The Vulcain SkinDiver Nautique Salmon Dial

Released in January this year, the SkinDiver Nautique collection marked the second step in the resurrection of the famous, but dormant for year Vulcain brand. This classic, vintage-inspired dive watch followed the all-important return of the Cricket watch, an emblematic model that made Vulcain successful. First presented in stainless steel with either a black or blue dial, it is now time for the brand to think out of the box, by releasing a new edition in a rather unusual combination of colours… Salmon dial on a dive watch? After all, why not!

If the return of Vulcain had to be focused around an alarm watch – which has been done, with the cool Cricket Alarm, still equipped with the original manufacture movement – there must be more on offer than just this very niche model. And the development of the brand has now taken the shape of two other collections, a retro-styled chronograph and a dive watch. Both, at first sight, seem somewhat unusual for Vulcain, yet both are modelled after historical models. Indeed, there’s more to Vulcain than just a collection of buzzing watches.

The Vulcain SkinDiver Nautique collection, which appeared only a few months ago, relies on a classic recipe – and one that Guillaume Laidet (also the man behind Nivada and Excelsior Park) knows perfectly. This watch, as indicated by its name, was part of the SkinDiver segment, meaning smaller, less hardcore watches meant for recreational diving rather than professional applications, with slimmer profiles and overall a more urban orientation. And this shows in the 2023 re-edition, which is a compact, slender sporty watch but not an ultra-focussed tool for deepwater exploration.

The case is a classic of the vintage-inspired dive watch segment, with relatively short lugs, a slim black bezel, a domed crystal mimicking the old plexiglass and an oversized crown without protective guards. Dimensions are in the vein, with a 38mm diameter and a very decent 12mm height. The specifications are classic, with some modernity; water-resistant is rated at 200m, the crown and caseback are screwed, the dial is protected by a sapphire and the bezel, unidirectional of course, features a black ceramic insert with a fully graduated 60-minute scale. The case, in steel, is classic with brushed surfaces and a polished line on the side of the lugs.

Up until now, everything is identical to the previous black (with a matte finish) and blue (with a vertically-brushed finish) editions here. But the dial is here different. First of all, you’ll see that the markers and tracks are black printed, with the hour markers lumed in white SLN. The same goes for the polished hands. Second, the dial has here a sunray-brushed decoration. And, the main novelty, it is salmon-toned. And in the world of dive watches, this is a rarity, if not an oddity. Don’t get me wrong, I love salmon dials, but it’s not the first colour I’d think of for a sports watch. But since contrast is good and many of us don’t even use such watches for diving, it makes up for a very appealing model – and it’s what matters after all.

Inside the case is a classic automatic ETA 2824 movement. This Vulcain SkinDiver Salmon, like the other models, is worn on a black leather strap with carbon pattern and matching stitching. More straps are available on option.

The Vulcain SkinDiver Nautique Salmon Dial is a limited edition of 50 pieces, available at CHF 1,490. For more details, please visit vulcain.ch.