VULCAIN – 50's Presidents Heritage K2 Anniversary

VULCAIN – 50's Presidents HERITAGE K2 Anniversary

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This summer, Vulcain pays tribute to the 60th anniversary of the ascent of K2 made by 14 climbers from the Italian Mountain Club in 1954.

Vulcain has always been associated with sporting achievements. Alongside supporting Real Madrid in the 30s, or sounding the underwater depths of Hannes Keller in 1961, the Manufacture has also distinguished itself when it comes to conquering mountains.

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Three mountain expeditions deserve a mention: the first in the Andes, in the heart of the Cordillera Vilcamba in the centre of Peru. On August 5th 1952, a French-Belgian expedition directed by Bernard Pierre and two American teams conquered the north face of the Salcantay, one of the Andes’ untamed peaks, which reaches to a height of 6,264 metres. Shortly after this achievement, Vulcain received several testimonies from this roped party highlighting the intrinsic qualities of their Cricket Vulcain watches. These were effectively part of the entire ascent, reaching a height of more than 6000 metres.

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Vulcain watches stand up to the toughest conditions: As in the 1930s, marketing representatives for the La Chaux-de-Fonds brand placed their watches on the wrists of seasoned athletes.
In addition to soccer, Vulcain set ist sights on both the heights and the depths. To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Italian Mountaineering Club in 1954, a team of 14 transalpine mountaineers had sworn to be the first to conquer K2, the mythical Himalayan peak in the Karakoram range, located on the outskirts of India, China and Pakistan. Under the leadership of geology professor Ardito Desio, 700 porters transported over thirteen metric tons of equipment to the base camp at an altitude of 5,000 meters, at the foot of this magnificent pyramid of rock and ice. On July 31, 1954, the roped party of Uno Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni, accompanied by their Crickets, reached 8,620 metres. Only Everest is higher. One of the most famous Italian mountaineers, Walter Bonatti, was also included in this expedition. He was barely 24 years old when he spent a night at 8,000 metres with no oxygen and no tent. Some believed that survival would be impossible. But Bonatti, who paradoxically was responsible for carrying the oxygen canisters for the lead party, proved them wrong.

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1954, Ascension of K2
 

The second noteworthy expedition took place 60 years ago. In order to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Italian Mountain Club, a team of 14 transalpine climbers swore that they would conquer K2 for the first time – that legendary Himalayan summit in the Karakorum range. Led by Ardito Desio, a professor of geology, 700 porters carried more than 13 tons of material to the base camp located at an altitude of more than 5,000 metres. On July 31st 1954, the roped party with Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni reached 8,612 metres accompanied by their Crickets.

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A few years later, in 1958, a team that once again consisted of Bonatti and other members of the first expedition set off to conquer Gasherbrum IV (7,980 m), a Karakorum peak reputed to be inaccessible. This time, Vulcain equipped the climbers with Crickets.

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The watches from this small Swiss Manufacture achieved considerable success with these extreme climbers. Publications at the time proudly announced that these timepieces served “their owners faithfully by providing the exact time and by chiming at the right moment”.

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In 2011, Vulcain paid tribute to this achievement by intro - ducing its 50s Presidents Heritage model.

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Ascension of K2, the Italian route

At 8,612 metres, K2 is the second highest mountain in the world after Everest.
This expedition by the Italian Mountain Club was the first to climb K2 via the historic Abruzzi Spur – named following an attempt in 1909 by the Duke of Abruzzi up to 6,000m.

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The Abruzzi Spur route is the most oft used trail. Around 75% of climbers choose this route. It starts at 5300 metres at the bottom of a ridge, drops gently for several kilometres and continues up to the 8612 summit.

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Technical Specifications

 Reference: 100153.289LF  Heritage Steel - Grey Dial – Limited Edition of 500 pieces
 Reference: 100653.290LF  Gold & Steel - Silver Dial  – Limited Edition of 500 pieces

CASE
316L steel
sapphire caseback revealing the stylised "V" for Vulcain
Dial: silver, charcoal grey, blue or chocolate rhodiumed applies
Diameter: 39,00 mm
Thickness: 12.40 mm
Glass: domed shape sapphire crystal
Water resistance: 5 ATM
CALIBRE VULCAIN Cricket Calibre V-10
Movement: 12-lignes mechanical hand-wound alarm calibre, nickel coating,
blued screws, skeleton ratchet with case- back sapphire,
25 jewels, 165 components, double barrel, equipped with the Exactomatic system,
lift angle 48°, diameter 28.00 mm, thickness 5.60 mm
Functions:
Hour, minute, centre seconds, 20-second alarm lasting
Frequency: 18’000 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 42 hours
Water Resistance: 50 meters / 160 feet
STRAP
Strap: alligator leather black /  leather
Buckle: steel folding clasp 

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