- Country of Manufacture - Switzerland
- Year - 1951
- Serial - 8475890
- Model - N/A
- Movement & caliber - Manual 22L
- Case diameter - 33 mm
- This Item is Final Sale
A solid 14 carat yellow gold manual watch by Longines. This watch has the added complication of having the subsidiary seconds set just above the 6 o'clock marker. The pie pan dial has an inner set gold bead chapter ring with unusual triangle shaped hour marks which is complemented by the coffin shaped markers at 3 and 9, and Arabic 12 and 6. Below this, at the foot of the dial, is the original “Swiss Made” printing. The Longines name is also printed in the same black stamping with the iconic winged Longines logo applied in 14k gold.
The watch is presented in ‘barn find’, original condition. The case is unpolished, which is a preferable option. The long, horn style lugs are sharp and crisp. The snap back case is quite typical from a number of Swiss watch makers of being a US contract case. Meaning the movement and dial were sent over from Longines in Switzerland, and then a contracted, specific case maker, was employed in the US to provide the case, having been designed and approved by Longines. This was very common at this time due to high taxes and duties being levied on imports from Europe. This case was made by case maker “Apex” and is fully marked in the back of the watch. Apex were a very well known, and large case maker in the US making cases for Longines and Waltham, to mention a couple. There cases are high quality and subsequently have aged well.
The watch is powered by the automatic caliber 22L Longines movement. The movement was widely used by Longines in a number watches since its launch. It had a few variations; featuring the addition of a date, or just a simple sweep second also with date option. This example is in excellent condition and keeping very good time.
The watch overall is in almost new condition, it does not look like a watch that is now over 70 years old. The dial is original and not re-finished, as is often the case with these mid-century dress watches and is in excellent condition. The watch comes with its original band signed Longines, buckle stamped Longines, box, paper work. These watches are rarely found in this condition today!
The beauty of a watch like this is that it can be worn with a suit, but while featuring a leather band, such as this, it will look equally at home with a t-shirt and jeans on the weekend. A very versatile, handsome and well-designed watch.
