Ask an enthusiast to sketch you a skin diver and he would probably provide you with a rendition of the Vulcain Nautique. The mid-century design was at one time so ubiquitous, no brand catalogue would have been complete without one. In fact, if you told me the Nautique was a barn find, few would question the claim. As an almost 1:1 recreation of its own 1960s reference, the watch might as well be NOS.
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Key features of the Vulcain Skin Diver Nautique
The brushed 316L stainless steel case is a wrist-friendly 38mm in diameter, and a shockingly short 44.2mm lug to lug. And while specs might tell you it’s 12.2mm thick, you’d be confounded to believe it. Subtract the double-domed sapphire crystal and you are left with quite a slender offering.
Part of its svelte styling is owed to the trim unidirectional, coin-edge bezel which has been inlaid with glossy ceramic. The look is refined, and I really like the fully graduated 60-minute scale.
However, even at these compact dimensions, the latest iteration of the Nautique is a small bump up from the original. And that’s a good thing. The new silhouette adds just the right amount of curvature heading into the 20mm lugs. In fact, greater mathematicians than me could probably prove that the golden ration is at work everywhere in this timepiece.
The Nautique dial is straightforward and equally well-balanced. It is fitted with raised dot and baton markers on the hours with an inverted triangle at twelve. In an inspired design choice, the minute-track in the chapter ring appears to be an extension of the bezel scale, providing for the illusion of elongated rays emanating from the centre of the dial.
The handset, like the cardinal hour indicators, is a simple baton affair with a needle seconds. This, and all other dial elements have been generously treated with Swiss Super-LumiNova—glowing bright green when fully charged and fading into a yellow fauxtina during the daylight hours.
The screw down crown is nicely proportionate to the case and functions smoothly. Along with the screw down case back, it helps provide the promised 200m of water resistance.
The Nautique is equipped with a date-free ETA 2824, so there is no ghost position on the crown. It has a smooth 4Hz sweep and delivers a 38-hour power reserve.
Here, the watch is paired black Tropic-style Rubber Strap—which I think is the perfect choice. It tapers significantly from 20mm at the lugs to 16mm at the buckle. It is supple and soft. However, there are no fewer than nine different strap options on the website. The Nautique is also available in blue and salmon dial versions.
SPECS
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 38mm Diameter 12.2mm Thick 44.2mm Lug to Lug 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Crown & Case Back Ceramic Bezel Insert 200m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Domed Sapphire Crystal Raised Indices Matte Black Dial Baton Style Handset Swiss Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | ETA 2824-2 25 Jewels 28 800bph 38-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Featured in Tropic-Style Rubber /w 9 Options |
Vulcain Skin Diver Nautique
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Of Interest
The Vulcain Watch Company can trace its roots back to 1858, when it was founded by Maurice Ditisheim in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The company initially focused on producing precision pocket watches; however, it is commonly considered as the inventor of the mechanical wristwatch alarm in 1947. The “Cricket,” and its distinctive sound, became synonymous with the brand. And in a related twist of fate, Vulcain gained further prominence when it became known as the “Presidents’ Watch.”
In 1953, President Harry S. Truman was given a Vulcain Cricket alarm, and since then, many U.S. Presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson, were known to wear Vulcain watches. Today the brand is housed in a private mansion in Le Locle.
Quibbles
Perhaps this isn’t a quibble, so much as it is a request–could we get a lollipop seconds here?
Final Thoughts
The thing about a skin diver done right is that you think you’ve seen it before. But that’s part of its charm. It’s the quintessential mid-century sports watch. You might even ask if it needs a name on the dial, but then you’d miss out on its quirky retro font. You can pick up a vintage skin diver for a few hundred bucks, but you won’t want to wear it next to the pool. The beauty of a reissue like the Vulcain Skin Diver Nautique is that you can have your cake and eat it too. The level of finishing here can not be overstated, either. The matte black dial is immaculate. The indices are crisp. And the ceramic bezel is as snappy in its action as it is sharp in its appearance. The closest thing I could compare it too would be the Oris Divers Sixty-Five. However, even one with a Sellita-based movement will leave you $800 poorer than the Vulcain Nautique. And you’ll be out 100m of water resistance, as well. You’d be hard pressed to put yourself into a Swiss heritage brand, such as Vulcain, for any less–certainly not into one as well made and attractive.
The Vulcain Nautique retails for $1600 USD. For more information, please visit the brand website.
About the author
Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.
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