This Sleek Panda Chronograph Boasts Two Intriguing, Uncommon Mechanical Features

Chronograph watches are easy to spot, thanks to the two pushers, often flanking the crown at 2:00 and 4:00. Whether it’s a standard mechanical timer or a flyback complication, pushers almost always come in pairs.

However, it wasn’t always this way, and the original single-button system has its merits, despite being few and far between these days.

Vulcain

Dating back to the 1930s, chronograph complications were operated initially with a single pusher, known as a monopusher, to start, stop and reset the timer. Eventually, the two-pusher system was developed to break up the mechanism and make it more reliable, but it sacrificed the convenience of one-handed operation.

Vulcain is one of the brands keeping the old single-button system alive with the compact, slightly dressy Monopusher Heritage. It is based on a 1950s design used by a legendary match timer for Real Madrid, and has a faithful mid-century dial.

A lone bumper at 2:00 essentially functions like a flyback chronograph, but without the flyback feature. It allows the wearer to start, stop and reset the chronograph with one finger.

Vulcain

The Monopusher Heritage debuted in 2023 with a black dial, decorated with khaki detailing and gold-toned leaf hands. Now, Vulcain offers it with a crowd-pleasing “panda” dial.

The allure of the monochromatic, bi-compax chronograph is hard to nail down, but as is often the case, this retro-inspired monopusher looks better than ever in black-on-white.

Start, stop, reset

By virtue of its 1950s-inspired design, the Monopusher Heritage is a relatively dressy chronograph. The 30-minute counter at 3:00 and the small seconds at 9:00 have black snailed dials with white railroad tracks.

Vulcain

Each hour is marked with a black printed sans-serif numeral, and a 60-second ruler track frames the dial. There is no date, presenting a more balanced appearance.

The most refined aspects of the watch are the leaf hour and minute hands, typically associated with dress watches, and the discrete nature of the solitary polished bumper pusher. It blends in with the polished bezel, creating a nice contrast with the brushed case and lugs.

Vulcain

It runs on a cam-style Sellita caliber SW510 M MP b hand-wound movement, which beats at 4Hz and has a 58-hour power reserve.

A finger on the pulse

The dial of the Monopusher Heritage features one more antiquated yet interesting detail tucked away between the sub-dials and hour markers. It is a pulsometer, also known as a “doctor’s watch,” because it is used to measure a heart rate.

Vulcain

Pulsometer tracks are traditionally formatted for 30 or 15 beats. In this case, it is 30, as indicated in French above the sub-dials.

To operate it, first find the pulse on your own wrist or another person’s, then engage the chronograph and count 30 heartbeats, stopping the chronograph as soon as you hit 30. The heart rate is indicated by where the chronograph seconds hand lands on the pulsometer track.

Between the lone bumper and the pulsometer, the Monopusher Heritage provides a refreshing take on the ubiquitous panda chronograph.

Availability and price

The Vulcain Monopusher Heritage Panda is available now from Vulcain for $3,360 on a black, brown or gray leather pin-buckle strap, $3,590 on a steel Y-link bracelet and $3,690 on a black alligator leather strap.

The original black dial Monopusher Heritage, with khaki detailing and gold-plated hands, is also still available from Vulcain.

Vulcain

Vulcain Mopnopusher Heritage Panda

Specs

Case Size	39mm
Movement	Sellita caliber SW510 M MP b hand-wound
Water Resistance	50m

• $3,360 at Vulcain

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