The new Vulcain Skindiver Nautique 38 is a ’60s diver dropped into the 21st century
Borna Bošnjak- The Vulcain Skindiver Nautique 38 is a reissue of their ’60s “sport chic” diver
- It is 1mm larger in diameter, but remains a faithful recreation
- Two dial colours: brushed blue and matte black
The 1960s are the quintessential era of the dive watch. With new patents and inventions arising in the early 1950s, many more brands joined the fun in the next decade. One of those brands was Vulcain, capitalising on the popular skin diver shape, with a simple, brushed case, slim bezel and highly legible dial in form of the Nautique. As these watches were meant for recreational divers, staying under only as long as one breath allowed, the inclusion of a large diver’s bezel wasn’t as important as for saturation divers. New for 2023, expanding their post-revival offering past the awesome Cricket we checked out last year, is the Vulcain Skindiver Nautique 38. Slightly larger than the most common vintage examples of this watch, it’s otherwise a faithful recreation, though with an up-to-date movement – more on that later.
There are many funky vintage skin divers out there, with a myriad of hand shapes and dial features, but Vulcain played it safe, and rightfully so considering these two pieces are spearheading the (re)launch of an entire collection. The first is a vertically brushed blue number, which pairs well with artificially patinated lume on the hour markers and rectangular hands. For those wishing to stay as close to the original as possible, a matte black dial is also available, with the same fauxtinaed markers.
I appreciate that Vulcain kept the text fairly limited and balanced on the dial. The Vulcain branding and Nautique name appear above the pinion, while the Incabloc and jewel count designations settle beneath. While I’m normally one to advocate the minimum possible amount of text, many vintage watches proudly displayed their jewel counts and Incabloc technology, so it totally works here. A touch I especially like is the text on either side of the enlarged 6 o’clock marker. Vintage Nautiques used to be printed “Swiss Made”, flanked on either side by “Ra”, for radium. Thankfully, the newer models aren’t that faithful of a reproduction, but, in a nod to the original, print L* for LumiNova.
Skin divers often wear quite large, owing to their long, straight lugs and flat profile. This isn’t really an issue with vintage examples, as most are sized in the 37mm region, though many modern reinterpretations fall short in this regard. The new Nautique 38 is 38mm in diameter, as the name suggests, which is only a 1mm increase from the ’60s model.
Vulcain seemingly paid extra attention to a pleasant wrist profile, as they gently curve the lugs downwards. Speaking of which, the finishing is quite complex for a skin diver, with a lovely polished highlight running the edge of the lugs, while the remainder is brushed. This polishing is matched by an unguarded crown with the winged “V” logo. Another modern upgrade is the bezel, with the slim insert being made of black ceramic.
The Nautique is water-resistant to 20 atm, which is expected from a watch of its calibre. The screw-down caseback features Vulcain’s medallion emblazoned with their motto “Sold the world over”, and doesn’t protrude too much from the case, retaining a slim 12.2mm – a hair thicker than something like a Black Bay 58.
Whereas the ’60s renditions sported pretty basic A. Schild 17-jewel automatic movements, the new Nautique opts for an ETA 2824. Though it has a 38-hour power reserve and humdrum antimagnetic performance, it’s still the industry standard for many brands, and is acceptable at this price point. For fear of beating a dead workhorse, let’s call it a reliable, cost-effective option.
Vulcain Skindiver Nautique 38 pricing and availability:
The Vulcain Skindiver Nautique 38mm is available now from Vulcain. Price: CHF 1,490
| Brand | Vulcain |
| Model | Skindiver Nautique 38 |
| Case Diameter | 38mm (D) x 12.2mm (T) |
| Case Material | 316L stainless steel, uni-directional bezel with black ceramic insert |
| Water Resistance | 200m |
| Dial | Brushed blue or matte black |
| Crystal | Domed sapphire crystal |
| Strap | Black leather strap with carbon pattern and matching stitching, black plain, or brown plain. 316L buckle. |
| Movement | ETA 2824 |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Now, shipping begins first week of February |
| Price | CHF 1,490 / US$1,615.89 |