Phillips to Display the 34 Finalists in Vacheron Constantin’s Inaugural Concours d’Élégance Horlogère

Modeled after the automotive Concours d’Élégance events, but you know, for watch collectors, the Concours d’Élégance Horlogère is exciting because it offers civilians the opportunity to examine rare examples of horological excellence that you usually only see when (and if) they come up for auction.

So, for those keeping track at home, on November 10th, Vacheron Constantin and Phillips are holding a special awards show honoring the best vintage Vacheron Constantin pocket watches and wristwatches made in the Maison’s workshops between 1755 and 1999 in seven different categories: Chronographs, Métiers d’Art, Chronomètre Royal, Astronomical Complications, Multiple Complications, Design, and Chiming Mechanisms.

However, before any awards are given out, Phillips will display the 34 finalists, chosen from 95 shortlisted entries, to the public at the Hôtel Président Wilson from November 4th to 8th, during its Geneva auction week.

We don’t envy the fourteen folks on the jury, who must choose seven winners. That said, we are a little jealous, so we reviewed the catalog and picked a few of our frontrunners.

Multiple Complications

In all, the jury reviewed 550 entries from vintage collectors worldwide. And our first pick reflects the dogged determination of these Vacheron fans who have tracked down and preserved these historic pieces.

Case in point: A one-of-one “Don Pancho” tonneau minute repeater with retrograde full date from 1940. Competing in the Multiple Complications category, this watch features a bespoke, hand-wound 11-ligne tonneau-shaped caliber and an enamel dial that faithfully reproduces the original (sans the radium).

Métiers d’Art

If Don Pancho is a testament to VC’s technical lineage, then a 1930 pocket watch with a sapphire-set bezel and markers is a showcase of the Maison’s artistic expertise.

Competing in the Métiers d’Art category, this timepiece holds extra interest because it was originally made for King Alexander I of Yugoslavia.

Design

Going through the shortlist of entries in the Concourse, one can’t help but be impressed by the variety of styles Vacheron has produced over the last two centuries. That means there are plenty of classic chronographs and dress watches, but there are a few oddities, too.

In the Design category, we like the solid gold ref. 44018 from 1979. With its chunky integrated bracelet and a dial devoid of hour markers, this piece stands in stark contrast to the more traditional offerings in the Concourse.

Chiming Mechanisms

Speaking of minimalism, we are cheering for this unique platinum Ref. 6448 in the Chiming Mechanism category. This minute repeater is pretty much the definition of elegance with its ultra-thin hand-wound movement and diamond hour markers.

The Concourses’ international jury was presented with watches that reflected different technical and aesthetic choices over many different eras. Provenance also carried weight in the assessment. VC only made three examples of the Ref. 6448 in 1961 and 1962. And after 1962, it would be the last minute-repeating wristwatch Vacheron Constantin manufactured for thirty years.

Chronomètre Royal

While most of the finalist watches in the inaugural Concourse demonstrate Vacheron’s in-house artistry, this Ref. 6167 yellow-gold Royal Chronometer from 1957 shows the brand’s willingness to innovate through collaboration.

Not only is the dial double-signed with the famed retailer Türler, but this watch was also shipped with an integrated band made by the legendary Gay Frères. Beyond its striking look, this reference deserves its place in the Chronomètre Royal category because it uses the legendary Caliber 1008, a manual-wind, observatory-grade movement.

For more information about the Concours d’Élégance Horlogère, check out the Vacheron Constantin website.