Swiss gold chronograph with pulsometer scale Circa 1913

Gold keyless doctor’s watch 
–
A very fine and rare Swiss 18 carat yellow gold open faced keyless pocket watch with chronograph, register and pulsometer scale made by Patek Philippe, circa 1913. Sold on October 30, 1923. Accompanied by the original fitted presentation box, original Certificate of Origin and an Extract from the Archives. A solid, polished case with an engine turned case back and central Islamic inscription, a bolt at 11 o’clock for locking the chronograph. Hinged gold cuvette.
–
White enamel dial with Breguet hours, an inner minute and fifth of a second track with Arabic five minute numerals, an outermost red pulsometer scale graduated to 30 pulsations, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock, a 30 minute register at 12, a central chronograph hand and blued steel spade hands. A frosted gilt movement, 23 jewels, wolf’s tooth winding, straight line moustache lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, an index regulator and visible chronograph work. Dial, case, cuvette and movement signed.
–
Diameter: 50 mm
–
Signed: Patek Philippe & Cie Genève
–
A chronograph watch with a pulsations scale on the dial is called a ‘doctor’s watch’. It helps doctors cut down on the time necessary to gauge a person’s pulse and, more importantly, reduce errors. The doctor would simply start the chronograph, count 30 heartbeats and then stop the chronograph to see the patient’s pulse per minute on the red scale without further calculations.