In just a month, on November 8th and 9th, 2025, Phillips, in Association with Bacs & Russo, is celebrating ten years of watch auctions—time definitely flies by—with something genuinely interesting: a thematic sale focused entirely on their first decade. The Decade One auction at Geneva's Hôtel Président isn't just another auction—it's a retrospective of what made Phillips Watches the powerhouse it has become since 2015.

What caught our attention? The Vacheron Constantin prototype that is in the auction, along with other interesting prototypes from some of the most renowned independent watchmakers. Not the usual suspects you see at every major auction, but the actual first iterations—the test pieces, the experiments, the watches that capture horological ideas in their rawest form. These are the pieces that reveal what watchmakers were thinking before production compromises and commercial decisions entered the picture.

Now, let us walk you through this prototype from this sale catalogued under Lot 66. A watch that serious collectors should have on their radar.

Vacheron Constantin Saltarello Prototype Ref. 43041 (Circa 1995)

We recently discussed this watch in our editorial commemorating 270 years of Vacheron Constantin and some of the rarest treasures ever created by the brand. You can read that editorial here.

The Saltarello ref. 43041 was a rare complication watch launched in 1997, demonstrating Vacheron Constantin's continued innovation during a period when the industry faced significant challenges. This reference featured a unique jumping hours display at 12 o’clock combined with a retrograde minutes indication, creating a distinctive and technically sophisticated time display.

Only 500 examples were produced, comprising 100 pieces in yellow gold, 200 pieces in white gold, and 200 pieces in pink gold. This is one of the rarest Vacheron Constantin timepieces out there.

But this prototype, created around 1995, tells a different story than the 500-piece production series that followed. Here's what makes it special: the prototype features a visible brake system for the retrograde return, shown through an aperture on the dial. Vacheron abandoned this feature in production, making this the only place where their original engineering solution remains.

Additionally, the watch comes with a second case, which was the original case in which it was housed. This separate case is a gold-plated case marked "Test N°1". Vacheron later recased it in 18k yellow gold and engraved it "Pièce Unique."

To make it even more special, the rotor is engraved with a unique design, another feature that distinguishes this watch from the regular production 500-piece limited edition Vacheron Constantin Saltarello. Lastly, this watch is consigned directly by the watchmaker who developed the Saltarello for Vacheron Constantin.

This is the Saltarello at its inception—a genuine piece of neo-vintage Vacheron Constantin history that rarely becomes available.

Auction Estimate CHF 30,000-60,000—USD 37,500-75,000. More info on Vacheron Constantin here.