Thoughts on the new Vacheron 222 in steel?

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"Vacheron Constantin now has a Historiques 222 in steel. It has the same great dimensions (37mm by 7.95mm), the same movement, and the same vintage touches, now in more casual and affordable stainless steel, for $32,000. And yes, it’s awesome."

Thoughts? I think it looks fantastic. Maybe we're generally towards the end of the integrated bracelet watch craze though (at least grey market prices are dropping massively). Love the colour they've gone with on the dial.

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/introducing-vacheron-constantin-222-steel



The Movement

Caliber:
Caliber 2455/2
Functions: Hours, minutes, date
Diameter: 26.2mm
Thickness: 3.6mm
Power Reserve: 40 hours of power reserve
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour
Jewels: 27
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece



Pricing & Availability

Price: $32,000
Availability: Immediately
Limited Edition: No, but exclusive to Vacheron Constantin boutiques.


 
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To me, it looks like a Rolex Oyster Perpetual with a nice bracelet and date window at 5 times the price.
 
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Incredibly expensive. And it just misses something that the gold version has
 
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$35k? I rather buy a summer house.

Seriously, though, I was never an AP Royal Oak fan, even setting cost aside, and let's face it, the 222 was essentially a copy, albeit high-class.

As for this particular example, I would not want a date function, and have never been a fan of integrated bracelets. The movement, while presumably of very good quality, is not to my taste, aesthetically. I wouldn't want the model reference stamped on a 22k gold rotor, nor do I like the too-cute-by-half scalloping, designed to mimic the (unattractive, in my view) bezel.
 
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It's in line with the pricing of the day for these uber sports watches, it will also be unobtainable for the average Joe. It does not have the original, ultra thin movement that the Royal Oak, Nautilus and VC 222 used. It's nice, but not compelling. VC is a lost brand, kind of like Breguet, it doesn't know where it wants to go.
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