Is the Vacheron Constantin 222 becoming the new celeb favourite?
Zach BlassRecently Patek Philippe ushered in their next era of the Nautilus with the new 5811/1G. The Nautilus, along with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, has long been a celebrity favourite to own and wear. Vacheron Constantin meanwhile have not always enjoyed the same success in garnering the attention of the rich and famous. Lately though, this has begun to change, for example, Tom Cruise has been repeatedly seen wearing his own Overseas watch. And later his Top Gun: Maverick co-star Miles Teller followed suit sporting an Overseas of his own on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. When the Historiques 222 debuted at Watches & Wonders, it was a stand-out watch for many of the fair and immediately reached grail status for many collectors.
But it is still a very enthusiast-driven timepiece, very much an “if you know, you know” reference that the mainstream has yet to fully appreciate. At least until now, because within the space of a week the Historiques 222 was spotted on three different celebrity wrists. This leads us to wonder, will the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 become the next big status symbol in the pop culture world?
Michael B. Jordan
During a photoshoot with Jason Bolden of JSN Studios, Michael B. Jordan was stylishly dressed in a yellow-heavy outfit with a bright jacket and pant set. To match the yellow, gold accessories were also placed on the actor. On the right wrist there appears to be one or more gold bracelets, but on the left wrist a Historiques 222 is unmistakably in view. It is a bit of a surprise considering the actor’s ambassadorship for Piaget. But, whether it’s his own watch or just worn for the shoot (and later for the red carpet premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), it does make the case that Michael B. Jordan should be picked up by Vacheron if he hasn’t been already.
Chris Paul
Like many top NBA players, all-star point guard Chris Paul has developed a serious taste for luxury watches. Apparently, he travels with 12 watches at all times to ensure he has options to wear. Paul’s collection exhibits a serious appreciation for watchmaking, not just hype models anyone with money would take notice of. These include a limited-edition Breitling (numbered #3, which is Chris Paul’s number), a steel Cartier Drive watch on a leather strap, a Patek Philippe World Time 5130 and an Annual Calendar 5205 as well. But, recently on the sidelines a Historiques 222 was seen on his wrist stacked next to a charm bracelet. Absolute swish of a wrist-shot if you ask me.
Andrew Schulz
We’ve previously showcased Andrew Schulz on the site before, his watch collection growing as his career has really taken off. He does not shy away from controversial subjects, tackling them head-on with his quick wit and charm. For his latest special Infamous, Schulz took a big gamble and denied a streaming giant’s request to remove contentious material from his show. Instead, he bought it back from the streaming platform and instead sold it independently through his own website. Clearly it paid off, with many other comedians now following suit and praising his decision to maintain autonomy over his material. Through the fruits of such labour, Schulz was recently seen wearing a new watch: the Historiques 222. In the past he was seen wearing rather hyped watches like the Rolex Submariner, Rolex Daytona, and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding 41 ruthenium dial. But, the 222 proves that Schulz is going further and further down the rabbit hole of watch enthusiasm.
If the Historiques 222 is to find ubiquity on the wrists of celebrities, it will definitely take some time as the production is highly limited per year. But this is why it has the potential to become such a desired watch by entertainers and athletes. Its innate scarcity will preserve its status, and it is not the kind of reference that will have hundreds upon hundreds of listings on the secondary market. Its relative obscurity to the mainstream may make it a “hipster” option in that regard, but with enough time, and enough famous people setting their sights on it, who knows… the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 really could be the next big thing in the celebrity world.
Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 pricing and availability:
The Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 is available now for inquires at Vacheron Constantin boutiques worldwide. Price: $69,000 USD (excl. tax)
| Brand | Vacheron Constantin |
| Model | Historiques 222 |
| Case Dimensions | 37mm x 7.95mm |
| Case Material | 18K 3N Yellow Gold |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Dial | Golden |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Strap | 18K 3N Yellow Gold bracelet |
| Movement | Vacheron Constantin automatic calibre 2455/2 |
| Power Reserve | 40 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | $69,000 USD (excl. tax) |