I thought that the term related to the watch having a pulsometer scale for reading a patients pulse...

The one you posted doesn't so I'm not so sure how it fits the description.

^^ tells the truth on Internet forums

So many watches, So little time...

 

A so called "doctors dial" comes from the famous ROLEX PRINCE.
This beautuful watch had a small second - seconds dial, which was termed a "doctors" dial (or nurses) for taking pulse measurement.
Actually that is a myth - as Rolex never marketed it as a "doctors" watch or dial - it was a prestige watch aimed at wealthy persons, like doctors, lawyers, accountants.

a watch (chronograph) with a "pulsation" scale is more in my opinion a doctors (nurses) watch) Like This

Regards

 

Usually a doctors dial refers to a dial with two seperate areas (Duodial). One for time and one for small seconds that a doctor can eye for checking pulse rate

There are also pulsation dialed chronograph models, but most like the classic two dialed models

Rolex Prince

Gruen

Pulsations chronograph

Duo dials can be purchased at various prices. Depending on the type of movement with actual designed movements (Gruen, Longines and Rolex for ex.) commanding higher prices and others using redesigned standard movements or movements with modules commanding less

Here is mine with a integrated post and module (just have the movement).

With an added gear. It shifts the canon pinion and hour wheel further up to seperate the hours/minutes from the seconds

DON

 

Don
Just to disagree, as I said in my original post the so termed "doctors" dial was never the Rolex Prince - thats a myth over time.

There is no mention of Rolex or Gruen advertising it or marketing it as such.

I do agree, as I posted the "pulsation" dial is a true doctors/nurses watch

Regards
adam

 

I posted before reading your posts as I was working on mine.

While the Rolex and Gruen were never referred to as doctors watches. They do fit the description of duo dial designed watches which most now call doctors watches

Were any duo dialed originally called doctor's watches. Maybe not, but it's something that is associated with them now

DON

 

Just to throw a little fuel on the fire I'll post a couple of pictures.

These are from a Birks catalog I own from 1916.

And these of a watch I recently purchased albeit later than 1916.

Sorry about the image quality, was done in haste.

 

Just to throw a little fuel on the fire I'll post a couple of pictures.

These are from a Birks catalog I own from 1916.
View attachment 13829869
View attachment 13829871

And these of a watch I recently purchased albeit later than 1916.

View attachment 13829875
View attachment 13829877
View attachment 13829879

Sorry about the image quality, was done in haste.

Now these I 100% agree.
These are very early indirect center sweep second hand WWI period wristwatches.
And SURELY nursese/doctors watches

Probable using a GALLET movement, as they were one of the first to patent - indirect sweep seconds movements.

I have 3 or 4 pieces - one marked AMBULANCE another with a RED CROSS +

 

Search Elgin doctor's watch. A pocket watch with a sweep second hand coaxial to the he min hands. No sec sub dial. I believe it is a grade 89 Elgin.

 

HERE YOU GO

 

so cool! thank you.

 

Good heavens, no! The modern centre seconds appeared in 1947 (Zenith, Cal. 133) so even that is a little before the fifties. Before that, the more primitive direct central seconds appeared in the late thirties or early forties (coaxial 2nd and 4th gears in the centre) and before that, the indirect centre seconds as used in the watches shown here (diversion of the fourth gear to the centre outside the main movement) was around since WWI or even before. So the main idea is much older than the fifties. And that is only counting wrist watches - pocket watches with centre seconds date back to the 19th century.....

Hartmut Richter

 

Correct!

 

To start in a new direction, there have been numerous watch companies who have gone after the prestige end of the medical profession, either directly or by more subtle ways. The Rolex Prince may not have been offered by Rolax as such, nevertheless it is widely referred to as a doctor's dial and the style was both influential in the market and widely copied.

Omega had a more blatant go with their Medicus series.
Here's a picture and a link to a blog post about them.

I believe that the name "Medicus" suggests their intention with the model.

 

In English pocket watches, as far back as the pair cased verge era, before say 1830, a doctors watch has a sweep seconds hand and the hours and minutes hands in a subsidiary dial. The reverse of later watches with subsidiary seconds, in fact. There may be a hack function, in later pocket watches, of the type often described on their faces as "centre seconds chronographs", but in the earlier doctor's watches there is not.

 

my Elgin National Dr Watch grade 89

 

pic #2

 

So to summarise the discussion so far...

Traditionally, 'doctor's dial' and 'doctor's watch' are terms used informally to describe watches where either;

1. the second hand display has been emphasised in an era when that was not the norm (either by adding a sweep second complication, or by off-setting the hour/minute display to allow an unobstructed subsidiary second display,
or
2. a watch with a sweep second hand to which a pulsemeter scale has been added, including chronographs with this feature.

The first definition implies a medical use (which may or may not have been intended by the designer) whereas in the second definition the usage is explicit. These definitions are also included within the several definitions for the term 'nurse's watch' (although I cannot recall a duo-dial ever being described as a 'nurse's watch').

 

With reference to my earlier post no 19 on "doctor's" pocket watches, here is a 1780s pair cased verge. Not my watch, but a good example. Note that it is of course key wound and set. Setting the time requires using the key on the square in the subsidiary position whilst keeping out of the way of the sweep seconds hand. Tricky.