The first audible alarm watch

The need

Alarm wristwatches had existed since 1914, but the sound of a hammer striking a small case against a sleeve was too faint to be useful.

Made by

Vulcain of La Chaux-de-Fonds. It went on sale in the United States late in 1947.

What was new

A double caseback with an air gap between the layers. The hammer strikes a thin membrane that resonates like a sounding board.

Worth knowing

Named for the chirping sound. Several American presidents wore one, Harry Truman among them, which is how it became known as the President’s watch.

Historian’s noteNot the first alarm wristwatch: Eterna’s calibre 68 of May 1914 holds that. The Cricket’s first is being audible.

SourcesVulcain