Founded by the Ditisheim brothers in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1858, Vulcain took its name after the Roman God of fire and volcanoes, the main hammersmith of the forges of the Underworld. A few decades after its inception, Vulcain submitted the first patent on a truly functional alarm wristwatch (1942), which eventually evolved into the Vulcain Cricket in 1947. It did not take long for Vulcain to become the “Watch of Presidents”, after the White House Press Photographer’s Association gifteds Harry S. Truman a 14k gold Cricket in 1953. Since then, the tradition followed with the likes of Eisenhower, Johnson, Nixon, and many other US statesmen along the years.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s, Swiss company Jean Singer produced a series of colorful, exotic dials for different watchmakers, including Rolex, Wyler, Lip, BWC-Rhodos, Vulcain, Nivada-Grechen, and many others. When these dials feature ‘art deco’ numerals in their subdials, the watch adopts the nomenclature ‘Paul Newman’, in tribute to the Rolexes worn by the film and racing star.

This particular chronograph, powered by a Valjoux 7733, is a turn-of-the-sixties exotic dial, showing ‘Paul Newman’ numerals in its two subdials. The watch presents well, runs and keeps time, and comes accompanied by a period-correct Vulcain box with a warranty booklet, as it would have had when new. For those who love exotic Rolexes, this is an affordable alternative to wear without the guilt associated with a big price tag, while still maintaining close levels of mechanical and cosmetic pedigree as the famous Daytonas.