A tribute to the heritage of watchmaking
At the initiative of Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo, Vacheron Constantin presents the first Concours d'Élégance Horlogère that pays tribute to the international community of watch enthusiasts who, since 1755, have carried forward 271 years of the Maison's pursuit of excellence and creativity.
An inaugural edition in the industry
More than 550 timepieces were submitted by collectors worldwide, entrusting the Maison with an exceptional variety of pocket watches and wristwatches created in Vacheron Constantin’s workshops between 1755 and 1999.
Finalists will be exhibited from 4th to 8th November 2026 in Geneva ahead of an official awards ceremony on 10th November 2026, where the winners will be revealed.
Seven categories for this first edition
The competition highlights historical and contemporary pieces, celebrating the art of Haute Horlogerie in all its forms and emphasising the importance of transmitting and preserving heritage. Each watch was only allowed to compete in one of the seven categories of this edition, at the owner's choice.
In the name of watchmaking excellence, a jury of experts
To guarantee impartiality and exemplary standards, The Vacheron Constantin Concours d’Élégance Horlogère brings together a jury of experts, well-known and renowned international figures from the watchmaking industry, ensuring a cross-disciplinary approach combining technical mastery, heritage value and market understanding.
The co-chairs of the jury
Co-chaired by Aurel Bacs and Christian Selmoni, 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.
From Submission to Selection
The submitted watches 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 watchmaking.
Seven categories for this first edition
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 the finalists: the watches that ranked highest in each of the seven categories.
The finalists of the first Concours d'Élégance
The shortlisted watches offer a rare opportunity to discover horological treasures, seldom seen and sometimes previously unknown, reflecting Vacheron Constantin's attention to aesthetics as much as to technical mastery.
All finalists will be presented to the public at the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva from 4th to 8th November 2026, before the official awards ceremony on 10th November 2026.
