About the Watch

The introduction of the Royal Oak paved the way for several other distinguished high-end sports watches featuring integrated bracelets, among them the revered Patek Philippe Nautilus and the IWC Ingenieur, both masterminded by the renowned designer Genta. Vacheron Constantin, the oldest continuously operating watch manufacturer with over 260 years of history, also entered the realm of luxury sports watches. In honor of the brand's 222nd anniversary, Vacheron unveiled the "222," designed by the young talent Jorg Hysek. Much like Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, the 222 represented a significant departure from the traditional dress watches. While embracing Genta's design principles, the 222 boasted its own distinctive elements, including a slim, barrel-shaped case with a notched round bezel and a small Maltese cross embedded at 5 o'clock. Its one-piece construction ensured water resistance to 120m, and the intricate integrated bracelet featured large hexagonal center links. Beneath the uncluttered dial adorned with 'baton' markers lay the VC1120 caliber, a refinement of the Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 920, a high-grade, reliable, ultra-flat automatic movement from the 1960s also utilized in the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. Vacheron Constantin's success in the realm of sports watches truly blossomed in 1996 with the launch of the Overseas, a direct descendant of the 222. Like its predecessor, the Overseas featured a tonneau-shaped case with a fluted bezel reminiscent of the Maltese cross. Its dynamic design extended to an integrated bracelet adorned with geometric links. The initial Overseas model measured 37mm, boasted a water resistance of 150m, and housed the VC1310, a COSC-certified version of the ultra-flat automatic Girard-Perregaux 3100. Subsequent additions included smaller versions at 35mm and 24mm. In 1999, Vacheron Constantin introduced a chronograph variant based on the Frédéric Piguet 1185, modified to incorporate a large date mechanism.

About the Brand

The world's oldest watch manufacturer in continuous operation since 1755 and founder of the spirit of technical and precious Haute Horlogerie, Vacheron Constantin has been making horological history for over 260 years. From the beginning, Vacheron Constantin devotes its every effort to perpetuating the spirit of Fine Watchmaking. The tradition of excellence that defines the Manufacture originates in the quality of execution of each of its watches. Its expertise is reflected in timepieces whose exceptionally refined finish goes beyond the demands of the Poinçon de Genève.