Released in 1977, the Vacheron Constantin 222 celebrated Vacheron's 222nd anniversary in what was a radical move away from the traditional dress watches Vacheron had become renowned for as it marked Vacheron's decision to compete with their two largest rivals' new stainless steel sports models, the Royal Oak from AP and the Nautilus from Patek Philippe. Designed by Jorg Hysek, the 222 was influenced by Gerald Genta's work, with the 222 featuring aesthetic similarities to both of those two aforementioned models. It features a one-piece construction tonneau-shaped case, a uniquely notched bezel, the Vacheron Constantin Maltese cross on its case at 5 o'clock and an integrated bracelet made of long hexagonal bars that connect H-shaped links. By the time of its discontinuation in 1985, Vacheron has only produced around 720 men's examples of the 222, across three metals (500 steel, 100 yellow gold and 120 bi-metal) – making it an exceedingly rare watch, especially compared to the likes of the Royal Oak or Nautilus where multiple thousands were made, and never faced discontinuation.