[Mr.Tourbillon]

I recently bought a Vulcain cricket.

Few things that are atypical about this watch. One, it does not say 'Cricket' on the dial. Two, I opened the caseback and the movement has no Vulcain marking anywhere.

The movement is very clean, the alarm is **** loud, louder than the JLC memovoxes I got. So I am hoping this is an original Vulcain. This is the first time I came across something like this, I am confused and intrigued.

Any help identifying the year and answering the mysterious absence of the lettering on the watch? Could this be a prototype that was not meant to be sold?

Peace ...

 

[Mr.Tourbillon]

Here are some pictures

 

[Mr.Tourbillon]

Any thoughts??

 

[CometHunter]

Dude, we're not ignoring you! We're losing this round of STUMP THE PANEL. :001_unsure:

For instance, the best I can do is tell you that those hour and minute hands started to be popular with watchmakers starting in the late 60s. And I know you're looking for something more specific than that!

Just please be patient. For all I know, the guys who know Vulcains could be on their summer vacations right now.

 

[Mr.Tourbillon]

Dude, we're not ignoring you! We're losing this round of STUMP THE PANEL. :001_unsure:

For instance, the best I can do is tell you that those hour and minute hands started to be popular with watchmakers starting in the late 60s. And I know you're looking for something more specific than that!

Just please be patient. For all I know, the guys who know Vulcains could be on their summer vacations right now.

Thanks Bill !

I wasn't worried that I might be ignored. I was just a little eager ! I will wait for the experts to chime in.

- Ray

 

[ulackfocus]

Ray, I'd love to be able to answer your question but I know less about vintage Vulcain than I do about vintage Rolex.... and if that were measured in water it wouldn't be enough to fill a thimble if you combined both. :001_unsure::sad: Sorry!

 

[four of diamonds]

You might consider sending a PM to James Elsner. He collects vintage Vulcain Crickets. My uneducated guess is that this is a 70's era production.

 

[Mr.Tourbillon]

Ray, I'd love to be able to answer your question but I know less about vintage Vulcain than I do about vintage Rolex.... and if that were measured in water it wouldn't be enough to fill a thimble if you combined both. :001_unsure::sad: Sorry!

A thimble is surely more than what I know ! Thanks

You might consider sending a PM to James Elsner. He collects vintage Vulcain Crickets. My uneducated guess is that this is a 70's era production.

Do you happen to know his username so I can search him? Appreciate it

 

[ulackfocus]

Do you happen to know his username so I can search him? Appreciate it

PM sent for you. His correct screen name is James Elsener BTW.

 

[James Elsener]

Dear Mr. Tourbillon,

It was Dennis (ulackfocus) who asked me to chime in.

It seems as if your watch was made sometime in the late 1950s to later 1960s by Maison Teriam from La Chaux-de-Fonds. The way the case is engineered points me to that era.

Teriam was a company owned by the Swiss watch exporter Jules Hunsperger. Mr. Hunsperger mainly exported his watches to the USA. One of his largest customers back then was the chain store company Sears and Roebuck.

Most likely your watch was made as a kind of in-house brand for Sears. It was common practice back then to make special models for individual retailers. Teriam was most likely contracted by Vulcain to manufacture these special Vulcains for them.

The movement in your watch is the A. Schild AS 1475. This movement was made from 1954 to 1977. Some 770,000 pieces were made during the period it was manufactured.

Take your watch to a watch maker. He should measure the beat rate of the movement. If the beat rate is 18,000 A/h the movement was made prior to 1969. If the heart beats at 21,600 A/h it was made between 1969 and 1977. Most often movements for in-house watches were left unmarked to bring down the cost of the watch.

Not many of these watches have survived so it is a rather intriguing piece of history.


With my best regards from the Jura Mountains

James

 

[Mr.Tourbillon]

PM sent for you. His correct screen name is James Elsener BTW.

Thanks Dennis !

Dear Mr. Tourbillon,

It was Dennis (ulackfocus) who asked me to chime in.

It seems as if your watch was made sometime in the late 1950s to later 1960s by Maison Teriam from La Chaux-de-Fonds. The way the case is engineered points me to that era.

Teriam was a company owned by the Swiss watch exporter Jules Hunsperger. Mr. Hunsperger mainly exported his watches to the USA. One of his largest customers back then was the chain store company Sears and Roebuck.

Most likely your watch was made as a kind of in-house brand for Sears. It was common practice back then to make special models for individual retailers. Teriam was most likely contracted by Vulcain to manufacture these special Vulcains for them.

The movement in your watch is the A. Schild AS 1475. This movement was made from 1954 to 1977. Some 770,000 pieces were made during the period it was manufactured.

Take your watch to a watch maker. He should measure the beat rate of the movement. If the beat rate is 18,000 A/h the movement was made prior to 1969. If the heart beats at 21,600 A/h it was made between 1969 and 1977. Most often movements for in-house watches were left unmarked to bring down the cost of the watch.

Not many of these watches have survived so it is a rather intriguing piece of history.


With my best regards from the Jura Mountains

James

James,

That is very interesting to know, the beat rate turns out to be 18,000 A/h so I am guessing this watch is pre 1969. I am indeed very glad to know that this could be one of the few examples that survived. Thank you James, your knowledge is fascinating. I appreciate your help.

As always, WTF makes me only wiser

Peace ...