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Longines Time Only Vintage Watch, Manual Wind, Tropical Dial, circa 1956 — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Longines Time Only Vintage Watch, Manual Wind, Tropical Dial, circa 1956

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Longines (maker)
Date
c. 1956
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 35 mm
Stock no.
VWS3045
Credit line
Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (VWS3045)
Catalogue title (original)
Longines Time Only Vintage Watch - Manual Wind - Tropical Dial - c.1956 (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 VWS3045), this is a wristwatch by Longines, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1956. 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 — Vintage Watch Specialist

A Beautiful Vintage Longines Time-Only Watch with an Explorer-Style Dial and Gilt Applied Furniture, Manual Wine, c.1956 Longines, a Swiss watch brand, has been synonymous with precision and elegance since its inception in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz in Saint-Imier. The name "Longines" comes from the long meadows ("longines" in French) where the company was founded. Over its nearly two centuries of history, Longines has established itself as a pioneer in both technology and design. In 1867, Longines manufactured its first movement, the 20A, which won an award at the Universal Exhibition in Paris for its innovative winding mechanism. This marked the beginning of Longines' legacy as a leading watchmaker. The brand gained international fame for creating the first chronograph movement (13ZN) in 1936 and later introduced the Flyback Chronograph in 1952. Longines also played a crucial role in sports timing; it introduced the first automatic timing system at a ski competition in Switzerland in 1933. This innovation laid down the foundation for modern sports timing. What's on Offer This beautiful Longines time-only piece will be a joy to those who appreciate the ageing process of vintage watches, the dial has begun the tropicalisation process and presents a beautiful deep ivory colour with a spattering of patina. The dial has. relatively simple Explorer-style design with applied quarter Arabic numerals combined with gilt arrowhead hour indexes. The dial is completed with beautiful faceted leaf hands and an applied Longines emblem. The watch is powered by the Longines 12.68 ZS caliber, a manual movement with a power reserve of 41 hours. The case and lugs are crafted from polished stainless steel and are in nice shape. The watch is mid-size at 35mm and looks beautiful on the wrist and we are the sure the wearer will get many years of timekeeping.

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

Wristwatches

Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.

After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.

What to look for

  • The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
  • The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
  • Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
  • Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.

Dating clues

  • Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
  • Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
  • Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.

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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