Vintage Vulcain Nautical: A Diving Legend

Amanico introduces a vintage Vulcain Nautical from a friend's collection, highlighting its legendary status as the first compressor case diving watch with an alarm, predating the Polaris. He details its historical significance, unique features like the decompression scale, and his personal quest to acquire it and restore its hands.

Born in 1961, the Vulcain Nautical is the first Compressor Case Diving Watch with Alarm.

Not the first vintage diving watch with an alarm, since the place is held by the Jaeger Lecoultre Deep Sea alarm ( 1959 ), but made two years before the first protos of the Polaris, in 1963.

Compared to the Polaris, it has a decompression scale.

A legend in the universe of vintage diving watches.

I now have to do two things:

1/ Harassing its owner to let it to me.

2/ Finding a set of proper hands.

For the rest, nothing to reject. The case is in superb shape, the dial, too.

A marvel.

Best,

Nicolas

Key Points from the Discussion

One user seeks information and valuation for a Vulcain Nautical from an estate, noting differences in hands and the middle winding dial compared to other examples.
The original poster expresses his intention to replace the luminova on the hands with tritium to improve its appearance while he searches for proper, period-correct hands.
A contributor questions the ownership status of the watch, noting that the original poster had previously presented it as his own at various gatherings.
The hands on the featured vintage Nautical appear to match the shape and design of those on a 2011 Nautical Trophy reissue, despite the reissue having a wider lume strip.
The original poster shares an image of another Vulcain Nautical with similar hand issues, found in Italy, indicating a common problem.

The Discussion

NoH

Mar 22, 2019

Thanks Nico!

Without you uncovering and presenting all of these interesting timepieces I for one would certainly have a lot less exposure to and knowledge of such a wonderful array of watches. I really appreciate what you do, and hope you keep showing your own collection, as well as those watches outside of your collection which you come across, in whatever way you come across them. Looking forward to seeing some of your great collection at a GTC some time soon All the best, Niall

amanico

Mar 22, 2019

That would be my pleasure to meet you! Whenever you want, in Paris or elsewhere. [nt]

Izhik

Mar 22, 2019

hmmm....a president diver watch...was not aware Vulcain were producing diving watches...thanks for bringing it up.. [nt]

amanico

Mar 22, 2019

Well, this one, and the second generation with a cushion shaped case from the early 70's then basta. No more. ;) [nt]

Ano Nuevo

Mar 22, 2019

What is improper about the hands?

They seem to match the shape and design of the hands on my 2011 Nautical Trophy reissue, although mine have a too-wide lume strip: (The hobnail bezel is new on this model.) Ano “More Vulcain Crickets, please” Nuevo

amanico

Mar 22, 2019

Not totally shaped the same way, the luminous is bigger... Have a closer look. The hands on your re edition are much closer to the original than those on the one I posted.

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