Monday, 17 January 2022

Vintage Longines watches - revived and remade for today

A Longines with a pre-1920's movement - 
the small pin at the 4 o'clock position on the case side is pushed in and the crown rotated to set the hands - the watch winds normally if just the crown is used.

I have been fascinated by watches since I was very young and have grown to appreciate the mathematics and engineering that go in to making one, ever since I flipped the back off myTimex watch in 1977 and saw the wonders of the mechanical movement inside!

Whilst quartz watches are functional, they always have the disadvantage of having a battery to replace. One of my best ever watches off the shelf if not the best I owned, was a Seiko 5 7009-4040 I purchased in 1983. 

I love the style and design of the vintage Longines watches as well as the recent, modern Longines 'Master' collection pieces, although these are more than I can afford to spend. The Master collection is very varied in design styles and offers great investment potential too, as well as watches which are practical to wear. 

Here are a few vintage Longines examples you may like to view.

A nice 'Wedding cake' dial with mechanism from 1908, a really classic looking piece!
With coin edge to the bezel and lovely guilloche in the two-tone dial centre -
The Guilloche engraved pattern is made by a lathe-like machine called a 'Rose Engine.'

I love this early movement ' Bauhaus' style dial design - 
it is quite simple but classic looking and hasn't dated - it still looks modern!

From around 1930, a nice off white parchment dial -
not fussy, but easy to read and keeps great time - what more can you ask for?

Longines 1930 movement in an aviator dial style seen on WW2 era watches -
A classic aviator style watch which is easy to read when flying or driving



Early Longines movement in a 'Trench watch' of the WW1 style - 
nice military look, much in the style of some recent 'Master' collection designs

Longines 'Grand Prix' case 1930's Moderne style with Sun ray Guilloche dial -
It has that great 1940's look and looks really incredible, set off by the 'Bullseye' dial

A Longines 1930 movement stolen from me in the post and found being listed on EBay - 
sadly not much help from EBay in resolving things or getting it back for me.

Longines 1915 era Regulator movement - 
A nice ornate piece of work here from this rare mechanism - 
Regulator watches are one of the most complicated mechanisms to make 
as the hands are on 3 different posts, rather than on a single central position

Longines Tank style watch with 1949 movement - 
A nice style of case in Nickel finish hence the yellowish tone
This style of case was made popular after WW1 and remains in style 100+ years later

Longines pre-1920's watch, fabulous design which hasn't dated!
Nice guilloche design on the dial face which has been gold plated.
Fabulous 20's style Longines with coin edge bezel


Nice vintage adverts below:



Classic adverts from the company from the 1900's






  










 

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