Angelus has a long and storied history of making watches - and making them well.

Established in Le Locle in 1891 (four years before Universal Genève was founded in the same village) by the Stolz brothers, Angelus began by assembling watches comprised of parts made by other manufacturers. But as the 20th Century dawned, Angelus were designing and manufacturing their own movements entirely in-house. Their efforts won them awards at international horology exhibitions nearly every year from 1902 to 1926. 

Their chronographs in particular were as innovative as they were praiseworthy. The Chronodato, introduced in 1942, was the first wrist-worn chronograph to feature a calendar function. With a variety of styles and casing materials used, the Chronodato was for a time one of the best-selling watches in Switzerland. 

The design of the Chronodato's dial is an exercise in legibility. While a watch with so much information on the dial could seem cluttered, the dial of the Chronodato is perfectly balanced, with day and month apertures interplayed on a vertical axis, while a subsidiary seconds register lives at 9 o'clock and a 45-minute counter with long distance phone call indications is positioned at 3 o'clock. The date is displayed on a chapter ring on the outer edge of the dial, indicated by a red-tipped hand.

This lovely 38mm stainless steel case remains in exceptional unpolished condition with sharp bevels and crisp engravings on the caseback. It features a set of slim rectangular chronograph pushers, micro-pusher adjustments for the calendar functions, a sterile winding crown, and an import hallmark prominently visible on the top left lug. The non-luminous grey dial with black chapter ring shows even patina and brassing throughout, a unique and monochromatic beauty visible under its domed acrylic crystal.

Powered by Angelus' manual-winding Calibre SF217 column wheel chronograph movement, it comes fitted on an Analog:Shift Grayson Blue Montone Strap with a stainless steel pin buckle.

Previously featured by our friends at , this special example of mid-century watchmaking is back for its second pass through Analog:Shift - we very much think of this unique piece as an old friend, and are pleased to offer it once again to market!