n the evening of 10 November 2026, during the awards ceremony held at the Hôtel Président in Geneva, the jury of the Concours d’Élégance Horlogère, in the presence of a bailiff to ensure impartiality and compliance, announced the seven winning watches – a single winner in each of seven categories.

An eighth timepiece received the Jury’s Special Prize, ‘Best of Show’. The event brought together the 34 finalists from all corners of the globe, as well as the expert members of the jury, co-chaired by Aurel Bacs and Christian Selmoni, comprising well-known figures from the watchmaking world.

“It began with a meeting where I said, ‘I have a dream.’ That was the moment the Concours d’Élégance was born. It began as a competition of dreams and elegance, and went on to become a competition of scholarship, knowledge, and history. And tonight, it became a Concours of Tears and Emotion. I saw twelve jury members and winners visibly moved on stage by the stories that were unfolding. And that is what creating, collecting and sharing stories are all about. It was the most beautiful evening in the field ever,” said Aurel Bacs, Senior Consultant, Phillips in association with Bacs and Russo.

“This Concours has been truly extraordinary: unpredictable, exhilarating and full of surprises. Beyond the exceptional timepieces themselves, what made the evening so memorable was the emotion of their owners, their passion for watchmaking and, above all, the opportunity to celebrate their stories. At Vacheron Constantin, we are immensely proud to have brought together so many people around a shared enthusiasm. Because time, ultimately, is about far more than what we measure. It is about what we cherish and share,” said Christian Selmoni, Legacy and Style Director, Vacheron Constantin.

WINNING WATCHES

CHRONOGRAPHS CATEGORY

POCKET WATCH – 1929

This Vacheron Constantin pocket chronograph unites exceptional horological sophistication with deeply moving historical provenance. It belonged to Dr. Gregorio Marañón, one of Spain’s great physicians, intellectuals and humanists, and was later presented to Marino Gómez-Santos by Gregorio Marañón Moya as a gesture of friendship and gratitude. Beyond its historical importance, what gives this watch its special emotional resonance is the knowledge that Gregorio Marañón carried it with him throughout his life and, according to family tradition, used it when taking the pulse of his patients.

Rare, technically fascinating, and enriched by an extraordinary human story, this watch is far more than a beautiful chronograph. It is a jewel of horology and a tangible fragment of cultural history.

MÉTIERS D’ART CATEGORY

POCKET WATCH – 1930

A royal gift bearing the enameled crest of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia, this timepiece has been in my family for four generations. Presented to my great-grandfather, Dr. Otto von Frangeš, the King’s Minister of Agriculture and Senator, the watch was present in the motorcade during Alexander I’s assassination in France in 1934 and subsequently survived the bombings and turmoil of the Second World War.

Once in America, Nikola delivered the watch to Ivan, who would later host the exiled King Peter II in his home. The timepiece eventually passed to Nikola’s son, Tom—who had escorted it on that perilous journey as a child—and upon his death last year, it came to me. More than a remarkable historical artifact, it is an enduring symbol of resilience, courage, and family survival.

CHRONOMÈTRE ROYAL CATEGORY

ROYAL CHRONOMETER – 1976

Started collecting VC timepieces about 8 years ago. Through one of the Les Collectionneurs events in 2019, I came across the Chronometer Royal line of watches. I was amazed by the combination of precise timekeeping and immaculate watch design, which started more than 100 years ago and is still alive today at VC.

This is a stainless steel 2215, which I was very fortunate to come into possession early on in my quest to collect Chronometer Royal. The sharp case with black dial in amazing condition was further enhanced by three diamond markers which made this a standout in a long line of VC creations. It blends technical precision with robust integrated case construction, making it one of my most prized collections which I wear with jeans on weekends. Needless to say, this will also remain with me for as long as I collect VC.

ASTRONOMICAL COMPLICATIONS CATEGORY

FULL DATE AND MOON PHASE – 1957

Unique platinum piece, Cioccolatone 4764 from 1957 with a caliber 495. Full calendar.

MULTIPLE COMPLICATIONS CATEGORY

RETROGRADE FULL DATE AND ‘DON PANCHO’ MINUTE REPEATER – 1940

Commissioned in 1935 by Chile collector Francisco Martinez Llano (“Don Pancho”) and delivered in 1940, this unique yellow-gold tonneau wristwatch pairs a minute repeater with an avant-garde retrograde date. Long considered a mythical lost treasure after vanishing in 1947, it was rediscovered decades later and meticulously restored by Vacheron Constantin’s Heritage workshops. A monumental milestone of mid-century bespoke Haute Horlogerie.

DESIGN CATEGORY

WRISTWATCH – 1957

Watch with universal time from 1957 with a Cottier system integrated into an automatic movement. Purchased in Miami from Anna Colombo’s collection.

CHIMING MECHANISMS CATEGORY

POCKET WATCH – 1926

Belonged to my grandfather, then it was my dad’s, and then it ended up becoming mine. It is undoubtedly a very personal story for our family.

BEST OF SHOW

MINUTE REPEATER WATCH – 1962

Spectacular in its case design, unique in its origins and exemplary in its state of preservation, this timepiece marks a milestone in Vacheron Constantin’s patrimony; while the Maison was certainly aware of this model’s existence, it had not yet had the opportunity to examine and handle it at close quarters.

The awards ceremony recognised, with rigour and impartiality, antique, vintage and more recent timepieces that share a common thread of horological excellence, the result of a combination of aesthetics, technical skill and creativity.