Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LAB

Quick specs Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LAB
Price: $ 4,950 | approx. € 4.800 | approx. £ 3,900 | approx. CHF 4’400
Size: 42 mm
Reference: 46382667366587 – limited to 25 pieces

If you want a very vintage-inspired alarm watch, be quick to order this Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LAB. It is a 1950s-inspired diver’s watch from Vulcain, designed in collaboration with Massena LAB. This limited-edition model combines functionality with historical significance, offering advanced features for diving enthusiasts and collectors. And it reimagines the original Cricket Nautical’s design, celebrating the brand’s expertise in crafting underwater alarms.

The original Vulcain Cricket Nautical debuted in 1961. It was developed with input from diving pioneers. One of them, Hannes Keller, set a world record in 1966, reaching a depth of 250 meters while wearing the watch, validated by Jacques Cousteau. This heritage model honors that legacy, as earlier re-issued Nautical models with alarm do, like this Vulcain Cricket Nautical 2023 for instance.

Vintage Double Dial

This Nautical Legacy Massena LAB features a stainless steel case measuring 42 millimeters in diameter and 17.5 millimeters in thickness. The case integrates a triple case back, which enhances the alarm’s resonance underwater. Its chocolate-brown dial, accented with beige lume, ensures visibility in low light. The baton and arrow-style hands also have this beige lume. In low light, everything lights up in green.

A unique rotating double dial, controlled by the crown at 4 o’clock, displays a decompression scale. This function helps divers calculate their ascent times at various depths, visible through an aperture on the upper dial at the 9 o’clock position. It’s an extra and unique feature.

The Cricket Alarm V10 Movement

Inside is the Vulcain caliber V10, Vulcain’s Cricket Alarm movement, offering a 52-hour power reserve. This in-house manual wound movement includes two barrels: one for timekeeping and the other for the alarm function. The Exactomatic system ensures precision, a hallmark of Vulcain’s craftsmanship since its inception.

This system, patented by Vulcain in 1946, enhances the precision of their watches by equalizing friction on the balance-wheel axis across all positions. This is achieved by modifying the Incabloc end stones, resulting in a more consistent amplitude and improved timekeeping accuracy. The watch comes on a black rubber strap, designed by Massena LAB.

Price of the Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LAB and Competitive Landscape

The Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LAB is priced at $ 4,950, so around 4 to 5k in euros, British pounds, or Swiss francs. Comparable models with similar alarm functions and diving features are hard to find.

You can look out for a Blancpain Léman Réveil GMT or a Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox, however, these are certainly not divers. And way more expensive. A more affordable alarm watch is the Eterna 1948 for him Reveil Limited Edition, but also not suitable for diving. Which makes the Vulcain Nautical models pretty unique.