Vacheron Constantin Concours d'Élégance Horlogère Names 34 Finalists
Vacheron Constantin and Phillips have selected 34 vintage watch finalists from over 550 entries for their inaugural haute horlogerie Concours d'Élégance.
Vacheron Constantin and Phillips have announced the 34 finalists for the first Concours d'Élégance Horlogère in haute horlogerie. The jury shortlisted the watches from over 550 entries submitted by owners worldwide, all produced in Vacheron Constantin's workshops between 1755 and 1999.
From the initial submissions, 95 timepieces were selected for detailed jury review. The panel assessed each piece individually and collectively under sworn supervision. The competition was initiated by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo.
Jury composition and process
The fourteen-member jury is co-chaired by Aurel Bacs, senior consultant at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, and Christian Selmoni, Vacheron Constantin’s director of style and heritage. It includes watchmakers, historians, designers, collectors, and authors. Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk was also a surprising inclusion, especially since his watches are so futuristic by comparison.
Finalist highlights across categories
The 34 finalists are spread across seven distinct categories. They represent a vast spectrum of rarity and complication from the brand's long history.
| Category | Notable Finalists |
|---|---|
| Multiple Complications | Bespoke 1940 tonneau minute repeater 'Don Pancho'; 1901 red gold minute repeater split-seconds chronograph pocket watch; Two 1993 Ref. 30020 perpetual calendar minute repeaters (platinum & yellow gold); 1992 platinum Ref. 49005 perpetual calendar chronograph for Asprey (fewer than 5 made) |
| Métiers d’Art | 1957 Ref. 6187 with Grand Feu cloisonné and miniature enamel dragon; 1950 Ref. 4308 & 1951 Ref. 4724 'Les Amériques' with map dials; 2002 Ref. 43050 with polychrome enamel map of Europe; 1930 sapphire-set pocket watch for King Alexander I of Yugoslavia |
| Chronomètre Royal | 1911 57mm engraved pocket watch with blue enamel; 1976 steel-cased Ref. 2215; 1956 Ref. 6111 with original certificate; 1957 Ref. 6167 double-signed by Türler and Gay Frères; 1966 Ref. 6694 with diamond on Maltese cross |
| Chronographs | 1940 steel Ref. 4072 (Calibre 295); rose gold Ref. 4083; 1947 Ref. 4178; 1929 single-pusher pocket chronograph |
| Astronomical Complications | 1940s-1950s full-calendar moon phases including platinum Ref. 4764; 1987 and 1999 skeletonized perpetual calendars |
| Design | 1952 Ref. 4695 'Horn of Plenty with Ears'; 1957 one-of-a-kind Ref. 6213 world timer; 1997 Ref. 43050 with engraved map of Thailand |
| Chiming Mechanisms | 1822/1823 key-wound quarter-hour repeater pocket watch; 1962 one-off platinum Ref. 6448 minute repeater; Two skeletonized Ref. 30030 repeaters (2003, 2006); 1926 platinum repeating pocket watch |
Highlights include two vintage Ref. 4764 'Cioccolatone' triple calendars, one in rose gold and one in platinum. The platinum example last appeared at a 2022 Sotheby's auction, selling for over CHF 600,000. A vintage Ref. 6213 world time watch with central seconds, possibly unseen since 1991 and lacking original hands, is also a finalist.
Exhibition, awards and timing
The 34 finalists will be publicly exhibited at the Hôtel Président Wilson in Geneva from November 4 to 8, 2026. The prize-giving ceremony follows on November 10 at the same venue. Winners will be named in each of the seven categories. An eighth award, Best in Show, the Jury’s Special Prize, may also be presented.
This new concours coincides with the GPHG awards in Geneva. When asked about potential winners, one author on the jury simply stated, "I honestly don't know, but we'll find out November 10."
