Presented in association with Phillips, Bacs & Russo, the inaugural competition celebrates seven category winners and one Special Jury Prize, recognising the heritage, technical achievement and personal histories behind exceptional Vacheron Constantin timepieces.
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Photo Courtesy: Vacheron Constantin
A Celebration of Watchmaking Heritage
Vacheron Constantin has announced the winners of its inaugural Concours d’Élégance Horlogère, an initiative organised with Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo. The awards ceremony took place on 10 November 2026 at the Hôtel Président in Geneva.
The competition brought together collectors and exceptional timepieces from around the world, highlighting the Maison’s long-standing watchmaking heritage through seven categories. An additional Special Jury Prize, titled ‘Best of Show’, recognised one outstanding timepiece.
Co-chaired by Aurel Bacs, Senior Consultant at Phillips, and Christian Selmoni, Legacy and Style Director at Vacheron Constantin, the jury brought together specialists from across the international watchmaking community. The evaluation considered each watch’s technical qualities, design, rarity, historical significance and provenance.
The Seven Category Winners
1. Chronographs — Pocket Watch, 1929
The Chronographs category was awarded to a yellow-gold Vacheron Constantin pocket watch dating to 1929. Its single-pusher chronograph is powered by an RA movement measuring 19 lignes, with a 30-minute counter and 23 jewels.
Beyond its technical construction, the watch carries a notable personal history. It belonged to Dr. Gregorio Marañón, the Spanish physician, intellectual and humanist. According to family tradition, Marañón carried the watch throughout his life and used it while taking patients’ pulses.
2. Métiers d’Art — Pocket Watch, 1930
The Métiers d’Art award went to a 1930 pocket watch distinguished by its combination of yellow and white gold, sapphire settings and enamelled royal provenance.
The timepiece was originally sold to King Alexander I of Yugoslavia and presented to Dr. Otto von Frangeš, the King’s Minister of Agriculture and Senator. Its history spans generations, wartime upheaval and a journey out of post-war Europe. The watch ultimately became a family heirloom, representing resilience and continuity across generations.
3. Chronomètre Royal — Reference 2215, 1976
The Chronomètre Royal category recognises a stainless-steel Reference 2215 from 1976. Its distinctive case sits between square and rectangular proportions, complemented by a black dial and three baguette-cut diamond hour markers.
Powered by the self-winding Calibre 1096, the watch combines hours, minutes and central seconds. Its appeal lies in the balance between precise timekeeping and a distinctive case design, qualities associated with the Chronomètre Royal lineage.
4. Astronomical Complications — Reference 4764, 1957
The Astronomical Complications category was awarded to a rare platinum Reference 4764 from 1957. The rectangular case houses a hand-wound Calibre 495, displaying a full calendar alongside moon-phase indications.
The calendar functions include the date, day of the week and month, accompanied by a moon-phase display and small seconds. Described in the supplied material as a single-piece edition, the watch is an example of Vacheron Constantin’s mid-century approach to calendar complications.
5. Multiple Complications — ‘Don Pancho’, 1940
The Multiple Complications award went to the ‘Don Pancho’, a unique yellow-gold wristwatch commissioned in 1935 by Chilean collector Francisco Martinez Llano and delivered in 1940.
The tonneau-shaped timepiece combines a minute repeater with a retrograde full-date display. Its bespoke hand-wound movement is housed in a case measuring 28 × 42 mm.
After disappearing in 1947 and being considered lost for decades, the watch was rediscovered and meticulously restored by Vacheron Constantin’s Heritage workshops. Its return represents an important chapter in the preservation of the Maison’s bespoke watchmaking history.
6. Design — Reference 6213, 1957
The Design category recognised a 1957 world-time wristwatch, Reference 6213, featuring a universal-time mechanism developed by Louis Cottier and integrated into an automatic movement.
The round yellow-gold case is paired with a silver-coloured dial and central seconds. The watch’s world-time functionality and distinctive display demonstrate the relationship between practical complication design and Vacheron Constantin’s historic watchmaking language.
7. Chiming Mechanisms — Pocket Watch, 1926
The Chiming Mechanisms category was awarded to a platinum pocket watch from 1926, equipped with a minute repeater.
Its RA movement measures 17/18 lignes and features 29 jewels. The watch’s significance also comes from its family provenance, having passed through three generations before reaching its current owner.
Special Jury Prize: Best of Show — Reference 6448, 1962
The Special Jury Prize, ‘Best of Show’, was awarded to a unique minute repeater wristwatch from 1962, Reference 6448.
The timepiece is powered by the JMV RA 13-ligne ultra-thin hand-wound movement, with 29 jewels. Its platinum case, silver-coloured dial and diamond hour markers are complemented by a notably well-preserved overall condition.
The watch was recognised for its distinctive case design, unusual origins and significance within Vacheron Constantin’s heritage. Although the Maison was aware of the model, the opportunity to examine and handle this particular example at close quarters had not previously arisen.
Preserving the Stories Behind the Watches
The inaugural Concours d’Élégance Horlogère places the spotlight on more than technical achievement. Each winning timepiece carries a distinct story shaped by its original owner, historical context, craftsmanship and journey through generations.
By bringing collectors and specialists together, Vacheron Constantin and Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo have created a platform for recognising the cultural and horological significance of the Maison’s historic creations.
The awards underline a central aspect of collecting: a watch’s importance can extend well beyond its movement and design, encompassing the people, memories and history preserved within it.
Availability
The winning timepieces are historic collector-owned watches recognised through Vacheron Constantin’s inaugural Concours d’Élégance Horlogère; they are not presented as watches available for purchase through the Maison’s website. For further information on the competition and its winning watches, visit the official Vacheron Constantin website: https://www.vacheron-constantin.com/.
