The Angelus x Massena LAB Medical Chronograph (part of the new La Fabrique collection) is, as they say, a ‘collectors’ watch’.

What do I mean by that? Well it’s a nod back to some 1960s medically-oriented watches for which the original Angelus was famed, and is a modernised version which is both aesthetically and mechanically tailored to this sector of the watch-buying public, with the classic design, colours, and the use of a manual movement.

Created in collaboration with Massena LAB, the Chronographe Médical is limited to 99 pieces. With both pulsometer and asthmometer scales, this collaboration with Massena LAB also marks the beginning of a new collection called ‘La Fabrique’ which will be all about tribute editions.

The 1960s, watches on which this 2023 one is based were manually-wound chronographs with a dual scale for a pulsometer and an asthmometer to record respiratory rate.

So let’s look at the domed opaline dial. Along with the hours and minutes there is a small seconds dial at 9 o’clock and a one-minute monopusher chronograph (the pusher is at 2 o’clock). The central chronograph seconds hand can be used for calculating heart rate or respiratory rate with the respective scales.

On the new Medical Chronograph the pulsometer scale between 1 and 3 o’clock is based on ten beats. As soon as the chronograph is started, simply count ten beats, then stop the mechanism. When compared against the pulsometer scale, the chronograph hand will then indicate the number of beats per minute.

The asthmometer displays the respiratory rate per minute and on this new Medical Chronograph, it works on the basis of five breaths. After starting the chronograph, count five breaths before pressing the pusher again. The chronograph hand will indicate the number of breaths per minute on the inner scale graduated from 40 to 10.

The pulsometer scale uses three colours – green, black, or red (which are decals), corresponding to the severity of the reading obtained during the examination. The respiratory scale, which is inside the minute circle, is red. Alongside each scale, written in capital letters, are the requirements for their use – base 10 pulsations and base 5 respirations. The minute circles are black. The applied indices and Arabic numerals feature rhodium finishing and the hour markers have Super-LumiNova.

For legibility, and making the dial distinctive, there are two outsized arrows associated with the scales, one long and curved. Another design decision made for legibility reasons, and which is very much a modernisation aspect, is that the two scales aren’t right at the perimeter of the dial, as has been traditionally the case, but pushed slightly inwards, which also means that the numerals on the scale can be larger and clearer.

As mentioned, it uses a maually-wound movement. The Angelus A5000 has an integrated monopusher column wheel chronograph. It beats at 21,600 VPH and has a power reserve of 42 hours. Finishing consists of circular graining and palladium finishing on the main plate, Côtes de Genève, palladium finishing and chamfering on the bridges, and circular graining on the wheels.

The case is 39mm and stainless steel, with a thickness of 9.22mm and water resistance of 30m. It has a box sapphire crystal on the front and flat sapphire crystal on the back.

Coming on a full grain golden brown calf Novonappa® strap with ecru stitching, the newAngelus x Massena LAB Medical Chronograph (aka the Chronographe Médical x Massena LAB) is limited to 99 pieces and has an RRP of CHF 19,900 (including tax).

As I said at the outset, this is very much a watch aimed at collectors – it may be a medical chronograph but the likelihood is that most of them won’t be going to them. Unless they are the not uncommon double-act of being both medical professional and vintage chronograph enthusiast, for example. It is classically designed, sized for modern sensibilities, and retains the ‘plus’ of a manually-wound movement. It is also a good looking and very wearable watch, and priced nicely. Plus it has the Angelus name attached to it. It ticks a lot of boxes.

Categories: Angelus, chronograph, Hands-on, Switzerland, Watch Profile, watches, Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023, Women's watches