Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo and Vacheron Constantin are launching a Concours d’Élégance Horlogère for enthusiasts and collectors worldwide who own Vacheron Constantin pocket watches or wristwatches. 

A Concours d’Elegance (‘concourse of elegance’) is usually referring to a show or contest of vehicles in which the entries are judged chiefly on excellence of appearance and turnout. The tradition dates back to 17th century France, when owners of fine, horse-drawn carriages gathered with friends and rivals to exhibit the best vehicles of the age. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the first known use of concours d’elegance was in 1950.

Aurel Bacs, Senior Consultant – Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo shares – ‘As a lifelong enthusiast of Concours d’Élégance concept, it has long been my dream to bring this concept to fine watchmaking. I am delighted that Vacheron Constantin has accepted our invitation to support the world’s very first Concours d’Élégance dedicated to timepieces and I look forward to the inspiring discoveries and scholarly conversations that will emerge from the timepieces entered in this competition.’

So the two companies are presenting together the very first Concours d’Élégance Horlogère for enthusiasts and collectors worldwide who own Vacheron Constantin timepieces. Seven prizes will be awarded on November 10th, 2026 by an international jury of experts, co-chaired by Aurel Bacs, Senior Consultant at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, and Christian Selmoni, Director of Style and Heritage at Vacheron Constantin. The competition will highlight historical and contemporary pieces, celebrating the art of haute horlogerie in all its forms and emphasizing the importance of transmitting and preserving heritage. 

Co-chaired by Aurel Bacs and Christian Selmoni (Vacheron Constantin Heritage & Style Director), the jury will bring together watchmaking experts and watchmakers, designers, historians, journalists and authors, collectors, advisors, and key players in the watch industry to ensure a cross-disciplinary approach combining technical mastery, heritage value and market understanding.

Learn more about the seven categories and about the jury here.

Registration will be open from January 19th to April 30th, 2026, on vacheron-constantin.com and in the Maison’s boutiques. The awards in the form of trophies, without financial compensation, will be granted in Geneva on November 10th, 2026, after the Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo autumn auctions.

Source: press release. Photo credits: Vacheron Constantin
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