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Longines Heritage Pilots Watch, ref. 2.811.4, 2019 — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Longines Heritage Pilots Watch, ref. 2.811.4, 2019

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Longines (maker)
Date
2019
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Stock no.
vws4126cs
Credit line
Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws4126cs)
Catalogue title (original)
Longines Heritage Pilots Watch - Model ref: 2.811.4 - Box and Papers - 2019 (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws4126cs), this is a wristwatch by Longines, made in Switzerland, dated 2019. The Atlas places it in the Contemporary Horology period (2010 – Present) of its Wristwatches collection. 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 bold Longines Heritage Military Pilot’s watch with oversized case and classic aviation dial, 2019 Longines has a deep connection with aviation, dating back to the early 20th century when the brand supplied precise timing instruments to pioneering aviators. The company developed specialised pilot watches and navigation tools, most famously collaborating with Charles Lindbergh in 1931 to create the Hour Angle watch for aerial navigation. Known for their clarity, robustness and precision, Longines pilot watches became trusted companions for aviators and remain an important part of the brand’s heritage today. Whats on Offer This impressive 2019 Longines Heritage Military Pilot’s watch draws direct inspiration from the brand’s early aviation timepieces, combining classic pilot aesthetics with modern reliability. The large black dial is wonderfully legible, featuring bold Arabic numerals, cathedral-style hands and a traditional subsidiary seconds register above the six o’clock date window — all details that echo the look of early 20th-century pilot watches. The stainless steel case has real wrist presence, faithfully capturing the oversized proportions typical of historic aviation instruments. The dial remains crisp and striking, while the domed plexiglass crystal adds warmth and vintage character that perfectly suits the design. Presented with its original box and papers, this example is in excellent condition and fitted to a black leather strap that complements the watch’s purposeful military styling. Powered by Longines’ reliable automatic movement, it offers the charm of a heritage pilot’s watch with the practicality of a modern timepiece. A superb choice for anyone drawn to classic aviation watches and Longines’ rich horological history.

Historical context

Contemporary Horology (2010 – Present)

Silicon components, connected watches, optical-lattice research clocks and a thriving independent scene.

Smartwatches became the world's best-selling watches, while mechanical watchmaking focuses on craft, innovation (silicon components, new escapements) and independent makers.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Mechanical Renaissance

Atlas type guide

Military, pilot and travel watches

The wristwatch owes much of its adoption by men to warfare and aviation. Wristlets — small pocket watches soldered with lugs and worn on a strap — were used in colonial campaigns and became standard equipment in the First World War, with protective grilles over the crystal ('shrapnel guards'). Louis Cartier's Santos (1904), designed for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, is often cited as an early purpose-made pilot's watch.

In the Second World War governments specified watches in detail: the German B-Uhr observation watches, the American A-11, and the British 'W.W.W.' (the 'Dirty Dozen' set of 1945). After the war, jet travel brought GMT and world-time watches, which show two or more time zones at once — Louis Cottier's world-time mechanism and the Rolex GMT-Master (1955) are examples.

What to look for

  • Military markings on the case back: broad arrow, issue numbers, 'W.W.W.', 'A.T.P.'
  • High-legibility black dials with luminous Arabic numerals; oversized crowns for gloved hands.
  • 24-hour hands and rotating 24-hour bezels or city rings on GMT/world-time watches.
  • Wire lugs on early wristlets converted from pocket watches.

Dating clues

  • Wire-lug wristlets: c. 1900–1925.
  • Military specifications of the Second World War: 1939–1945.
  • GMT and world-time wristwatches: mainly after 1950.

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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