Buffy Acacia Vulcan’s Nautical Heritage Massena Institute turns the clock on nautical heritage back to the 50s and then turns it back on again to see how it has decayed. Some of the watch’s complications include a mechanical alarm system that amplifies underwater hearing and a decompression timing calculator. This is a limited edition of 25 pieces available exclusively through Massena Labs and is priced at $4,950.
The first Vulcain Cricket Nautical was released in 1961 and there are countless reasons why. Not only was it no different from a typical diver’s watch (stepping into dress watch territory if you ask me), it also featured Cricket’s most well-known mechanical alarm. The modern version of the Vulcan brand has been selling versions of the Cricket Nautical Heritage for some time, but now things have changed in a big way thanks to a new collaboration with design house Massena Lab. New Vulcan Nautical Legacy Massena Lab hypothesizes what it would have been like if a version of the Cricket Nautical had been released 10 years ago.
One of the features of this exclusive collaboration is that it is not only infused with 1950s design choices, but also takes into account the passage of the decade and construction constraints. Although watchmakers didn’t actually make brown sunburst dials in the 1950s, some watches used unstable black pigments that faded over time and when exposed to UV light. It has faded and turned brown. These tropical dials range from subtly affected to fully corroded, but the Vulcan and Massena Lab are even and clean with silky-smooth sunburst brushing. I aimed for a brown tone. Its finish, along with the aged luminous paint, definitely gives it a vintage flavor without treating it like a complete relic, and it still feels like a new watch.
The handset is another Massena Lab change, using a thick baton for the hour display and a block-tipped arrowhead for the minute display. They may look a little similar in length, but their shape makes them easy to tell apart when reading time. The bright red arrow needle will definitely attract attention. This is used to set the alarm complication. When the hour hand crosses the alarm threshold, a loud clicking sound continues until the alarm’s additional power reserve is exhausted. It’s quite loud, but this is mainly due to the case’s triple caseback design, which allows the sound to resonate better underwater.
There’s a lot going on on the dial, but the various rings and gauges don’t actually have anything to do with the alarm. This is a system designed to help divers time their ascent for decompression, allowing them to pre-select their dive depth using the crown at 4 o’clock. From there, you can use the correlated numbers to calculate the stopping time at the relevant depth. Considering how complex this watch is, it’s incredible to acknowledge the case’s 300 meter water resistance. The only downside is that it’s thick at 17.5mm, so you’ll definitely find it slipping into your cuffs quickly.
The case itself is 42mm in diameter, with crown number 2 controlling the alarm, crown number 3 for normal winding and time display, and crown number 4 to rotate the inner dial. It has a strong presence on the wrist for something with such vintage flavor, but it doesn’t overstay its welcome. The movement is the in-house Cricket Alarm Caliber V10, a design that actually dates back to the 1940s. It also has a classic frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour, which is somewhat unusual, and two barrels provide separate power reserves for alarm and timekeeping, the latter reaching 52 hours when fully wound. Masu.
Vulcan Nautical Legacy Massena Lab Pricing and Availability
The Vulcan Nautical Legacy Massena Lab is limited to just 25 pieces and can only be purchased on the Massena Lab website. Price: $4,950
Brand Vulcan Model Nautical Legacy Massena Labo Case dimensions 42mm (D) x 17.5mm (T) Case material Stainless steel Water resistance 300 meters Crystal Sapphire, anti-reflective coating Dial Brown sunburst with decompression scale Bracelet and strap Black rubber Movement Cricket Alarm Caliber V10, in-house, hand-wound Power reserve 52 hours Features Hours, minutes, seconds, mechanical alarm, decompression function calculator Availability limited to 25 pieces Price $4,950
