An Underground Icon Comes Out of the Vault

Vacheron's '70s legend, the 222, is back-this time in 2025-approved stainless steel.

- CAM WOLF

THE 1970S WERE A turbulent time for the watch industry. Switzerland's prestigious old guard watchmakers were shuttering in the face of a battery-operated revolution. Sales of inexpensive quartz watches from Japan were soaring. In search of a strategy to stay relevant amid this radical shift, the holy trinity of Swiss watchmakersAudemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin-all came up with the same Hail Mary play: a watch with sporty looks and made of steel for everyday wear but designed and manufactured to Swiss luxury's high-end standards.

The designs AP and Patek launched at that time went on to become two of the most revered in all of watch history: the Royal Oak and Nautilus, respectively.

However, Vacheron Constantin's contribution has mostly fallen into the annals of watch-forum nerd-dom, and never broke out with the star power of the other two.