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 watch makers 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 watchmakers-Audemars 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 watch history: the Royal Oak and Nautilus, respectively.