Vulcain Nautical Heritage: Re-edition of the Classic Cricket

Vulcain Nautical Heritage Alarm Watch

Swiss watch brand Vulcain, founded in 1858, was the first watch manufacturer to input an alarm feature into its wristwatches. Vulcain is reissuing the first timepiece that featured the alarm clock, the 1961 Nautical Cricket. The re-edition of the original, the Vulcain Nautical Heritage Alarm Watch, promises to be as admired as the first.

The innovation of adding an alarm clock has made Vulcain watches popular with American presidents. Harry S. Truman was the first president to wear a Vulcain watch, and every president after him has owned one. This tradition has helped Vulcain watches become a recognized and respected brand.

The re-edition of the original Nautical Cricket from 1961 is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the historic model. Only 1,961 pieces will be made for purchase.

The original Nautical Cricket was created to compete with JLC’s 1959 Deep Sea Alarm watch. The two competing watches were very similar in design and features, but Vulcain’s growing reputation over the years has proved that their product is supreme.

The Vulcain Nautical Heritage was designed with divers in mind. With a water resistance up to 300 meters, or 990 feet, the alarm function can still be used under water. Its inner-rotating bezel will indicate the decompression stages the farther down the diver descends in water, and the alarm can still be heard clearly up to 220 meters. The Legendary Cricket V-10 alarm has 12-lignes in its mechanical hand-wound movement, an inner-rotating bezel, 17 rubies, and 157 parts with a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour. An exactomatic system and 42 hour power reserve lend to its impressive features. Along with expected features such as hours, minutes, and seconds, it has the mechanical alarm feature accompanied by a chiming clock lasting 15 to 20 seconds and luminescent numerals and hands.

The casing of the Vulcain Nautical Heritage is a 42 mm supercompressor steel and sapphire glass laid over a black dial with a 16-hole triple steel case-backing. It is not widely known that Vulcain was the first to implement the 16-hole case back, which boosts audibility of the alarm.

There are three choices of straps: alligator leather strap, black rubber tropic strap, or steel bracelet. A double folding steel buckle and engravings of the Swiss and U.S. patent numbers on the case back complete the look. Retail price is $5,975. View the Nautical Heritage watch at Vulcain’s official website.