Our first live auction of 2023, the PHILLIPS Geneva Watch Auction: XVII, takes place on May 13 and 14, at La Réserve Genève. The auction includes more than 200 of the world's finest watches – and though we are loath to boast, we truly think it's one of the best catalogs we've ever put together. We'll be highlighting a number of the most interesting lots and stories featured in the sale over the next month, including the unique, previously unknown Vacheron Constantin 222 in 18k white gold seen here.
– By Logan Baker
Vacheron Constantin’s 222 had a big year last year. Really big.
The Swiss watchmaker began by officially reviving the original vintage model in 18k yellow gold during Watches & Wonders Geneva 2022, quickly earning plaudits across social media and from the international press.
However, it soon became clear that it wasn’t just watch collectors that had taken notice of the new release. Actor Michael B. Jordan was spotted wearing the watch on the red carpet of the premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Basketball stars Chris Paul and Klay Thompson were seen courtside with a 222 on their wrists. Even Brad Pitt (a Breitling ambassador) couldn’t stay away from the 222’s charm.
All of a sudden, the 222 was one of the hottest watches on the planet – and vintage collectors took note.
During last May’s Geneva Watch Auction: XV at PHILLIPS, we sold an example of the 222 in all three of its original case metals: yellow gold, stainless steel, and two-tone. Records were shattered. The yellow-gold 222 sold for CHF 163,800, the steel for CHF 189,000, and the two-tone for CHF 100,800.
However, the newest development in the world of vintage 222s has the potential to change everything: A unique, previously unknown Vacheron Constantin 222 in 18k white gold was discovered and is included in the Geneva Watch Auction: XVII.
The original 222, generally speaking, is an extremely rare watch. Over a seven-year production run, fewer than one thousand examples were built, with no more than 500 in stainless steel, approximately 150 in yellow gold, and less than 100 in two-tone. That's far, far fewer watches than, for comparison's sake, the original Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 5402 or the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700.
What we know about the unique 222 in 18k white gold is that it was created with the intention to be covered in gem stones, indicated by the caseback engraving of ref. 44518. The client that had requested the watch eventually decided against going through with the gem-setting, resulting in the ultra-clean 18k white gold 222 we see today.
Within the Vacheron Constantin Archive, the watch is listed under the 222’s standard reference number of 44018 (rather than the supposed gem-set variation, ref. 44518). The watch has a confirmed production date of 1982, five years after the 222 was first born and two years before it's production would conclude.
Other than its case metal, the white-gold 222 is identical to the other vintage 222 examples in the 37mm size (Vacheron also produced a 34mm and 25mm variation), which means it has a three o’clock date window and no central seconds, with the ultra-thin self-winding caliber 1121 (a Jaeger-LeCoultre ébauche) inside. The case is the same quasi-tonneau shape with a monocoque construction and a screwed-in serrated bezel.
Until today, the watch was undocumented and Vacheron themselves weren’t aware of its existence. The brand has since confirmed its originality, and the watch comes with an Extract from the Vacheron Constantin Archive testifying to its uniqueness. It’s lot 205 in the Geneva Watch Auction: XVII, and it carries an estimate of CHF 100,000 to 200,000
You can learn more about and register to bid on the unique 18k white gold Vacheron Constantin 222 by visiting the online catalog for PHILLIPS Geneva Watch Auction: XVII.
About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at PHILLIPS Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized $74.5 million in 2021. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the company sold 100% of the watches offered, a first in the industry, resulting in the highest annual total in history across all the auction houses at $227 million.
About Logan Baker
Logan has spent the past decade working in watch-focused media, reporting on every aspect of the industry. He joined Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the start of 2023 as the department's Senior Editorial Manager. He splits his time between New York and Geneva.
Recommended Reading
The Vacheron Constantin Ref. 222 In Every Existing Metal (Video)
Vacheron Constantin: In Search Of Perfection
The Watch Built For Everest: Cory Richards' Vacheron Constantin Overseas Prototype