
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Longines Conquest, Stainless Steel, Automatic, circa 1950s
- Maker / attribution
- Longines (maker)
- Date
- c. 1950s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- stainless steel
- Dimensions
- Case 35 mm
- Stock no.
- vws3933cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3933cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Longines Conquest - Stainless Steel - Automatic - c.1950s (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws3933cs), this is a wristwatch by Longines, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1950s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: stainless steel. 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 — Vintage Watch Specialist
A Stylish 1950s automatic Longines Conquest with bold faceted markers, a stylish ecru dial and robust steel case Launched in 1954, the Longines Conquest was the brand’s first collection to bear its own name, marking a new era of modern Swiss watchmaking. Designed as a robust yet stylish timepiece, it offered water resistance, shock protection, and automatic movements, appealing to both professionals and style-conscious wearers. Over the decades, the Conquest evolved through elegant dress models and sporty chronometers, retaining its reputation for precision, durability, and refined design within Longines’ storied catalogue. What's on Offer This stainless steel Longines Conquest, dating to around 1952, is a fine early example of the model that helped define Longines’ post-war reputation. The crisp ecru tone dial — possibly refinished many years ago — is adorned with bold, arrowhead hour markers and sharp dauphine hands, offering a confident, elegant look that reflects the refined design language of its era. The Longines logo and “Conquest” script sit proudly beneath the 12 and above the 6, with a central seconds hand completing the display. Powering the watch is the dependable automatic Calibre 19AS, a 19-jewel movement with a 39-hour power reserve. Measuring 35mm across and fitted with a brown leather strap, this piece wears with vintage charm and offers a slice of early Conquest history. Protected by a Plexiglass crystal and housed in a robust stainless steel case, it remains a practical and stylish everyday vintage watch and looks great on the wrist. We love it!
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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