Longines WWII Tre-Tacche, 1940s

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

In our opinion, Longines doesn't quite get the respect that it deserves. That is not to say that the firm isn't held in high regard. But the level of innovation, craftsmanship, and design that Longines has demonstrated over the course of its existence simply cannot be understated, and certainly extends to a wide variety of timepieces across the board. "Tre-Tacche" watches from the late 1930s and 1940s in particular have developed a cult-like following amongst vintage enthusiasts. The name references its unique three-notch caseback which requires a special tool to remove, but the watch itself is perhaps the most pure execution of a no-frills robust "tool" watch before that designation ever existed. Dating to the 1940s, this smaller Tre-Tacche features a 25mm stainless steel case with a stepped bezel, strong lugs, an unsigned crown, and an acrylic crystal. Its patinated silver dial, meanwhile, boasts an outer open minute track, applied 'Arabic' indices, a classic 'feuille' handset, and a sub-seconds display above 6 o'clock. Signed 'Longines' in the firm's vintage-style serif signature, it's a picture of simplicity and legibility. Flip this piece over, however, and its true character is revealed: Hand-engraved into the triple-notched caseback is the name of Robert O. Hayes and his U.S. military serial number. Hayes enlisted to the Army Air Corps into 1942 as a private in Peoria, IL — a fact we can confirm given the serial number listed clearly in the engraving. Powered by a hand-wound Longines movement and paired to a vintage stainless steel bracelet from Speidel, this supremely cool tool watch proves that Tre-Tacche and Sei-Tacche watches were, in fact, commonly worn by servicemen during the War... and that they weren't afraid to wear smaller watches! Perfect today as a ladies' piece — or as a man's watch for someone who, like Hayes, was perfectly comfortable with a smaller case — it's a supremely cool bit of horological and military history.