The alarm that woke presidents
By Julien Moreau, Geneva ·
There's a certain pleasure in owning a watch with a proper anecdote, and the Vulcain Cricket has several. Introduced in 1947, it was the first mechanical alarm wristwatch loud enough to actually wake you, and Harry Truman received one, followed by a long line of American presidents.
The Cricket Tradition keeps the design honest: 39 mm polished steel, a black curved dial, applied markers, and a second crown for the alarm. The V10 calibre is hand-wound with a double barrel, one for the time and one for the alarm, and 52 hours of reserve. It buzzes for around 20 seconds.
The flaw, if there is one, is practicality. 5 bar of water resistance and a hand-wound alarm means this is a desk and travel companion, not a swimmer.
At around $4,750 it costs real money, but there is nothing else quite like it at the price. A charming, slightly eccentric choice.