Photos by Ed Rhee and Jake Witkin
2025 is scarcely a few weeks old, and Vacheron Constantin has already released what is sure to be one of the most talked about watches of the year: the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 in stainless steel. The brand released an equally-buzzed-about yellow-gold 222 re-edition in 2022 to a largely enthusiastic thumbs-up from the watch community. But watch nerds are a fickle and impatient bunch (present company most definitely included), and the digital ink had barely dried on the gold Historiques 222 before we began asking when we would see the watch in stainless steel. Well, that day has finally come, and with good reason for the wait. 2025 marks Vacheron Constantin’s 270th anniversary as the oldest continuously operating watch brand in the world, and the Historiques 222 in stainless steel is the first of multiple releases planned this year to celebrate the manufacture’s venerable history.
The original Vacheron Constantin 222 was itself a commemorative piece launched in 1977 for the watchmaker’s — you guessed it — 222nd anniversary. It was available for purchase in three different sizes, the largest of which was the 37mm “Jumbo” model that serves as the main touchstone for this most recent stainless steel Historiques 222, Ref. 4200H/222A-B934. The modern version is aesthetically about as faithful an ode to the original as is possible, so much so that if you put the two watches on two different people and had them stand across the room from you, you’d be hard pressed to tell the pieces apart. This is not a bad thing. The allure of the 222 comes from its sleek, timeless Jorg Hysek-designed elements: a thin 37mm wide stainless steel case (the Historiques 222 clocks in at 7.95mm thick, compared to the the 7mm height of its predecessor), a sharply scalloped bezel, a gently tapering integrated bracelet with its distinctive hexagonal center links, and of course, the emblematic golden Maltese cross stamped on the lower right corner of the case.
The most obvious visual update of the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 comes by way of a stately deep blue dial that is noticeably more saturated than the grayish hues of the original, with an ever-so-slightly powdery texture to the matte surface. The overall dial layout remains true to form as well, with the date window nudged a hair towards the center so as to not interrupt the outer minutes track. I prefer the original configuration in this regard — the date window feels like it flows much more naturally when it fully stands in for the 3 o’clock marker sans minute hashes — but this is hardly a controversial change. In a further nod to its roots, the same vintage 222 font is used for the “Automatic” text at 6 o’clock, and the 18k white gold handset and markers are filled with off-white Super-LumiNova to evoke the look of older tritium dials. Overall, it makes for a relatively conservative presentation of a dial that knows it’s not the star of the show. That honor rightly goes to the effortless, elegant bracelet.
How does the stainless steel Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 wear on the wrist? In a word: sublime. There are integrated bracelets, and then there are integrated bracelets. The 222 is most certainly the latter: the fit and finish remind you that it’s not merely enough to look the part, but that when a watchmaker with the technical prowess of Vacheron flexes their manufacturing muscles, the wearing experience elevates to another level. Many integrated bracelets suffer from being too rigid at the joints, or are shaped in such a way that various edges of the connecting links are exposed to some degree, no matter how slight. The bracelet of the 222 suffers from neither of these issues. The inner joints have been redone to better hide the coupling pins in comparison to the original, and the links have the perfect amount of articulation to wrap organically around the wrist. It’s almost like a metallic second skin.
Flipping the watch over provides the same contemporary touch that we saw in the gold edition of the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222. A sapphire exhibition caseback shows off the in-house Caliber 2455/2, a beautifully decorated, self-winding 4Hz movement that bears all the top-notch finishing befitting a watch that carries the stamp of the Hallmark of Geneva. Perlage and côtes de Genève across the bridges are visible in between swings of the custom-designed 18k yellow-gold rotor engraved with the original 222 logo and fluted bezel design. Whereas the dial side of the Historiques 222 is tastefully restrained, the business end of the watch is far less demure.
Which brings us to everyone’s favorite topic: pricing. The Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 in stainless steel is a not-unreasonable $32,000 USD — that is, of course, if you’re able to get your hands on one to begin with. Now, before the keyboard warriors sound off in the comments section on my mental sanity and/or their ability to procure a similarly-styled integrated bracelet steel sports watch for 1/125th of the price, it must be said loudly and often that the price is not the point with this watch (and others of its Holy Trinity ilk). Vacheron has never claimed to be an everyman’s watch, and this is not a value proposition in the strictest sense. It is luxury for luxury’s sake, and it’s ultimately up to the buyer and if the price is worth it to them.
Can I afford this watch? Most certainly not. Would I buy it if I could? Sure, though I’d honestly go for the gold version first, doubly expensive though it may be. Regardless, there is something to be said for the fit and finishing that comes from a brand like Vacheron. As I mentioned earlier, the comfort of the bracelet on the stainless steel 222 alone is something that needs to be experienced in the metal before forming a final opinion on this watch. But as in all things, taste is subjective, so your thoughts on this watch are welcome below. That’s the beauty of this hobby: it’s a wonder that these tiny contraptions can elicit such strong emotions in relatively rational human beings. And as far as Vacheron Constantin is concerned, it sounds like we’ll have at least a few more opportunities for healthy discussion in the coming year as they continue to highlight their new releases in celebration of their 270th anniversary. The Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 in stainless steel (Ref. 4200H/222A-B934) is $32,000 USD. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
