Watches
Vacheron Constantin Unveils the 34 Watches Selected for Its Concours d’Élégance
Organized for the first time by Vacheron Constantin and Phillips, in association with Bacs & Russo, the Concours d’Élégance Horlogère recently convened its jury to select the 34 watches to be featured in the competition. More than 550 rare models were submitted by Vacheron Constantin collectors.
Collectors from around the world turned out for this grand premiere—a watch elegance competition spearheaded by the auction house Phillips in collaboration with Vacheron Constantin. It’s an intriguing concept that connects collectors of the Geneva-based brand with the company’s heritage department and helps forge deeper bonds with them. Building such a community is highly sought after by all watchmakers, and fostering these connections through the common thread of a competition for the most beautiful vintage watch is a clever way to achieve it.
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Building a Community of Collectors: The Holy Grail for All Watchmakers
Launched in early 2026, the contest brought together more than 550 pocket watches and wristwatches crafted in the brand’s workshops between 1755 and 1999. It showcased historic, vintage, and neo-vintage pieces, some of which are little known.
Across all seven categories, the watches first underwent a thorough examination by the brand’s master watchmakers and experts from the heritage department to verify their authenticity and ensure they matched the intended category.
According to the experts, some of them were true treasures. Morgan Maillard, Style and Heritage Expert at Vacheron Constantin, explains: “I was struck by the incredible diversity of the candidate watches and all the stories that accompany 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 are an infinite number of stories still waiting to be discovered. (…).”
A godsend for collectors with a passion for history, whose enthusiasm is ignited by watches they’ve never seen before. Auro Montanaro, a renowned Italian collector and jury member, comments: “This is the first time a watch brand has organized this kind of event. For a watch lover like me, it’s a unique opportunity to discover magnificent watches that remain unknown on the market. (…)”
Among the 34 selected watches is this rare and uniquely shaped 1952 wristwatch—displaying hours and minutes—nicknamed “horns of plenty with ears,” in the design category, as well as this very old pocket watch from 1822 with a striking mechanism.
The 34 collector’s watches will be on display at the Hôtel Président Wilson in Geneva from November 4 to 8, 2026, as part of the auction week organized by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo. The seven winning watches will be revealed during an evening event on November 10.
Key Points:
- 550 watches were submitted by their owners to participate in the Watchmaking Concours d’Élégance, a first-of-its-kind event initiated by Vacheron Constantin and Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo
- 34 historic, vintage, and neo-vintage Vacheron Constantin watches were selected to compete in the seven categories.
- 34 historic, vintage, and neo-vintage Vacheron Constantin watches were selected to compete in the seven categories.
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