The Concours d’Élégance Horlogère provides the public with a rare opportunity to admire exceptional horological treasures, including several pieces that have remained largely unknown. The 34 finalist watches will be on public display in Geneva from 4 to 8 November before returning to their respective owners. The jury of The Concours d’Élégance Horlogère has selected 34 watches from a field of more than 550 entries. The seven category winners will be celebrated during an awards ceremony on 10 November 2026 in Geneva.

“Dedicated to the world of watchmaking and particularly to Vacheron Constantin, this inaugural Concours d’Élégance offers a unique opportunity for our clients to share their passion for the Maison’s creations. Our objective was to engage the community of Vacheron Constantin collectors and enthusiasts, and the response has been tremendous, with an outstanding number of submissions across all seven categories. Among them are watches that are not only remarkable and rare but, in certain instances, the sole known examples. The impressive volume of entries and the exceptional quality of the shortlisted pieces made the jury’s task especially demanding, prompting many spirited discussions during the selection process.” – Christian Selmoni

“Each watch presented carries its own story, helping to make this first Concours d’Élégance Horlogère an extraordinary event. Participating in such an initiative within our field of expertise is truly a privilege. I was genuinely astonished by the scale of participation and had not anticipated such enthusiasm from the international community. Given the exceptional quality of the entries, balancing aesthetic appeal with rarity, while also assessing both historical significance and horological complexity, proved extremely challenging. Nevertheless, the jury successfully reached its decisions, which is an achievement in itself.”- Aurel Bacs

WATCHMAKING TREASURES FROM A DISTANT ERA

The seven category-winning watches chosen by the jury will be unveiled on 10 November during the official awards ceremony at the Hôtel Président Wilson in Geneva. An additional distinction, Best in Show, the Jury’s Special Prize, may also be awarded. Created at the initiative of Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, the Vacheron Constantin Concours d’Élégance Horlogère forms part of a broader effort to highlight historic, vintage and neo-vintage watches, some of which remain little known. As the first competition of its kind in Haute Horlogerie, it offers Vacheron Constantin a meaningful way to celebrate and safeguard its heritage while honouring the worldwide community of collectors and enthusiasts who preserve it.

Following the announcement of the competition in early 2026, more than 550 watches were entered by their owners, ranging from pocket watches to wristwatches produced by the Maison between 1755 and 1999.

The competition is structured around seven categories:

• Chronographs
• Métiers d’Art
• Chronomètre Royal
• Astronomical Complications
• Multiple Complications
• Design
• Chiming Mechanisms

The close partnership between Vacheron Constantin and Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo ensured that, under independent supervision, the jury conducted both individual and collective assessments of every candidate watch, demonstrating extensive expertise and deep technical knowledge.

More than 550 submitted watches first underwent a detailed review by Vacheron Constantin’s master watchmakers and Heritage specialists. This initial examination verified each watch’s authenticity, eligibility, documentation, certification and suitability for its designated category.

Following this rigorous process, the jury received a preliminary shortlist of 95 timepieces. These watches were selected according to established criteria, including historical significance, rarity and influence on both the wider watchmaking industry and Vacheron Constantin itself. The jury then examined each of the 95 shortlisted pieces in detail before assigning scores to their preferred watches in every category. The combined results produced a final selection of 34 watches, representing the highest-ranked entries across the seven categories. Among them are several remarkable rarities that provide Vacheron Constantin with valuable opportunities to expand its historical knowledge and further enrich its archives.

A JURY OF EXPERTS DEDICATED TO WATCHMAKING EXCELLENCE

To guarantee impartiality and uphold the highest standards, the Vacheron Constantin Concours d’Élégance Horlogère brings together a distinguished panel of internationally recognised experts from the watchmaking world. Co-chaired by Aurel Bacs and Christian Selmoni, the jury includes leading figures in Haute Horlogerie, among them watchmakers, historians, designers, collectors, journalists and authors.

Christian SELMONI – Director of Style and Heritage at Vacheron Constantin

Born into a family of watchmakers in the Vallée de Joux, Christian Selmoni joined Vacheron Constantin in 1990, where he held several senior positions before taking charge of the Maison’s artistic direction. In 2017, he took charge of the Style and Heritage department. His many years of experience and insatiable curiosity give him free rein to draw inspiration for current and future creations from Vacheron Constantin’s rich heritage. His dedication to developing and enriching the Maison’s heritage has made Christian a specialist in vintage watches and an expert among collectors.

Carlos ALONSO

Founder of Tiempo de Relojes and SIAR

Carlos Alonso is the founder of Tiempo de Relojes and SIAR – Salón Internacional de Alta Relojería, which are celebrating their 30^th anniversary and 20^th edition respectively this year. With more than 35 years in watch journalism, first in Spain and, since 1996, in Mexico, Carlos has made Tiempo de Relojes an essential Spanish-language reference and SIAR the most prestigious fine watchmaking fair in Latin America. His activities extend beyond the editorial sphere. As a public relations adviser and promoter of cultural activities, Carlos Alonso has played a decisive role over the last three decades in establishing Mexico as a key and ever-growing watch market.

“What makes this competition unique is that it judges watches for what they are and on their own merits, regardless of when they were created or the fashion trends of any given moment. This competition celebrates pure, timeless beauty. Given the richness of its heritage, Vacheron Constantin is both well-placed and perfectly suited to host a project of this scale.”

Yasmine ALSHATHRY

Collector and founder of CLÉ

Yasmine Alshathry is a Saudi collector, known for founding the CLÉ platform, which is dedicated to promoting watchmaking culture in Saudi Arabia. For more than a decade, she has been working closely with collectors from all walks of life, supporting them as they build their private collections. Combined with her impartial judgement, her in-depth knowledge of watchmaking history and culture underscores Yasmine’s expertise in the valuation of watches, particularly vintage pieces.

“Long before I mastered watch movements, model references or auction market performance, I realised that a watch could tell a story, reveal a personality and convey a meaning. It is precisely for this reason that this competition inspires me so much. It is not about judging objects, but rather about observing watches that have been worn, cherished, sought after and often passed down from generation to generation. I also greatly appreciate that the aim of the competition is not simply to identify the rarest or most expensive pieces. A watch must be considered in its entirety: originality, technical sophistication, condition, provenance, elegance and emotional value. Speaking as a collector myself, this is extremely significant.”

Felix BAUMGARTNER

Co-founder and CEO of URWERK s.o.

Born in Schaffhausen in 1975, this third-generation Swiss watchmaker learnt a great deal in his father’s restoration workshop as he grew up. Trained at the watchmaking school in Solothurn and later in Geneva under Sven Andersen, Felix Baumgartner gradually specialised in grand complications. In 1997, he co-founded URWERK with designer Martin Frei. A member of the AHCI – the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants – he was awarded the Entrepreneurship Prize in 2020.

“I am delighted to take part in such an event. In a way, I feel right at home, having had the privilege of working for Vacheron Constantin at a workbench early in my career. The quality of the entries made it difficult to select the 34 finalist watches. We weren’t comparing similar watches, but watches from different periods, in different styles and featuring different complications. Identifying the timepieces which, beyond our personal preferences, combined personality, rarity and historical significance was fascinating and proved to be particularly challenging.”

Matteo BEGA

Founder of Perpetual Passion

A specialist in Haute Horlogerie, Matteo Bega is noted for his technical background and understanding of exceptional timepieces. Having held senior management positions at several major luxury houses, he discovered the world of auctions and began building collections. A member of the Académie du Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, he is the founder of Perpetual Passion, an independent digital magazine dedicated to high-end watches and leading names in the watchmaking industry.

“This competition is unique because it offers the opportunity to pay tribute to Vacheron Constantin’s extraordinary heritage through some of its most remarkable timepieces. Rather than focusing on a single aspect of watchmaking, the jury is invited to consider ‘elegance’ in the broadest sense of the term: design, artistic crafts, historical value, technical performance… not to mention the emotion that each watch inspires.”

Benjamin CLYMER

Founder of Hodinkee

Founder and chairman of Hodinkee – a blog that began as a personal project and has become an international authority on wristwatches – Benjamin Clymer is now a key figure in watchmaking culture. Having contributed to the growing popularity of mechanical watches among a wide audience, Benjamin produces and publishes a quarterly print magazine and insightful articles online, as well as running a platform selling watches from leading brands. In partnership with Assouline, this passionate all-rounder has been hosting the Talking Watches video series for more 13 years as it attracts an ever-growing audience.

“I never imagined I’d find watches quite so remarkable and rare! I was pleasantly surprised to discover not only certain pieces and designs that I had never seen before but also watches in such good condition and often steeped in incredible personal histories. The Concours d’Élégance Horlogère is exemplary for precisely these reasons.”

Dr Helmut CROTT

Antique watch expert, collector, entrepreneur and author

Trained as a surgeon, it was first as a collector that Dr Helmut Crott discovered the treasures of Haute Horlogerie. Fascinated by the measurement of time and rare watches, and the techniques involved, he quickly acquired a high level of expertise. His passion led him to change career paths and turn his attention to the auctioning of premium watches, organising more than 50 auctions between 1975 and 1993. As one of the first collectors of mechanical wristwatches, he has enjoyed seeing the hobby attracting new enthusiasts from all corners of the globe.

“This competition, which is the only one of its kind in the watchmaking world, raises public awareness of the dimensions of quality, rarity and beauty. Despite the large number of watches in this first edition of the competition, there are certainly other horological marvels by Vacheron Constantin still waiting to be discovered!”

Nicholas FOULKES

Historian, author and journalist 

A regular contributor to Vanity Fair, the Financial Times HTSI and The Rake magazine, Nicholas Foulkes is an author renowned for his trilogy of historical works devoted to 19th-century Britain. A tireless writer, Nicholas has published some 30 books on history, the arts and fashion. He also writes for Assouline and has written numerous reference works on watchmaking.

“I am delighted to see Vacheron Constantin organising an event that engages collectors and clients and honours the past rather than celebrating the latest releases. I’m also particularly pleased to see the Maison paying special attention to aesthetics, in addition to the usual focus on dial sizes and movements. I’m eager to see how the Concours d’Élégance will evolve in the years to come and sincerely hope that we will see more esoteric yet historically significant pieces from the Maison, such as those created through the fabulous collaboration with Erwin Klein in the mid-1980s. It was an honour to serve on the jury for the first year. Well done to Christian and Aurel!”

Alexandre GHOTBI

Vice-President, Head of the Europe and Middle East Department – Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo

A watch enthusiast since his teenage years, Alexandre Ghotbi founded influential discussion forums (The Purists and The Hour Lounge) that bring together thousands of enthusiasts. He then left his career as a lawyer to join Vacheron Constantin in 2008 and subsequently Phillips in 2015. An expert on the international watch market and its key players, he advises collectors worldwide, with a particular focus on vintage watches and creations by independent watchmakers.

“This competition marks a first for the watchmaking industry. We are delighted to be organising it with Vacheron Constantin, which is the oldest watch manufacturer still in operation. I was impressed by the incredible number of entries and the admirable quality of the watches. It was like diving into the heart of 270 years of watchmaking history! I also greatly appreciated being able to see, in person, models that I had previously seen only in archive photographs.”

Morgan MAILLARD

Style and Heritage Expert at Vacheron Constantin

A trained watchmaker, Morgan Maillard joined Vacheron Constantin in 2014 and went on to work in Vacheron Constantin boutiques in Singapore, Geneva and New York. In 2025, he joined the Maison’s headquarters as a Style and Heritage Expert. Through his years of experience in Europe and abroad, Morgan has acquired extensive expertise in the field of vintage and contemporary watches.

“I was struck by the incredible diversity of the watches submitted and all the stories behind 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 is an infinite number of stories still to be discovered. A watch can hold a childhood memory, be a family heirloom, or mark a significant moment in a person’s life. This, it seems to me, is one of the great beauties of watchmaking. While a watch is certainly an object that measures time it is also an object that tells stories through time.”

Auro MONTANARI

Collector, author and publisher of books on vintage watches

For 45 years, Auro Montanari has been passionate about vintage watches and, as a collector, devoted most of his time to scouring watch shops, libraries, museums, flea markets and auctions. An enthusiastic scholar and a collector of the highest order, he is the author of several books on the subject. Better known to watch enthusiasts under the pseudonym John Goldberger, Auro is very active on social media, with a community of nearly 100,000 followers. A member of the Cultural Council of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, he is also a consultant at Phillips.

“This is the first time a watch Maison has organised an event of this sort and for an enthusiast like me, it’s a unique opportunity to discover magnificent watches that remain unknown on the market. The organisation of entries into seven categories is also an excellent starting point. It has allowed me to see that Vacheron Constantin has always offered its customers the utmost variety of wristwatches, pocket watches, ladies’ watches, clocks and jewellery pieces.”

Roberta NAAS

Award-winning author and journalist

Roberta was the first female watch journalist in the United States. Over the past four decades, she has established herself as an indispensable figure through the insightfulness of her articles and the quality of her interviews with industry figures. A regular contributor to publications such as Forbes and The New York Times International, as well as organisations like Bloomberg, Roberta is also the author of books on watchmaking. As the founder of ATimelyPerspective.com, the first American watch platform created and owned by a woman, she shares her unique perspective on watches with a wide community of enthusiasts.

“Despite my long experience in the world of watches, I found it extremely difficult to narrow down my choices, as the initial selection was packed with such exceptional pieces. I could easily have chosen seven or eight in each category! Knowing that every watch had already undergone a rigorous initial selection process made choosing my finalists even more challenging. I was keen to select the pieces that I felt perfectly embodied the spirit of the Competition.”

JIA XIAN SU

Founder of SJX Watches

An expert known worldwide as SJX, Jiaxian Su is a seasoned collector with a particular passion for watches from independent manufacturers. For several years, he has been advising numerous collectors around the world. In 2011, he launched SJX Watches, an independent watch media outlet renowned for its rigour and objectivity in the field of high-end mechanical watches. Jiaxian Su has served on the jury of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève and on the jury for the first edition of the Louis Vuitton Watchmaking Prize for Independent Creators.

“Selecting the 34 finalist watches was far from easy. Many timepieces truly deserved to be shortlisted, each for different reasons: some for tangible reasons such as their complications or the materials used, others for intangible reasons such as their provenance or historical significance. Striking the right balance between these different elements proved to be quite a challenge!”

Aurel BACS

Senior Consultant – Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo

With an in-depth knowledge of the watch industry – from individual timepieces to entire collections – Aurel Bacs is well known to the public. A quadrilingual auctioneer, he organises and coordinates auctions across the globe. As co-founder of Bacs & Russo and a consultant for Phillips’ watch department, Aurel provides independent advice to private collectors, manufacturers and museums specialising in premium collectible watches.