Early 2026 Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo and Vacheron Constantin announced a Concours d’Élégance Horlogère for enthusiasts and collectors worldwide who own Vacheron Constantin pocket watches or wristwatches. Now the jury selected the 34 finalist watches – five in each category.
Following the announcement of the competition in early 2026 – please see it here – 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 jury, co-chaired by Aurel Bacs (Senior Consultant – Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo) and Christian Selmoni, (Director of Style and Heritage at Vacheron Constantin) comprises connoisseurs of Haute Horlogerie: watchmakers, historians, designers, collectors, journalists and authors.
The jury members examined 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 (Chronographs, Métiers d’Art, Chronomètre Royal, Astronomical Complications, Multiple Complications, Design, Chiming mechanisms). Some of these pieces are presenting Vacheron Constantin a valuable opportunity to enrich its knowledge of the history of these timepieces and to supplement its archives.
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 during the Phillips Watches Geneva Auction XXIV preview from 4 to 8 November in Geneva, before they return to their proud owners. 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.
Discover more about the jury, the process and the timepieces here.
“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
Source: press release. Photo credits: Vacheron Constantin.
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