before they return to their proud owners.
The event pays tribute to the heritage of watchmaking and celebrates the passion of enthusiasts and collectors from around the world.
“Dedicated to the world of watchmaking and specifically to Vacheron Constantin, this first Concours d'Élégance is a rare opportunity for our clients to share their passion for our Maison's creations. Our aim was to engage the community of Vacheron Constantin watch collectors and enthusiasts, and we have had a fantastic response, with an impressive number of entries in all seven categories. This includes watches that are not only remarkable but also rare and, in some cases, the only known example of their kind. The high number of entries and exceptional quality of the shortlisted watches presented the jury members with some real challenges in selecting the winners. There were some lively discussions!”
Christian SELMONI
“Driven by its own history, each watch on display has made this first Concours d'Élégance Horlogère truly remarkable. It is a dream for me to take part in such an event in our field of expertise. I was deeply moved to discover the number of entries, having been completely unprepared for such an enthusiastic response from the international community. As the quality of the watches was so exceptionally high, it proved almost impossible to weigh beauty against rarity, and incredibly difficult to strike the right balance between family history (inherent in a watch) and horological complexity. The jury nevertheless succeeded, which is a great achievement!”
Aurel Bacs
Watchmaking Treasures, Heirs to a Bygone Era
Vacheron Constantin and Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo announce the 34 finalist watches – five in each category – that will be exhibited at the Hôtel Président Wilson in Geneva from 4 to 8 November 2026, during the auction week organised by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo.
The seven winning watches selected by the jury will be revealed on 10 November at the Hôtel Président Wilson in Geneva during the official awards ceremony, which may also see an eighth prize, Best in Show – the Jury's Special Prize. At the initiative of Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo, the Vacheron Constantin Concours d'Élégance Horlogère is part of a wider initiative to showcase historic, vintage and neo-vintage timepieces, some of which are little known. This competition – a first in Haute Horlogerie – is a potent and highly engaging means for Vacheron Constantin not only to celebrate and preserve the richness of its history, but also to pay tribute to the international community of enthusiasts and collectors who keep it alive.
Following the announcement of the competition in early 2026, a total of more than 550 entries were submitted by their owners, comprising pocket watches and wristwatches created in the Maison's workshops between 1755 and 1999.
The competition comprises seven categories:
- Chronographs
- Métiers d'Art
- Chronomètre Royal
- Astronomical Complications
- Multiple Complications
- Design
- Chiming mechanisms
The close collaboration between Vacheron Constantin and Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo ensured that, under sworn supervision, the jury members made an individual and collective assessment of each of the candidate watches, revealing their deep knowledge of the field as well as their unrivalled technical expertise.
The submitted watches – more than 550 of them – were first carefully examined by Vacheron Constantin's master watchmakers and experts from the Heritage department. This initial phase verified the authenticity, eligibility, documentation or certification of each piece, as well as its suitability for the intended category.
Following this meticulous examination, the jury members were presented with an initial selection of 95 timepieces, chosen according to certain predefined criteria, such as the watch's history and rarity and its impact on the watchmaking industry in general and Vacheron Constantin in particular. The jury members scrutinised the 95 shortlisted watches in detail, before awarding points to their favourite pieces in each of the categories. The combined result of these assessments identified 34 finalists: the five watches ranked highest in each of the seven categories. Among these pieces, some are rare treasures, offering Vacheron Constantin a valuable opportunity to enrich its knowledge of the history of these timepieces and to supplement its archives.
The 34 Finalist Watches
Category: Chronographs
Pocket watch – 1929
RA movement, 19 lignes
Winding via the pendant
Time setting via a pusher
Single-push-piece chronograph with 30-minute counter
23 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Enamel dial
53 mm in diameter
Chronograph wristwatch – 1940
Calibre 295, hand-wound (13-ligne movement)
Chronograph with 45-minute counter
21 jewels
First 'modern' chronograph movement
Round steel case
Extremely rare 4072 steel
Silver dial with telemeter and 45-minute counter
34 mm in diameter
4072
Chronograph wristwatch – 1940
Calibre 295, hand-wound (13-ligne movement)
Chronograph with 45-minute counter
21 jewels
First 'modern' chronograph movement
Uniquely shaped round rose gold case
Silvered opaline dial
33 mm in diameter
4083
Chronograph wristwatch – 1947
Calibre 434, hand-wound (13-ligne movement)
Chronograph with 30-minute counter
19 jewels
Round rose gold case
Gold-coloured dial
35 mm in diameter
4178
Category: Métiers d'art
Wristwatch – 1950
Calibre 466, hand-wound (9-ligne movement)
Hours, minutes, central seconds
17 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Cloisonné and miniature enamel dial ('model D' dial)
32 mm in diameter
Map of the Americas on the back dial
4308
Pocket watch – 1930
RA 17-ligne 19/12 movement
Winding and time-setting via the pendant
Hours, minutes, small seconds
18 jewels
Round case in yellow and white gold
Bezel set with sapphires
Roman numeral hour markers set with sapphires
46 mm in diameter
Pocket watch sold to His Majesty Alexander I (1888–1934) of Yugoslavia
Wristwatch – 1951
Calibre 454, hand-wound (12-ligne movement)
Hours, minutes, central seconds
17 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Cloisonné and miniature enamel dial 'Les Amériques'
37 mm in diameter
Map of the Americas on the back dial
4724
Wristwatch – 1957
Calibre 1002, hand-wound (9-ligne movement)
Hours, minutes, central seconds
18 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Grand Feu cloisonné and miniature enamel dial
34 mm in diameter
Dragon on the rear dial
6187
Wristwatch – 2002
Ultra-thin Calibre 1120 ME with automatic winding (12½-ligne 1/2 K movement)
Retrograde hours and minutes
36 jewels
Round platinum case
Grand Feu champlevé and miniature enamel dial
37 mm in diameter
Map of Europe in polychrome enamel
43050
Category: Chronomètre Royal
Royal Chronometer – 1957
Hand-wound Calibre P1008/BS (12-ligne movement)
Royal Chronometer
Hours, minutes, central seconds
19 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Silvered opaline dial
34 mm in diameter
In addition to the Vacheron Constantin signature, a double signature by Türler and Gay Frères (for the bracelet)
6167
Royal Chronometer – 1966
Calibre K1072, self-winding (12-ligne movement)
Royal Chronometer
Hours, minutes, central seconds, date
29 jewels
Round white gold case
Silver-coloured dial
35 mm in diameter
Rare case finishes
Diamond on the Maltese cross
6694
Royal Chronometer – 1911
Calibre RA 22 lignes AB
Winding and time-setting via the pendant
Royal Chronometer
Hours, minutes, small seconds
21 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Enamel dial, blue hour markers
57 mm in diameter
Remarkable engraving on the case and the blue enamel hour markers
Royal Chronometer – 1956
Hand-wound Calibre P1008/BS (12-ligne movement)
Royal Chronometer
Hours, minutes, central seconds
19 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Silvered opaline dial
36 mm in diameter
Complete set (box, instruction manual, original chronometer certificate, advertisement, original gold strap)
6111
Royal Chronometer – 1976
Calibre 1096, self-winding (12-ligne movement)
Royal Chronometer
Hours, minutes, central seconds
21 jewels
Distinctively shaped steel case (between square and rectangular)
Black dial, 3 baguette-cut diamond hour markers
35 x 36 mm
2215
Category: Astronomical Complications
Skeletonised perpetual calendar and moon phase – 1987
Ultra-thin Calibre 1120 QP SQ with automatic winding
Skeletonised perpetual calendar
English calendar
Moon phase
36 jewels
Hexadecagonal yellow gold case
Ivory sub-dials
36 mm in diameter
43033
Full date and moon phase – 1949
Calibre 495, hand-wound
Full calendar and moon phase: date, days of the week, month, moon phases, small seconds
Italian calendar
17 jewels
Round rose gold case
Ivory dial, star-shaped hour markers (rare)
34 mm in diameter
4461
Full date and moon phase – 1957
Calibre 495, hand-wound
Full calendar and moon phase: date, days of the week, month, moon phases, small seconds
17 jewels
Rectangular platinum case
34 x 43 mm
Single-piece edition
4764
Full date and moon phase – 1954
Calibre 495, hand-wound
Full calendar and moon phase: date, days of the week, month, moon phases, small seconds
Spanish calendar
17 jewels
Rectangular rose gold case
Silver-coloured dial (restored)
34 x 43 mm
4764
Skeletonised perpetual calendar and moon phase – 1999
Ultra-thin Calibre 1120 QP SQ with automatic winding
Skeletonised perpetual calendar
English calendar
Moon phase
36 jewels
Round yellow gold case
White sub-dials
36 mm in diameter
43032
Category: Multiple Complications
Perpetual calendar, moon phase and minute repeater – 1993
Calibre 1755, hand-wound (13-ligne ¾ movement)
Minute repeater
Perpetual calendar
Moon phase
30 jewels
Round platinum case
Silver dial with applied platinum hour markers
37 mm in diameter
30020
Retrograde full date and 'Don Pancho' minute repeater – 1940
Bespoke, hand-wound 11-ligne tonneau-shaped calibre
Minute repeater
Full date with retrograde hand
29 jewels
Tonneau-shaped yellow gold case
Silver-coloured dial, faithfully reproduced to match the original (without radium) with military hour markers
28 x 42 mm
One-off piece
Perpetual calendar, moon phase and minute repeater – 1993
Calibre 1755 QP, hand-wound (13-ligne ¾ movement)
Minute repeater
Perpetual calendar
Moon phase
30 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Silver-coloured dial with applied gold hour markers
37 mm in diameter
30020
Pocket watch – 1901
RA 17-ligne movement
Winding and time-setting via the pendant
Minute repeater
Split-seconds chronograph, 30-minute counter
40 jewels
Red gold case (gold and copper)
Enamel dial
50 mm in diameter
Wristwatch – 1992
Calibre 1136 QP, self-winding (11¼-ligne movement)
Perpetual calendar
Moon phase
Chronograph with 30-minute counter
37 jewels
Round platinum case
Black dial
38 mm in diameter
Limited edition for Asprey (fewer than 5 pieces)
49005
Category: Design
Wristwatch – 1952
Calibre 458, hand-wound (9-ligne movement)
Hours and minutes
17 jewels
Rectangular yellow gold case
Silver-coloured dial with Maltese cross at 12 o'clock
39 x 24 mm
Rare and distinctive due to its nickname: 'Horn of Plenty with Ears'
4695
Wristwatch – 1957
Calibre 1019 self-winding (12-ligne movement)
World time, central seconds
Fitted with the Louis Cottier universal time mechanism
21 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Silver-coloured dial
Hands not original (have been modified)
40 mm in diameter
Extremely rare piece (probably one of a kind)
6213
Wristwatch – 1963
Calibre 1001, hand-wound (9-ligne movement)
18 jewels
Rectangular yellow gold case
Silvered opaline dial
30 x 32 mm
Extremely rare watch shape
6588
Wristwatch – 1997
Ultra-thin Calibre 1120 M with automatic winding (12½-line 1/2 K movement)
Retrograde hours and minutes
36 jewels
Round platinum case
Engraved black enamel dial
37 mm in diameter
Dial featuring an engraved map of Thailand (rarely reproduced in watchmaking)
43050
Wristwatch – 1979
Ultra-thin Calibre 1121 with automatic winding (12½-line 1/2 K movement)
Hours, minutes and date
36 jewels
Round yellow gold case
Gold-coloured dial with no hour markers or hour indications
37 mm in diameter
A very rare example
44018
Category: Chiming Mechanisms
Pocket watch – 1822/1823
16-ligne movement
Winding and time-setting by key
Quarter-hour repeater
Round red gold case (gold and copper)
Guilloché dial
41 mm in diameter
Minute repeater watch – 2003
Calibre 1755 SQ, hand-wound (13-ligne ¾ movement)
Minute repeater
30 jewels
Round pink gold case
Skeletonised dial
37 mm in diameter
30030
Minute repeater watch – 1962
JMV RA 13-ligne ultra-thin hand-wound movement
Minute repeater
29 jewels
Round platinum case
Silver-coloured dial with diamond hour markers
36 mm in diameter
One-off piece
6448
Minute repeater watch – 2006
Calibre 1755 SQ, hand-wound (13-ligne ¾ movement)
Minute repeater
30 jewels
Round pink gold case
Skeletonised dial
37 mm in diameter
30030
Pocket watch – 1926
RA 17/18-line movement
Winding and time-setting via the pendant
Minute repeater
29 jewels
Round platinum case
46 mm in diameter
In the Name of Watchmaking Excellence, a Jury of Experts
To ensure impartiality and the highest standards, The Vacheron Constantin Concours d'Élégance Horlogère brings together a jury of experts, comprising well-known and respected international figures from the watchmaking industry. This jury, co-chaired by Aurel Bacs and Christian Selmoni, comprises connoisseurs of Haute Horlogerie: watchmakers, historians, designers, collectors, journalists and authors.
Carlos ALONSO
Founder of Tiempo de Relojes and SIAR
Carlos Alonso is the founder of Tiempo de Relojes and SIAR – Salón Internacional de Alta Relojería, which are celebrating their 30th anniversary and 20th edition respectively this year. With more than 35 years in watch journalism, first in Spain and, since 1996, in Mexico, Carlos has made Tiempo de Relojes an essential Spanish-language reference and SIAR the most prestigious fine watchmaking fair in Latin America. His activities extend beyond the editorial sphere. As a public relations adviser and promoter of cultural activities, Carlos Alonso has played a decisive role over the last three decades in establishing Mexico as a key and ever-growing watch market.
“What makes this competition unique is that it judges watches for what they are and on their own merits, regardless of when they were created or the fashion trends of any given moment. This competition celebrates pure, timeless beauty. Given the richness of its heritage, Vacheron Constantin is both well-placed and perfectly suited to host a project of this scale.”
Yasmine ALSHATHRY
Collector and founder of CLÉ
Yasmine Alshathry is a Saudi collector, known for founding the CLÉ platform, which is dedicated to promoting watchmaking culture in Saudi Arabia. For more than a decade, she has been working closely with collectors from all walks of life, supporting them as they build their private collections. Combined with her impartial judgement, her in-depth knowledge of watchmaking history and culture underscores Yasmine's expertise in the valuation of watches, particularly vintage pieces.
“Long before I mastered watch movements, model references or auction market performance, I realised that a watch could tell a story, reveal a personality and convey a meaning. It is precisely for this reason that this competition inspires me so much. It is not about judging objects, but rather about observing watches that have been worn, cherished, sought after and often passed down from generation to generation. I also greatly appreciate that the aim of the competition is not simply to identify the rarest or most expensive pieces. A watch must be considered in its entirety: originality, technical sophistication, condition, provenance, elegance and emotional value. Speaking as a collector myself, this is extremely significant.”
Felix BAUMGARTNER
Co-founder and CEO of URWERK s.o.
Born in Schaffhausen in 1975, this third-generation Swiss watchmaker learnt a great deal in his father's restoration workshop as he grew up. Trained at the watchmaking school in Solothurn and later in Geneva under Sven Andersen, Felix Baumgartner gradually specialised in grand complications. In 1997, he co-founded URWERK with designer Martin Frei. A member of the AHCI – the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants – he was awarded the Entrepreneurship Prize in 2020.
“I am delighted to take part in such an event. In a way, I feel right at home, having had the privilege of working for Vacheron Constantin at a workbench early in my career. The quality of the entries made it difficult to select the 34 finalist watches. We weren't comparing similar watches, but watches from different periods, in different styles and featuring different complications. Identifying the timepieces which, beyond our personal preferences, combined personality, rarity and historical significance was fascinating and proved to be particularly challenging.”
Matteo BEGA
Founder of Perpetual Passion
A specialist in Haute Horlogerie, Matteo Bega is noted for his technical background and understanding of exceptional timepieces. Having held senior management positions at several major luxury houses, he discovered the world of auctions and began building collections. A member of the Académie du Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, he is the founder of Perpetual Passion, an independent digital magazine dedicated to high-end watches and leading names in the watchmaking industry.
“This competition is unique because it offers the opportunity to pay tribute to Vacheron Constantin's extraordinary heritage through some of its most remarkable timepieces. Rather than focusing on a single aspect of watchmaking, the jury is invited to consider 'elegance' in the broadest sense of the term: design, artistic crafts, historical value, technical performance… not to mention the emotion that each watch inspires.”
Benjamin CLYMER
Founder of Hodinkee
Founder and chairman of Hodinkee – a blog that began as a personal project and has become an international authority on wristwatches – Benjamin Clymer is now a key figure in watchmaking culture. Having contributed to the growing popularity of mechanical watches among a wide audience, Benjamin produces and publishes a quarterly print magazine and insightful articles online, as well as running a platform selling watches from leading brands. In partnership with Assouline, this passionate all-rounder has been hosting the Talking Watches video series for more 13 years as it attracts an ever-growing audience.
“I never imagined I'd find watches quite so remarkable and rare! I was pleasantly surprised to discover not only certain pieces and designs that I had never seen before but also watches in such good condition and often steeped in incredible personal histories. The Concours d'Élégance Horlogère is exemplary for precisely these reasons.”
Dr Helmut CROTT
Antique watch expert, collector, entrepreneur and author
Trained as a surgeon, it was first as a collector that Dr Helmut Crott discovered the treasures of Haute Horlogerie. Fascinated by the measurement of time and rare watches, and the techniques involved, he quickly acquired a high level of expertise. His passion led him to change career paths and turn his attention to the auctioning of premium watches, organising more than 50 auctions between 1975 and 1993. As one of the first collectors of mechanical wristwatches, he has enjoyed seeing the hobby attracting new enthusiasts from all corners of the globe.
“This competition, which is the only one of its kind in the watchmaking world, raises public awareness of the dimensions of quality, rarity and beauty. Despite the large number of watches in this first edition of the competition, there are certainly other horological marvels by Vacheron Constantin still waiting to be discovered!”
Nicholas FOULKES
Historian, author and journalist
A regular contributor to Vanity Fair, the Financial Times HTSI and The Rake magazine, Nicholas Foulkes is an author renowned for his trilogy of historical works devoted to 19th-century Britain. A tireless writer, Nicholas has published some 30 books on history, the arts and fashion. He also writes for Assouline and has written numerous reference works on watchmaking.
“I am delighted to see Vacheron Constantin organising an event that engages collectors and clients and honours the past rather than celebrating the latest releases. I'm also particularly pleased to see the Maison paying special attention to aesthetics, in addition to the usual focus on dial sizes and movements. I'm eager to see how the Concours d'Élégance will evolve in the years to come and sincerely hope that we will see more esoteric yet historically significant pieces from the Maison, such as those created through the fabulous collaboration with Erwin Klein in the mid-1980s. It was an honour to serve on the jury for the first year. Well done to Christian and Aurel!”
Alexandre GHOTBI
Vice-President, Head of the Europe and Middle East Department – Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo
A watch enthusiast since his teenage years, Alexandre Ghotbi founded influential discussion forums (The Purists and The Hour Lounge) that bring together thousands of enthusiasts. He then left his career as a lawyer to join Vacheron Constantin in 2008 and subsequently Phillips in 2015. An expert on the international watch market and its key players, he advises collectors worldwide, with a particular focus on vintage watches and creations by independent watchmakers.
“This competition marks a first for the watchmaking industry. We are delighted to be organising it with Vacheron Constantin, which is the oldest watch manufacturer still in operation. I was impressed by the incredible number of entries and the admirable quality of the watches. It was like diving into the heart of 270 years of watchmaking history! I also greatly appreciated being able to see, in person, models that I had previously seen only in archive photographs.”
Morgan MAILLARD
Style and Heritage Expert at Vacheron Constantin
A trained watchmaker, Morgan Maillard joined Vacheron Constantin in 2014 and went on to work in Vacheron Constantin boutiques in Singapore, Geneva and New York. In 2025, he joined the Maison's headquarters as a Style and Heritage Expert. Through his years of experience in Europe and abroad, Morgan has acquired extensive expertise in the field of vintage and contemporary watches.
“I was struck by the incredible diversity of the watches submitted and all the stories behind them. Having been a watchmaker myself, I had the privilege not only of seeing exceptional watches but also of hearing remarkable stories about them. This selection nevertheless reminded me that there is an infinite number of stories still to be discovered. A watch can hold a childhood memory, be a family heirloom, or mark a significant moment in a person's life. This, it seems to me, is one of the great beauties of watchmaking. While a watch is certainly an object that measures time it is also an object that tells stories through time.”
Auro MONTANARI
Collector, author and publisher of books on vintage watches
For 45 years, Auro Montanari has been passionate about vintage watches and, as a collector, devoted most of his time to scouring watch shops, libraries, museums, flea markets and auctions. An enthusiastic scholar and a collector of the highest order, he is the author of several books on the subject. Better known to watch enthusiasts under the pseudonym John Goldberger, Auro is very active on social media, with a community of nearly 100,000 followers. A member of the Cultural Council of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, he is also a consultant at Phillips.
“This is the first time a watch Maison has organised an event of this sort and for an enthusiast like me, it's a unique opportunity to discover magnificent watches that remain unknown on the market. The organisation of entries into seven categories is also an excellent starting point. It has allowed me to see that Vacheron Constantin has always offered its customers the utmost variety of wristwatches, pocket watches, ladies' watches, clocks and jewellery pieces.”
Roberta NAAS
Award-winning author and journalist
Roberta was the first female watch journalist in the United States. Over the past four decades, she has established herself as an indispensable figure through the insightfulness of her articles and the quality of her interviews with industry figures. A regular contributor to publications such as Forbes and The New York Times International, as well as organisations like Bloomberg, Roberta is also the author of books on watchmaking. As the founder of ATimelyPerspective.com, the first American watch platform created and owned by a woman, she shares her unique perspective on watches with a wide community of enthusiasts.
“Despite my long experience in the world of watches, I found it extremely difficult to narrow down my choices, as the initial selection was packed with such exceptional pieces. I could easily have chosen seven or eight in each category! Knowing that every watch had already undergone a rigorous initial selection process made choosing my finalists even more challenging. I was keen to select the pieces that I felt perfectly embodied the spirit of the Competition.”
JIA XIAN SU
Founder of SJX Watches
An expert known worldwide as SJX, Jiaxian Su is a seasoned collector with a particular passion for watches from independent manufacturers. For several years, he has been advising numerous collectors around the world. In 2011, he launched SJX Watches, an independent watch media outlet renowned for its rigour and objectivity in the field of high-end mechanical watches. Jiaxian Su has served on the jury of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève and on the jury for the first edition of the Louis Vuitton Watchmaking Prize for Independent Creators.
“Selecting the 34 finalist watches was far from easy. Many timepieces truly deserved to be shortlisted, each for different reasons: some for tangible reasons such as their complications or the materials used, others for intangible reasons such as their provenance or historical significance. Striking the right balance between these different elements proved to be quite a challenge!”
Aurel BACS
Senior Consultant – Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo
With an in-depth knowledge of the watch industry – from individual timepieces to entire collections – Aurel Bacs is well known to the public. A quadrilingual auctioneer, he organises and coordinates auctions across the globe. As co-founder of Bacs & Russo and a consultant for Phillips' watch department, Aurel provides independent advice to private collectors, manufacturers and museums specialising in premium collectible watches.
Christian SELMONI
Director of Style and Heritage at Vacheron Constantin
Born into a family of watchmakers in the Vallée de Joux, Christian Selmoni joined Vacheron Constantin in 1990, where he held several senior positions before taking charge of the Maison's artistic direction. In 2017, he took charge of the Style and Heritage department. His many years of experience and insatiable curiosity give him free rein to draw inspiration for current and future creations from Vacheron Constantin's rich heritage. His dedication to developing and enriching the Maison's heritage has made Christian a specialist in vintage watches and an expert among collectors.
