LONGINES WEEMS NAVIGATION – SWISSAIR PILOTS WATCH
£1,250.00
Description
Longines, Weems Navigation watch, SwissAir, pilots stainless steel limited edition ‘Hacking Seconds’ wristwatch , ref. 628-5241 no. 1012. Two piece case with white enamel chapter ring with black Arabic numerals, rotating silvered centre reading 12 hours, 24 hours, and seconds, and feuille hands, the 21 jewel Longines automatic movement cal.L.628-1 ETA 2892. Edition number impressed to the case-back. Dark brown strap with non-branded stainless steel buckle.
Case size: 44mm x 36mm
Condition report: Overall very good condition. Some light scratches to the case, and to the mineral glass. Some light aging now showing to the enamel dial. Working condition (no warranty implied). The timepiece may have been opened, so it should not be used near moisture or water without being checked by a qualified watchmaker.
Background to Longines: The Longines company was founded in Saint-Imier, Switzerland by Auguste Agassiz in 1832 . In fact the Longines winged hourglass logo is the oldest known registered trademark for any watchmaker. The Longines company provided timers which were used at the first modern Olympics in 1896. In 1899, a Longines watch went to the North Pole with Arctic explorer Luigi Amedeo of Savoy. As we moved into the 20th century, Longines supplied automatic timekeeping for the Federal Gymnastics at Basel in 1912. Since that time, the Longines brand have been associated with sporting timepieces.
Longines are particularly known for their ‘Aviators’ range of watches. This venture started when Longines collaborated with Weems, and brought out the first watch (bearing the Weems name) for pilot navigation. After Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight in 1927, Lindbergh set out to update and improve the Weems watch, based on his experience of flying over the Atlantic. He explained to Longines what he needed from a navigational watch, and the watchmakers went to work, with Charles Lindbergh giving his stamp of approval on the final product. In 1931, the Longines Lindbergh watch was born. Longines gained huge publicity through their association with Charles Lindbergh, selling the watch to working pilots and the adoring public alike.
Special notes: A special edition made by Longines for Swissair pilots. Issue date 1990s. Edition number not known but thought to be 2000.
Provenance: n/a
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