Elegance in the service of scienceA healthcare instrument: The Longines Asthmometer-Pulsometer Chronograph
The Swiss watch brand Longines, founded in 1832 in St. Imier, is particularly well known for the elegance of its products. The Longines Asthmometer-Pulsometer Chronograph is no exception to the rule and has the advantage of providing medical information as well as being a fine-looking timepiece.
The Longines Asthmometer-Pulsometer Chronograph demonstrates the fact that the precision of a chronograph is necessary not only in sport. This new instrument is based on a model brought out in 1963 which was intended essentially for medical use. The new product not only shows the time but also measures heart rate and respiration. While the pulse and respiration scales can be extremely useful in a sports context, during training sessions for example, they also provide a doctor with valuable information as to the patient’s vital functions.
The Longines Asthmometer-Pulsometer Chronograph is thus a healthcare instrument in the broadest sense but at the same time a milestone in the brand’s history. The original model dates from a period when diagnosis could depend very much on the precision of the instruments used. The polyvalence of this new chronograph is evidenced by the noticeable beauty of its design, different colours being used for its various purposes.
As a medical instrument, the Longines Asthmometer-Pulsometer Chronograph echoes the principal design features of the product on which it is based. The red heart rate scale and the blue respiration scale can be easily read off from the outer edge of the silvered dial. The 12 numeral and the eight gilded applied indices blend perfectly with the hands and the counter circles, which are also gold-plated. The steel case, which has a diameter of 38.50 mm like the original model, is enhanced by the bevelling of the horns. The black alligator strap adds the final touch of sleek elegance to this doctor’s watch.