Most dive watches we come across qualify as such thanks to a chunky bezel, gobs of lume on the dial, and halfway decent depth rating. Vulcain, never keen to adhere to the well beaten path, took a different approach with their diver, the Nautical Cricket, and it shows at first blush. The impressive depth rating is there, sure, but the rest of the formula kind of goes out the window. It?s an approach I?d love to see more of in modern divers, and am thrilled to see Vulcain return to the concept 60 years after the original, and 10 years after the first attempt at resuscitation. It?s entirely confusing at a glance, and even if you know what you?re looking at, it still might require an explanation. The new Nautical Cricket is the latest chapter in Vulcain?s modern resurgence. 
The Nautical Cricket is, as you may have guessed from the name, an alarm watch, which can be set via the thin 4th hand with bright red tip. While unique, that?s not the most unusual element to this watch. That would be the inner portion of the dial, which is littered with rings and number sets and a long thin aperture which reveal further sets of numbers when turned. These tables are used in conjunction with the alarm timer, and if used correctly, will give you the length of your decompression stops at 3, 6, and 9 meters on your ascent.

How this works exactly is a bit trickier to decipher, but makes the watch all the more interesting as a dive tool. Things begin with the planned length of your d...