Skip to content
Angelus Medical Mono-Pusher Chronograph, 1960s — view 1 of 6
View 1 of 6 · Image: Craft & Tailored · original image source (opens another website in a new tab)

Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Angelus Medical Mono-Pusher Chronograph, 1960s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Angelus (maker)
Date
1960s
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 38 mm
Stock no.
AGLSMDCH
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (AGLSMDCH)
Catalogue title (original)
1960s Angelus Medical Mono-Pusher Chronograph (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number AGLSMDCH), this is a wristwatch by Angelus, made in Switzerland, dated 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 38 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

Angelus is well known among collectors for their early chronograph movements and designs that helped shape what we know today as the standard chronograph. Founded in Le Locle, Switzerland in 1891 by the Stolz brothers, it wasn't until 1925 when Angelus started making strides and found their niche within the watchmaking world when they debuted their first mono-pusher chronograph. From then they produced several watches that collectors love today, most notably the Chronodato. Angelus created specified and purpose-built chronographs for some very interesting applications, however, one of the rarest and sought after examples is the Angelus Medical. Specifically designed for doctors or those in the medical field, the Angelus Medical came as either a mono-pusher or a more normal two-button design. However, the mono-pusher variant is the more desired model, featuring a modified Valjoux 22 to accommodate the mono-pusher design. But it’s the Angelus Medical’s design as a whole that makes for such a captivating and collectible timepiece, as it’s a far step from the usual pulsations bezel seen on many other popular chronographs. With a quirky design that features a large pulsations scale that is graded from red to black to green and is magnified by a very specific and unusual integrated cyclops crystal. Additionally, the dial features a breath frequency scale on the bottom portion of the dial. Although this watch is very odd, quirky, and somewhat clinical in design, it is also very well balanced in its composition making for a watch that is more eyecatching and beautiful than instrumental or medical. SPECS Stock # AGLSMDCH Brand Angelus Style Mono-Pusher Chronograph Model Medical Serial N/A Size Men's Material SS Dial Silver Millimeters 38mm Bracelet 2pc Handmade Leather Strap CASE & BRACELET The very strong case is believed to remain unpolished, displaying sharp factory finishing and dimensions with only light signs of honest use. The original integrated cyclops crystal is in excellent condition showing only mild signs of previous use. The case retains its original unsigned crown and single pusher. The case back retains all of its original factory engravings in clear and visible condition. The watch will come supplied on a 2pc handmade leather strap. DIAL & HANDS The original silver dial is simply exquisite, displaying no blemishing and almost no signs of visible aging. The text remains in perfect condition and the colors of the pulsations meter and breath frequency scale remain bright. The original lume plots have aged to a slightly green coloration and remain full and round, without degradation under U.V. light inspection. The original dauphine hands match the dial nicely and exhibit no degradation when inspected under U.V. light. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time and functioning perfectly, previous service history is unknown.

Historical context

Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)

Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.

The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking

Atlas type guide

Chronographs and split-seconds watches

A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.

Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.

What to look for

  • Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
  • Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
  • Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
  • Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).

Dating clues

  • Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
  • Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
  • Automatic chronographs: from 1969.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph

Related records