Vintage
MTF uncovers a significant piece of horological history: the original St. Gallen Rescue 'Disinfectable' wristwatch, now part of the British Museum's collection. This discovery provides a fascinating historical context for the PuristSPro All-Black Rescue (PPro ABR) watch, a customized derivative.
Some horology buffs and most PuristS will be aware that the PuristSPro All-Black Rescue watch (PPro ABR) is a 178-piece limited edition that is worn with pride as a PuristS' "club watch". It is a customised derivative with 31 modifications from the original St Gallen Rescue – the first of the 'Disinfectible' wristwatches.
I was pleasantly surprised to find the following entry in the British Museum collection (Europe section):
Description
St. Gallen automatic 'disinfectable' wrist-watch.
Automatic wrist-watch with Swiss club-tooth lever and escapement.
Black square-pattern dial with dots at the hours and arrow-heads at 12 and 6 o'clock. An inner circle for 24 hours numbered 13,14,16,17,19, 20, 22, 23. The seconds circle coloured dark green between 9 and 15 seconds and light green between 45 and 55 seconds. White-painted baton hour and minute-hands. Cross-pattern centre seconds hand with arrow-head pointers, three green-painted and one red. Around the bezel calibrations 50-180 for pulsation and 11-60 for respiration. Grey-coloured silicone rubber wrist-strap.
Inscriptions
Inscription Type: inscription
Inscription Position: dial
Inscription Content: St Gallen
Rescue Automatic
Dimensions
Diameter: 42.1 millimetres (watch)
Thickness: 11.5 millimetres (watch)
Length: 260.5 millimetres (overall length)
Curator's comments
An early version of the 'Disinfectable' made in the early stages of development of the watch, presented by Stuart McDouall, a close friend of Ashley Lung, consultant to St. Gallen.
I guess that with recent outbreaks of SARS and H1N1 influenza, the historical significance of a disinfectible wristwatch needs to be documented.
I wonder if the PPro ABR watch will ever achieve similar academic significance when they uncover the mythical "Cult of The PuristS" from the sands of time, in a thousand years? 
Comments?
Regards,
MTF
This message has been edited by MTF on 2009-08-03 11:43:02Very nice to see the ABR in the British Museum! Here's a ABR brother saying 'Hello' from the USA: -MW
The PPro ABR is NOT in the British Museum; the archived example is a prototype of the original St Gallen Rescue Disinfectible. But we are "kissing cousins" Regards, MTF
Since the British Museum as an institution is not a member of our site, it could not acquire one of our limited edition watches. So, while clearly preferring the magnificently perfected PuristSPro variant, it had to be satisfied with version 1.0 ... Anyway, it is really interesting to note this act. MTF is certainly right in assuming that recent worries about possible pandemias were the reason to take the disinfectable watch as a symbol for this time. Your pictures offers an interesting possibil
If they accept it, then 1. complete collection of St Gallen Rescue and PPro ABR in the museum 2. PPro will earn a place in British Museum. Regards Ling
Perhaps not. “Self-appointed as the guardians of horological traditions…” Perhaps so. Marketing blurb, of course, but very nice to see St. Gallen include the PPro ABR in their latest catalogue. The St. Gallen range are honest watches that perform well and do what they state. We don’t find that as often as we should in horology. Thought you would be interested in seeing the 'club watch' in their catalogue, which overall is very well presented. Andrew
Is that a luminous keychain holder? Kong
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