Jean-Claude Biver may not approve; he recently stated his dissatisfaction for watch brands revisiting their back catalogues so as to reproduce exact copies of models from yesteryear. But nevertheless, Vulcain have just released a faithful replica of the 1970 Vulcain Nautical model.
The iconic diver’s watch returns in a 300-piece limited edition with a resolutely vintage look. When the watch was first launched in the early 1960s, it was the first diver’s watch equipped with an alarm movement truly audible underwater.
The new Nautical Seventies Limited Edition is water resistant to 300 metres and indicates the successive decompression stops.
The Cricket Nautical was launched in 1961 at a time when the major watch brands were beginning to realise the dawn of a major new market for their watches – that of the recreational diver. Suddenly experienced divers from the military and other fields were in demand to act as expert consultants. The Vulcain Nautical – had its own trio of experts to help bring it to fruition.
Hannes Keller, a multiple record-holding diver and mathematician; explorer and film director Max-Yves Brandily; and Arthur Droz, national diving instruction and representative of the French C.I.A.S. (Centre d’Investigations et d’Activités Sous-Marines) – drew upon their considerable experience in helping the Manufacture Vulcain to create the first watch complete with an alarm, a clear indication of decompression steps, as well as guaranteed water resistance to 300 m. The latter depth is equivalent to a pressure of around 30kg/cm2!
It was truly an avant-garde watch in all respects. For the first time ever, a wristwatch was capable of descending to 300 metres and audibly warning its wearer that it was time to return to the surface, at the same time precisely indicating the various decompression stops.
The Vulcain Cricket Nautical caused an immediate sensation in the field of deep-sea diving. Endowed with technical characteristics meeting diver’s security requirements, this model stemmed from a pooling of various competencies: those of the three experts with whom the Vulcain constructors chose to associate in developing the first diver’s watch equipped with an alarm audible under water.
In 1970, Vulcain introduced a new version of its legendary Nautical featuring a redesigned display layout and it’s this watch that is now re-issued in a 300-piece limited series.
Vulcain Cricket Manufacture Calibre V-10
While the 2013 Nautical Seventies Limited Edition has been made using the latest technical innovations, the original vintage spirit has been carefully preserved, starting with the manually-wound Cricket V-10 capable of sounding its alarm in a clearly audible manner for up to 20 seconds under water. Equipped with twin barrels – one to supply the energy required for the hour, minute and seconds functions, and the other to power the alarm function –, this movement beats at a speed of 18,000 vibrations per hour and has a 42-hour power reserve.
Original hesalite watch glass
Like the original, the 42 mm case is water-resistant to 300 metres and features alternating polished and satin-brushed finishes, and is distinguished by its emblematic triple case-back acting as a resonance chamber for the alarm so as to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Even the material for the watch glass is the same – a hesalite watch glass serving to amplify the sound.
The central dial indicates decompression details in orange colours while the 60-minute graduated rotating inner bezel ring is activated by a screw-locked crown at 4 o’clock.
The generously coated luminescent hands and square hour-markers, offer excellent readability even underwater.
The watch comes on a water-repellent leather strap as a further vintage touch for the Nautical Seventies.
Specifications
Case: 316L steel
Back:triple case-back serving as a resonance chamber and
enabling underwater use of the alarm function
Dial: orange re-edition of the 1970s model
Diameter: 42.00 mm
Thickness: 17.60 mm
Glass: hesalite glass
Water resistance: 300 metres / 990 feet
VULCAIN CRICKET MANUFACTURE CALIBRE V-10
Movement: mechanical 12-lignes manually-wound alarm
movement, 25 jewels, 157 parts, twin barrels, equipped with Exactomatic system, 48° angle of lift Decoration: nickel coating, blued screws
Functions: hours, minutes, central seconds, alarm, fixed
dial with decompression-table indication and 60-minute
graduated rotating inner bezel ring activated by a screw-
locked crown at 4 o’clock
Frequency: 18,000 vibrations/hour
Power reserve: 42 hours
Alarm duration; approx. 20 seconds
Strap: black and orange water-repellent leather
Dimensions: 22/18 mm
Buckle: steel pin buckle
