The Longines Asthmometer-Pulsometer Chronograph is a faithful modern re-edition of a Longines medical chronograph first produced in 1963. The original was conceived for the medical profession, at a time when a doctor relied on a precise chronograph to take a patient’s pulse and respiration rate manually at the bedside.
Longines revived the piece at Baselworld 2013 as part of its Heritage collection, which specialises in re-issues of historically significant pieces from the brand’s own archives in Saint-Imier. The reference takes everything that made the original distinctive: the 38.5 mm case size, the beveled lugs, the silvered dial with gilded indices, and the dual-color scales. It updates the design with a modern automatic chronograph movement and a sapphire crystal.
The “Asthmometer” scale (blue) measures respiration rate. The “Pulsometer” scale (red) measures heart rate. Both are used together with the chronograph: start the chronograph, count 30 pulses or 5 breaths, stop it, and read the rate directly off the scale.
Within the collector community, the Asthmometer-Pulsometer has developed a quiet but devoted following. It isn’t iconic in the Speedmaster or Navitimer sense, but among enthusiasts who love unusual doctor’s watches, it’s a well-known reference. It’s often cited as one of the most attractive and legible medical-scale dials ever put into series production.
Collectors praise the 38.5 mm case for faithfully honoring the 1963 original while still wearing elegantly by modern standards. They also appreciate that the piece reinterprets a genuine archive model rather than inventing a faux-vintage design. The gilded accents against the silvered dial photograph beautifully and age gracefully.
Some enthusiasts do wish Longines had paired the dial with a column-wheel chronograph movement rather than the cam-actuated ETA base (as used in the sibling Longines Pulsometer with the L788 caliber). The 30 m water resistance is minimal, though entirely consistent with a dress / medical piece.
Practical medical use is nil in the modern era. The watch is cherished for its historical character rather than bedside utility. With a short production run and no reissue to date, it’s a genuinely difficult reference to find. It’s a connoisseur’s piece rather than a crowd-pleaser, and that’s precisely why it tends to be treasured by the people who own one.
Dial and Face Design
The dial is the centerpiece of this reference and the reason most collectors seek it out. The base is a silvered, lightly textured surface that shifts warmth depending on light, sometimes reading cool silver, sometimes closer to a soft champagne.
Running around the outermost chapter ring are the two medical scales that define the piece: a red pulsometer scale graduated for 30 pulsations and a blue asthmometer scale graduated for 5 respirations. The two colors are printed crisply onto the dial with no visible overlap.
Just inside the scales sit eight gold-plated applied stick indices and a single gold-plated applied Arabic “12”. This is a small design cue lifted directly from the 1963 original that anchors the top of the dial.
The hands are gold-plated alpha-style for hours and minutes, with a slim central chronograph seconds hand. The sub-dial layout is a classic tri-compax:
- Small seconds at 9 o’clock
- 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock
- 12-hour chronograph counter at 6 o’clock
- Date aperture at 6 o’clock, positioned alongside the hour counter
Each sub-dial sits inside a gold-plated counter circle that frames it against the silvered background. The printing (Longines signature at 12, “Automatic” text above the 6 sub-dial) is tidy and uncrowded. The overall effect is of an instrument that is genuinely legible at a glance while still reading as a dress piece.
Movement & Functionality
Powering the L2.787.4.16.2 is the Longines Caliber L652.2, a branded version of the ETA 2094. This is a compact automatic chronograph movement measuring 10½ lignes.
Technical specifications:
- Type: Automatic chronograph
- Jewels: 33
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
- Power reserve: 37 hours
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph with asthmometer and pulsometer scales
The ETA 2094 is a cam-actuated chronograph rather than a column-wheel design. In practical terms, the pushers have a slightly firmer feel than a column-wheel chronograph. The trade-off is a movement known for reliability and straightforward servicing, a sensible choice for an accessible Heritage piece rather than a high-horology exercise.
The chronograph is operated via twin pushers flanking the crown: the top pusher (2 o’clock) starts and stops the chronograph, and the bottom pusher (4 o’clock) resets it to zero.
To take a pulse reading, start the chronograph, count 30 pulse beats, and stop. The red pulsometer scale then shows the beats-per-minute reading directly. The blue asthmometer scale works the same way using 5 respirations. The date is quick-set via the crown.
Materials of the Watch
The L2.787.4.16.2 is built around a considered, quietly premium set of materials.
- Stainless steel case crafted in the watch-grade stainless steel Longines uses across its collections, with brushed and polished finishing. The beveled, polished lugs give the case its vintage character while the restrained finishing keeps the look elegant rather than flashy.
- Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the underside, offering excellent scratch resistance and distortion-free readability of the dual-color scales.
- Gold-plated dial furniture on the applied “12” numeral, the eight stick indices, the alpha hands, and the sub-dial counter rings. This is the traditional approach used on the 1963 original and gives the dial its warmth without adding the cost of solid gold components.
- Silvered dial with precisely printed red and blue medical scales. The quality of the two-tone printing is one of the most praised features of the reference.
- Louisiana alligator leather strap in black, a genuine exotic leather with a fine, uniform scale pattern. It finishes the watch with the formal feel appropriate to a doctor’s piece.
- Stainless steel pin buckle signed Longines.
Taken together, the material choices land the watch firmly in the “elegant everyday” register. Durable enough for regular wear thanks to the steel and sapphire, refined enough to pair with a suit thanks to the gilded dial work and alligator strap. Nothing is done cheaply, and nothing is over-specified for the piece’s intended character.
Note: the L2.787.4.16.2 is not offered in any precious-metal version. Every example left the factory in stainless steel.
Box & Papers
As a 2013 Heritage-line release, a full-set example typically includes:
- Longines presentation box bearing the winged hourglass logo
- Outer cardboard sleeve
- International Warranty Certificate, stamped and dated by the original authorized dealer
- Instruction booklet covering the L652.2 caliber
- Product hang tag / chronometry tag
- Polishing cloth
Original Warranty
At the time of sale in 2013, the watch was covered by the standard Longines International Warranty of 24 months (2 years) from the date of purchase, against material and manufacturing defects.
The longer 5-year international warranty on automatic models was introduced only for watches purchased from January 1, 2021 onward, and does not apply retroactively to this reference.
Full-set examples (watch + box + stamped papers) command a meaningful premium over the watch alone on the pre-owned market. The stamped warranty card remains an important authenticity reference even long after the coverage period has expired.
Variations
The Asthmometer-Pulsometer Chronograph was released in a single reference only: L2.787.4.16.2. There are no dial color variants, no alternate case materials, no bracelet option, and no precious-metal edition. Every example left the factory as:
- Stainless steel case, 38.5 mm
- Silvered dial with red / blue scales and gold-plated accents
- Black Louisiana alligator strap, stainless steel pin buckle
This makes it one of the cleanest references in the Heritage line to authenticate. Any example that deviates from the above specification should be treated with suspicion.
Note on naming: some retailers list a “L2.787.4.16.0-2” or “L27874162” variant. These are simply alternate formatting conventions for the same reference. There is only one version of this watch.
Production & Discontinuation Status
- Currently in production: No
- Year introduced: 2013 (Baselworld)
- Year discontinued: 2013 (single-year run)
- Production run: Short, widely understood to have been a single-year or near-single-year run
- Listing guidance: examples should be listed as pre-owned, used, or NOS (new-old-stock) if never worn. Not as “new” or “unworn current production.” The reference is not available through Longines boutiques or authorized dealers.
On-Wrist Feel
At 38.5 mm in diameter with beveled, gently sloping lugs, the L2.787.4.16.2 wears smaller and more elegantly than its spec sheet suggests. This is exactly as the 1963 original was intended to. On most wrists (roughly 6.5 to 7.5 inches), the case sits comfortably within the lug-to-lug footprint and tucks easily beneath a shirt cuff.
The case is on the slimmer side for an automatic chronograph, helped by the relatively compact ETA 2094-based caliber. It doesn’t carry the thickness of a Valjoux 7750-based piece, which means it wears more like a dress chronograph than a tool chronograph.
The alligator strap is supple and breaks in quickly. The pin buckle keeps the overall profile low, and the strap contributes to the watch’s comfort for extended wear.
Visually, the silvered dial with gilded indices and the red / blue scale pairing give the watch a unique character. It reads as vintage at a distance, but up close it’s clearly modern in execution.
It’s easy to wear daily in professional settings, pairs naturally with formal attire, and still has enough personality to be a conversation piece when someone spots the unusual scales on the dial.
