Why is Vulcain, with a history most notably known as ‘the (U.S.) Presidents’ watch’, reissuing a 1950s Presidents’ Chronograph in honour of Real Madrid? When one thinks of modern watch brands and football club watches, this is not the type of watch that comes to mind.

As the brand tells it, there is a bit of history associated with this new Presidents’ Heritage Monopusher Chronograph.

André Ditisheim, the grandson of the brand founder (alongside his brother Maurice) André Ditisheim, was a keen footballer. After moving to Madrid in 1907 to learn Spanish, he ended up as Real Madrid’s forerunner Madrid FC’s attacking midfielder.

In 1934, Vulcain became the official timekeeper for Real Madrid. That year Real won the Spanish Cup, with coach Fernando Bru using a Vulcain chronograph to time training drills.

In honour of this, Vulcain has reissued its 1950s Presidents’ Chronograph This new model, named the ‘Monopusher Heritage Chronograph’, comes in a 39mm-sized stainless steel case (13mm thick) available in three variants, with two limited editions of fifty pieces each – the Monopusher Heritage Black & White, Heritage Black, and Heritage Salmon.

The dials are either matte black with black counters, matte black with silvered counters, or in matte salmon.

The functions are, alongside the hours and minutes, a seconds sub dial at 9 o’clock, 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock, and a central chronograph seconds hand. There is also a pulsometer scale “Graduated for 30 pulsations”.

The numerals and hour-markers are the same as on the original. Under the Vulcain emblem at f12 o’clock is a chronometer marking. In addition to the minute track the dial features a pulsometer underlined by the words “Graduated for 30 pulsations”.

Behind the stainless steel case back is the manually-wound Sellita Calibre SW510 MBH which beats at 28,800 VPH and has a power reserve of 58 hours.

Coming on your choice from eight possible straps ranging from alligator to calf and carbon-look leather, the new Monopusher Heritage Chronograph has a listed price of of CHF 2,950 and is available directly from their site.

It is worth noting that Vulcain has previously produced a modern re-edition of the 1950s Presidents’ Chronograph Heritage. With a slightly different dial, it came in either a 42mm stainless steel or rose gold case with an open case back showing the automatic Vulcain V-57, which was a modified La Joux Perret monopusher movement.

[Photo credit: Vulcain]

Categories: chronograph, Vulcain, Watch Profile, watches