A tale of two legends: Real Madrid and Vulcain. The visionary Manufacture in Le Locle quickly grasped the immense popularity of soccer. By the early 1930s, the brand had already cemented its presence in Spanish-speaking countries, where the sport was extremely popular.
But why Real Madrid?
André Ditisheim, known as “Didixien”, was the grandson of André Ditisheim who, together with his brother Maurice had founded the Manufacture that became Vulcain in 1894. He was an athlete to the core, excelling in tennis and skiing – and a passionate football player.
In 1907, at 18, “Didixien” moved to Madrid to learn Spanish – South America was fast becoming one of the most important markets for Swiss watches. His skills on a football pitch didn’t go unnoticed and before he knew it, he was the Madrid FC’s attacking midfielder. The club evolved into the renowned Real Madrid, and there he left a lasting legacy.
In 1934, Vulcain was appointed the official timekeeper for Real Madrid. That year, the team triumphed in the Spanish Cup, a victory highlighted by the performance of the legendary goalkeeper Zamora. It was also the season when coach Fernando Bru relied on a Vulcain to time the training drills. He noted, “We held our training sessions with an incredibly precise Vulcain chronograph and it was instrumental in our resounding victory in the 1934 Spanish Championship.”
To honor this illustrious sports history, the Vulcain Manufacture in Le Locle is re-issuing its iconic 1950s Chronograph Heritage. This new iteration, named the ‘Monopusher,’ features a more compact 39mm case. It will be available in three versions, with two limited editions of just 50 pieces each.
Faithful to the aesthetic of the original dial, the numerals and hour-markers remain identical to the iconic timepiece. Under the Vulcain emblem at 12:00 is the word “Chronometer”. In addition to the minute track, the dial features a pulsometer underlined by the words “Graduated for 30 pulsations”.
Only the movement has changed, since it houses at its heart a SELLITA SW 510 manual caliber.
The original’s visual design is preserved, featuring numerals and hour-markers that mirror the iconic timepiece. Below the Vulcain emblem at 12 o’clock, the dial is marked with ‘Chronomètre.’ Alongside the minute track, there is a pulsometer scale annotated with ‘Graduated for 30 pulsations’ in the original French. The only update is the movement: the watch is now powered by a SELLITA SW 510 manual caliber.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
| Model | Monopusher 39mm |
| Available versions | Black dial & black counters / Black dial & white counters / Salmon dial and counters |
| Hour markers | Luminova Arabic numerals |
| Diameter | 39 mm |
| Thickness | 13 mm |
| Case | Stainless steel 316L |
| Case finishings | Polish, satin-brush |
| Movement functions | Hours, minutes, seconds on the subdial at 9 o’clock, center chronograph seconds, 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock |
| Power reserve | 58 hours |
| Movement | Mechanical, hand-wound |
| Crystal | Sapphire crystal |
| Caseback | Screw-in, featuring the Vulcain logo |
Suggested retail price 2950 CHF / 2950 EUR
