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Longines Automatic (Ref. 625C 2) Cal. 22A, 1951 — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Longines Automatic (Ref. 625C 2) Cal. 22A, 1951

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Longines (maker)
Date
1951
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 35 mm
Stock no.
LNGS625C2
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (LNGS625C2)
Catalogue title (original)
1951 Longines Automatic (Ref. 625C 2) Cal. 22A (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number LNGS625C2), this is a wristwatch by Longines, made in Switzerland, dated 1951. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 35 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

For decades Longines created some of the most beautiful and versatile watches in the world, year after year pumping out beauty and reliability, seemingly in competition with only itself. This Ref. 625C 2 is a fantastic example of this trend with a gorgeous blend of sharp lines and curved steel. The Longines reference 625C 2 is representative of an era that predates the proliferation of the sports watch, when most people simply owned one timepiece that they would wear every single day. Elegant enough to be appropriate at the most formal of events, yet durable enough to stand up to the rigors of daily wear and use, watches such as the Longines Ref. 625C 2 are emblematic of the golden era of mechanical wristwatches, pairing durable stainless steel cases with beautiful dials and self-winding movements. SPECS Stock # LNGS625C2 Brand Longines Style Automatic Model 625C 2 Serial 83XXXXX Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Silver Millimeters 35 Bracelet Craftex Stainless Steel Mesh Bracelet CASE & BRACELET The 35mm stainless steel case features a solid, screw-in caseback, and it is in excellent condition with full lugs and small signs of honest wear. The flat bezel and prominent lugs are quite thick in proportion to the case diameter of the watch, giving the Longines Ref. 625C 2 a slightly more angular and utilitarian appearance than similar timepieces from the same era. Completing the watch is a circa-appropriate Craftex stainless steel mesh bracelet with a fold-over clasp. DIAL & HANDS The beautiful silver dial has aged gracefully over the years and features Arabic numerals at the poles with a small-seconds display at the 6 o’clock location. The radium lume on the dial and handset has taken on a nice patina, although it shows slight signs of degradation and some spots are missing on the minute hand. Both the hour markers on the dial and the original dauphine handset show signs of oxidation that are consistent with age. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping excellent time, previous

Historical context

Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)

Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.

The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking

Atlas type guide

Automatic (self-winding) watches

Self-winding watches use the wearer's motion to wind the mainspring. Abraham-Louis Perrelet and Breguet made 'perpétuelle' pocket watches with oscillating weights in the late eighteenth century, but the principle only became practical in the wristwatch. John Harwood patented a bumper automatic in 1923; Rolex's Perpetual rotor (1931) winding in one direction, and later bidirectional rotors (Eterna, Felsa Bidynator), established the modern form. Micro-rotors (Universal Genève, Buren) and peripheral rotors made automatic watches thinner.

What to look for

  • A semicircular rotor turning 360° over the movement, or a 'bumper' weight that rebounds between springs.
  • 'Automatic', 'Perpetual' or 'Self-winding' on the dial.
  • A sealed screw-back case, since automatic watches are wound less often by the crown.

Dating clues

  • Bumper automatics: 1923–c. 1955.
  • Full rotors: from 1931 (Rolex); widespread after c. 1950.
  • Micro-rotors: from 1954–1958.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

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