Renowned for its signature Cricket alarm watch, Vulcain has a history of creating distinct sound-producing timepieces. The latest addition to its collection in 2023 is a contemporary version of the 1961 Cricket Nautical, a specialized dive watch with an audible underwater alarm.

The original Vulcain Cricket debuted in 1947, but it wasn't until 1961 that the Cricket Nautical emerged. This specialized version was a result of collaboration with experts like Hannes Keller, Max-Yves Brandily, and Arthur Droz. Designed with scuba diving in mind, the Cricket Nautical featured an underwater alarm and a dial-integrated system for calculating no-decompression limits. The watch gained fame when Hannes Keller wore it during a record-setting deep-sea dive, authenticated by Jacques Cousteau.

The 2023 Cricket Nautical remains faithful to its 1960s design roots, featuring a smooth fixed bezel and two crowns plus a pusher on its right side. Its dial is technical yet refined, with a 300-meter water resistance rating, ensuring suitability for diving.

The new Cricket Nautical's case, made from 316L stainless steel, measures 42.2mm in diameter and 17.35mm in thickness, partly due to its domed crystal and “Triple Case Back” design that enhances the alarm's audibility. Available with either a sapphire or acrylic crystal, buyers can choose between the classic resonator case back or an exhibition back with a V-shaped structure.

The watch's dial features a fixed outer ring and a rotating inner section, controlled by a screw-down crown at 4 o’clock, used to calculate decompression stop times. Its four hands, with one dedicated to the alarm time, maintain the signature look of the Cricket series.

Vulcain offers two dial options for the Cricket Nautical, both in black but with differing lume colors and minute track hues - one with faux-aged lume and green minute track, the other with white Super-LumiNova and a blue minute track.

The watch is powered by Vulcain's in-house V-10 manually wound alarm movement. It boasts a 42-hour power reserve and a 165-component mechanism with 19 jewels, operating at 18,000vph (2.5 Hz). The exhibition case back models showcase skeletonized ratchet wheels for added visual appeal.

Each Cricket Nautical comes with two straps: a black leather strap and a water-resistant, carbon fiber-look strap, both with quick release spring bars and stainless steel pin buckles bearing the Vulcain logo.

Priced at $4,862 USD, the Cricket Nautical offers a competitive option in the mechanical alarm watch category with a 300m water resistance. It sits between the price points of the 36mm and 39mm models of the Cricket series. Available for more information on Vulcain's website.