This watch has had me in fits for nearly a week now.
You know the background on Vacheron Constantin’s 222. Released in ’77 to celebrate the maison’s 222nd anniversary, it was the only integrated-bracelet sport watch model from the ‘holy trinity’ not designed by Genta—Jorg Hysek designed the 222. Over the lifespan of the model, 3100 examples were made in various metals and sizes (the 37mm jumbo, the 34mm mid-size, and the 26mm ladies), and the 222 spent years in the shadows of the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. This oversight made the model (relatively) less expensive, but those days changed, culminating in 2022, when Vacheron Constantin released its Les Historiques 222 in gold, and then, last year, in steel. They’re beautiful watches, but given that I’m as likely to buy a Vacheron Constantin 222 (vintage or reissue) as I am to purchase tickets to space, I’ve been able to enjoy the model with the detached purity of someone who will never have skin in the game.
Weston Cutter
2026-03-13 15:00:00