WORLDTEMPUS - 20 March 2011
Miguel Seabra
In an interesting move that apparently goes against its recent past but is sustained by an important milestone in the brand's history, Vulcain decided to extend its collection with a range of classically styled chronographs and automatic timepieces that don't include the iconic alarm function. The outcome looks positive and will help the Le Locle-based manufacture in its strategy aimed at a wider audience.
In fact, if there is a watch brand intrinsically associated with one specific complication it is Vulcain – featuring a recognizable mechanical alarm called the Cricket in every single one of the timepieces in its collection…until now. At last week's Baselworld watch fair, Bernard Fleury unveiled his goal of conquering new market shares and satisfying aficionados. “We felt that our clients and friends wanted to have something different from us, so we went back in our history and there was a 1934 monopusher chronograph exclusively made for Real Madrid that inspired the launch of a new chronograph series equipped precisely with a single pusher,” said the brand's CEO. “We chose to use the same design codes of our acclaimed 50s Presidents' Watch on a chronograph series and a Heritage edition that replicates the dial of that original chronograph from the 1930s. The other new product in our regular collection is an extra-slim automatic watch.”
Both the monopusher chronograph and the automatic versions are beautifully styled with a streamlined look reminiscent of the 1950s, when the Cricket alarm watch became the choice of United States presidents all the way into the 1970s, beginning with President Harry S. Truman. Since its founding in 1858, Vulcain always showed a strong inclination toward the American market and even chose New York's Waldorf Astoria to launch the Cricket as the first alarm wristwatch back in 1947. The Cricket and the American connection had a major impact on the brand's history in the second half of the twentieth century; the alarm function became the brand's signature complication and from then on a lineage was set. The presidential prestige influenced the creation of the 50s Presidents' Watch line two years ago.
Waking the presidents
Fleury rebuilt the brand in 2001 and set up a strategy around the Cricket manufacture caliber that was both consistent and legitimate, combining the iconic alarm function with other small complications. Then came the 50s Presidents' Watch collection that proved to be a hit with its classic and clean looks. After the 2010 inaugural automatic alarm watch and the ensuing 2011 hand-wound version, the presidential family welcomed the addition of an automatic chronograph featuring a bicompax dial and a slim 8.6 mm automatic watch – both in the 42 mm diameter case but without the Cricket manufacture alarm movement.
“We chose a LaJoux-Perret caliber base for the V-57 movement of the Presidents' Chronograph, whereas the ultra-slim Presidents' Classic is powered by the V-54, based on a Soprod movement,” Fleury explains. The 2012 lineup of new products is completed with three more interpretations. The first one is the above-mentioned 50s Presidents' Chronograph Heritage, which reminds us that Vulcain's quality was confirmed in writing by the 1934 Real Madrid coaches. In their missive, they explain how the single-pusher chronograph was used to time several training sequences and they even credit it with their victory in that year's national championship.
Limited editions, enlarged ambitions
The other two are limited editions and stay faithful to the emblematic Cricket alarm function. The 50s Presidents' Watch Herbie Hancock celebrates the “blue notes” universe through a magnificent sunburst satin-brushed blue dial and is available in a series of 250 stainless steel or 50 gold timepieces adorned with the prestigious signature of the legendary jazz pianist. The Pegasus boasts a spectacularly artistic dial decorated with enamel.
Named for the god of fire in Roman mythology, Vulcain was recently integrated into the Excellence Holding SA, a group that owns luxury boutique chain Les Ambassadeurs as well as niche brand Jaermann & Stübi, which is specialized in golf-dedicated mechanical functions. Envisioning growth in both the number of pieces annually produced and countries where the brand is distributed, Fleury points to the U.S. market as a priority due to the evident historic connections. Experienced distributor Mark Wasserman is now handling the brand there, but Fleury stresses that the Asian market is just as important. “We produce less than 5,000 watches right now, but with the new chronograph and the extra-slim automatic, the production should grow in the next years, especially with a good restart in North America and a reorganization of our distribution plan in Asia,” says the CEO. “Besides, our classic-looking timepieces in the 50s Presidents line attract a lot of interest from Asian consumers for whom a watch should be essentially round and sober.”
Affordable specialties
Vulcain has some 200 points of sale all over the world and Fleury is confident that its history, limited editions, classic looks, alarm function specialty, smaller 39 mm size and 18-karat gold versions will please the growing Chinese hunger for mechanical timepieces – in addition to a European market that has been struck with recession and is thus more demanding regarding value for the money. After all, Vulcain prices range mainly from around 2,500 (for the new Presidents' Classic automatic) to 5,000 euros. Most calibers (the hand-wound V-10, the automatic V-21 and respective variations) are manufactured in-house at Le Locle, making the price/quality ratio highly interesting for a manufacture. With all his experience and know-how in the industry, Fleury should be reaping a presidential reward in the years to come.
