152 Vulcain Well Preserved and Important, Cricket Nautical, Alarm Divers Wristwatch in Steel, With Black Dial, Reference 2321A

Estimate: €5,000 –⁠ 10,000

Model: Cricket Nautical
Reference: 2321A
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Bracelet Material: Leather Strap
Year: 1960s
Movement: Manual
Case N°: 2568795 - 2 644 294
Dimensions: 42 mm
Signed: Dial, Movement and Case

Vulcain is a Swiss luxury watchmaker based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland and it was founded in 1858 by Maurice Ditisheim as Manufacture Ditisheim’ in La Chaux-de-Fonds, being rebranded as Vulcain in 1894. In 1947, Vulcain developed the first alarm watch, the Vulcain Cricket. This innovation made the Vulcain watch popular with American presidents starting with Harry S. Truman, earning the brand its reputation as “The Watch for Presidents”. The Cricket also served as an adventurers watch, as the brand in Le Locle had partnered with multiple mountaineering and maritime expeditions. Vulcain, introduced the Cricket Nautical in 1961, with the same model as the present lot. The watch alarm was marketed as being audible underwater. The watch was designed with incorporated dive tables and an alarm function. Remarkably, it was also the deepest-rated watch of its time, with a 300-meter depth rating made by Hannes Keller in 1962 versus the 200-meter depth rating of some of its Rolex counterparts. The alarm was also used for reminding divers of their time to begin returning to the surface and was also described in advertising as a way for divers to communicate with each other while underwater. Other exceptional individuals that used this watch were Arthur Droz, a national diving instructor and delegate of the Center for Underwater Investigations and Activities, and Max-Yves Brandly that was an explorer and film director. Made in far fewer numbers this watch comes in great conditions with its steel case with inclined bezel, concave lugs and the case back with 16 holes for audible alarm even under water. The crown at 3 is used for hand and alarm hand setting, the crown at 4 for the revolving decompression tables, button at 2 for alarm setting and silence. The dial is beautiful with its black color, painted baton indexes and Arabic quarters, luminous dots, concentric revolving disc with rectangular apertures for DEPTH related compression tables and luminous steel dauphine hands. This watch is a truly great example of one of the rarest alarm dive watches ever produced.