Vulcain (watch company)

46.16629°N 6.11211°E / 46.16629; 6.11211

Vulcain
TypePrivate Company
IndustryLuxury watchmaking
Founded1858 (Manufacture Ditisheim.)
1894 (Vulcain)
FounderMaurice Ditisheim
HeadquartersLa Chaux-de-Fonds, Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Aldo Magada
ProductsWatches
Production output
3,000 (2018)[1]
Number of employees
12
ParentExcellence Holding
Websitevulcain.ch

Vulcain is a Swiss luxury watchmaker based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. It was founded in 1858 by Maurice Ditisheim as Manufacture Ditisheim' in La Chaux-de-Fonds, being rebranded as Vulcain in 1894. In 1947, Vulcain developed the first alarm watch, the Vulcain Cricket.

Foundation

Vulcain was founded in 1858 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by the Ditisheim brothers Maurice, Gaspard and Aron. The Ditisheims were one of many Jewish families involved in innovation and modernisation of the watch industry.[2][3] Within 20 to 30 years, the company grew from a small studio to a successful and well-known brand. Since the brothers were also involved with foreign branches in the industry, they had the advantage of an international network of contacts. In 1886, Maurice bought the company from his brothers.[4][5] He was awarded a bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris 1889 for his self-winding watch "La vallée de l'Arve."

Through to the end of the century, the watchmaker was called "Manufacture Ditisheim".[6] In 1894, watches were first offered under the branding of Vulcain, with the company now under the leadership of Maurice Ditisheim's son, Ernest-Albert Ditisheim.[7] In 1900, Ditisheim registered the name 'Vulcain' as a brand name for his pocket watches, naming it after the Roman god of Fire.[8]

Up until World War II, Vulcain solely focused on the production of pocket watches, only turning to wristwatches with the uptake in popularity of wristwatches for the military.

The Alarm Watch

In the early 1940s, Vulcain invented the idea of a mechanical alarm watch. There had been two prior attempts by other watchmakers in the early 19th century, but these projects were failures.[9]

In 1942, Vulcain had begun production of a prototype alarm movement, later named the 120.[10] The Caliber 120 could sound for above 20 seconds when fully wound through the invention of the 'dual barrel'. This system ensured two separate barrels, which contain the wound up springs generating energy for the watch. These barrels separately provided energy for the movement, and for the alarm; hence ensuring that the watch could sound for significantly longer than prior iterations.

The development of the volume, developed alongside French physicist Paul Langevin took a further 5 years, when Vulcain patented a double-case design to reverberate the sound further.[11][12] The sound of the alarm notably sounded similar to that of a cricket, with the insect serving as its namesake.

The Cricket, released in 1947, ran off of the final iteration of the Caliber 120, which was 17 -Jewels, had a near two-day power reserved and beat at 18,000 Beats per hour.[10]

Presidential tradition

Vulcain gained brand recognition from the early 1950s for their invention of the alarm watch – the Vulcain Cricket, which was presented at a Swiss Watch Fair in 1947.[13][14][15]

In 1953, the White House Press Photographer's Association presented Harry S. Truman with a 14k gold version of the watch on the eve of his leaving presidential office.[16][17][18] Following from this, nearly every President has been given one to commemorate their leaving office.[19][20][21]

The Cricket also served as an adventurers watch, as the brand in Le Locle had partnered with multiple mountaineering and maritime expeditions.[22]

The Extended Watch Range

Vulcain, introduced the Cricket Nautical in 1961.[23][24] The watch alarm was marketed as being audible underwater.[25][26]

Quartz crisis

1961 the companies Revue, Vulcain, Buser and Phénix merged to form the Manufactures d'Horlogerie Suisse Réunis SA (MSR).[27]

During the so-called quartz crisis in the 1980s, Vulcain struggled as the market for high-quality luxury mechanical wristwatches collapsed.[28] The future was seen to belong to cheap quartz watches. Vulcain still produced their watches for sister brands within the MSR, but had a temporary break in manufacture. When the Cricket was produced again under the name of "Revue Thommen", this was done in La Chaux-de-Fonds.[29]

Restart of the brand Vulcain under the PMH (Production et Marketing Horologer)

Towards the end of the 1990s, Vulcain was sold by MSR. After its bankruptcy at the end of the 1990s, the Production et marketing Horologer (PMH) acquired all rights to the brand and the Vulcain Cricket V10 was introduced in 2001.[30]

This new beginning was associated with the relocation from La Chaux-de-Fonds to Le Locle, known for its association with the watch industry.[31][32]

In 2002, the first new models of the Vulcain were presented, largely based on historical models.[23]

References
  1. "Estimated Watches Sold And Estimated Turnover of the Major Watch Brands in Switzerland And Germany (Updated 09.06.2013 & 06.08.2013)". Watch Insider. 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  2. Mahrer, Stefanie (2012). Handwerk der Moderne: Jüdische Uhrmacher und Uhrenunternehmer im Neuenburger Jura 1800–1914. Köln: Böhlau. ISBN 978-3412209353.
  3. Battegay, Caspar; Lubrich, Naomi (2018). Jewish Switzerland: 50 Objects Tell Their Stories. Basel: Christophe Merian. pp. 106–109. ISBN 9783856168476.
  4. Mahrer, Stefanie; Picard, Jacques. "Uhrmacher, in: Diner, Dan (Hg.): Enzyklopädie jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur".
  5. Mahrer, Stefanie. "Die jüdischen Uhrmacher im Jura / les horlogers juifs dans le jura".
  6. Hodkin, Thomas (20 April 2015). Collecting Clocks Clock Repairs & Trademarks Index. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-326-25249-6.
  7. Haines, Reyne (15 March 2010). Vintage Wristwatches. Penguin. ISBN 978-1-4402-1524-7.
  8. "Old School – Vulcain Cricket". Monochrome Watches. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  9. "Full Alert: A History of Alarm Watches". Timepiece Chronicle. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  10. "bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: Vulcain 120 Cricket". ranfft.de. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  11. Chopra, Bhanu (15 February 2016). "The Presidents' Watch – History and Review of Vulcain Alarm Watch". watchuseek.com. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  12. "News: Vulcain Cricket President 'Edition France'. 50-Piece Limited Edition". WATCH COLLECTING LIFESTYLE. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  13. "#TBT World's first alarm wrist watch Vulcain Cricket". Fratello Watches. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  14. "Vulcain Cricket 1947 Heritage Replica Hands On". OneWheee. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  15. "Vulcain Cricket". Analog/Shift. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  16. "The Vulcain Cricket: Made for Men, Worn by Presidents". Timepiece Chronicle. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  17. Crown & Caliber (17 February 2017). "The Vulcain Cricket: The Watch of Presidents". Crown & Caliber Blog. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  18. "Harry S Truman: Personally Owned Vulcain Cricket Wrist Watch.... | Lot #42139". Heritage Auctions. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  19. Buchanan, Written byNorma (17 February 2020). "First Watch: U.S. Presidents and Their Timepieces". WatchTime – USA's No.1 Watch Magazine. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  20. "Trump to Get Inaugural Timepiece From Ailing Swiss Watchmaker". Bloomberg.com. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  21. "A Mechanical Alarm Watch That Every President Owns". Bloomberg.com. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  22. "Adventure: Vulcain". world.vulcain-watches.ch. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  23. Buettner, Blake (7 November 2012). "A Week on the Wrist: The Vulcain Nautical Cricket". HODINKEE. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  24. "Designed to go where we at not: The Vulcain Cricket Nautical". Timepiece Chronicle. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  25. Gaillard, Aurélia (2005), "Vulcain et sa forge aux xviie et xviiie siècles: Vulcain désenchanté, Volcan enchanté – d'un imaginaire à l'autre", L'imaginaire du volcan, Presses universitaires de Rennes, pp. 115–131, doi:10.4000/books.pur.30843, ISBN 978-2-7535-0023-5
  26. Strandberg, Keith W. "Vulcain – The Cricket conquers". europastar.com. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  27. "Buser Frères & Cie S.A. – A Brief Introduction". watchisthis.com. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  28. "The Quartz Crisis: The almost-downfall of the mechanical watch". Montredo. 24 July 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  29. "Revue Thommen Watches at Discount Prices". Swiss Luxury Watches. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  30. "Vulcain Cricket – Watch Wiki: The Best Watches and Watch Brands". watch-wiki.net. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  31. Haines, Reyne. (2010). Vintage Wristwatches. Cincinnati: F+W Media. ISBN 978-1-4402-1524-7. OCLC 767501001.
  32. "La Chaux-de-Fonds - City of watchmakers". DW.COM. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
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