If you recall, one of the most talked-about watches from Vacheron Constantin at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2022 was the Historiques 222. The watch model sparked significant excitement among watch enthusiasts worldwide. The watch is so exciting, in fact, that we have two perspectives on it this issue. One is purely the brand’s perspective, filtered through our own lens, while this second one is purely our own take, courtesy of WOW Thailand.

The story of the 222 began in 1977, when Vacheron Constantin tasked designer Jorg Hysek with creating a watch to celebrate their 222nd anniversary. The brief was to imagine a distinctive sports watch that stood apart from others of the era, without tying it to specific categories such as pilot, explorer or diver’s watches. Instead, it was intended to be a more versatile piece, equally suitable for formal occasions. The original production run of the 222 was small <as little as 500 pieces made over seven years, making the 1,000 piece run of certain other iconic pieces seem positively generous – Ed>, and over time, it became a highly coveted collector’s item, much like many other iconic timepieces from the 1970s.

In 2022, 45 years after its initial release, Vacheron Constantin reintroduced the 222, refining its design with modern touches and crafting it in yellow gold. At the time, with the steel sports elegance watch an unassailable market favourite, this precious metal move was the horological equivalent of Nirvana going unplugged in 1994. This new iteration, aptly named the Historiques 222, quickly became a must-have among collectors. The combination of its limited edition status and the growing interest in high-end mechanical timepieces ensured it sold out almost immediately.

Speculation about future variations followed, with some predicting releases in other colours of gold or stainless steel. For us, given the workload each week and month, we did not have the luxury of time to indulge in guesses. We forgot about the Historiques 222 for a while, until Vacheron Constantin alerted us to the upcoming arrival of a stainless steel version of the Historiques 222, which debuted January 13, marking the start of the brand’s 270th anniversary celebrations.

The Historiques 222 is characterized by its integrated bracelet design and fluted bezel, just as the original was. The five o’clock position on the case prominently features Vacheron Constantin’s Maltese cross emblem in yellow gold. The case measures 37mm in diameter and is impressively slim at 7.95mm, thanks to the ultra-thin Calibre 2455/2 movement. At just 3.6mm thick, this movement boasts a rotor with fluted design that echoes the bezel. Engraved with “222” at its centre, this rotor is made of 22-carat yellow gold rotor for maximum winding efficiency to build the 40-hour power reserve.

Although the official specifications describe the dial as blue, it is perhaps more accurately described as a blue-grey shade. Depending on the light, it can appear almost grey, with its blue tones only becoming prominent under direct illumination, as seen in the article’s opening image. The Maltese cross emblem, hour markers, and hands are all crafted in white gold, while the SuperLuminova applied to the dial has a creamy hue reminiscent of the tritium used in the original 222. This luminous material glows green in the dark. If compared with the original 222, the date window on the Historiques 222 has been subtly repositioned closer to the centre of the dial, ensuring it does not interfere with the minute scale.

The bracelet of the Historiques 222 retains its signature hexagonal link design, with a vertically brushed satin finish that seamlessly transitions from the case. The clasp has been upgraded from a twin-blade to a triple-blade design. Notably, Vacheron Constantin has cleverly concealed the pin system within the bracelet links, an intriguing detail that invites closer inspection.

Personally, I usually prefer larger watches, typically in the 40-42 mm range, with only a few 38 mm pieces in my collection and none smaller. Yet, when I tried the yellow gold Historiques 222 at Watches and Wonders Geneva in 2022, I found its proportions well-suited to my wrist despite its smaller size. It did not feel too diminutive and instead perfectly embodied the design and spirit of its original era. The stainless steel version evokes a similar impression. While the case is listed as 37 mm, its flat-table design gives a slightly larger appearance like 39 mm on the wrist. The stainless steel construction also makes it somewhat lighter than the yellow gold version from 2022.

Though the stainless steel Historiques 222 is not a limited edition, we anticipate that production numbers will remain low, ensuring intense demand among collectors. As we look ahead, it will be exciting to see how Vacheron Constantin captures attention at Watches and Wonders Geneva this April. We fully expect the brand to reserve a selection of remarkable timepieces for unveiling throughout the remainder of their 270th anniversary year as well.

This story was first seen as part of the WOW #77 Spring 2025 Issue

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