LONGINES WEEMS NAVIGATION WATCH – SOLD
Description
Longines, Weems Navigation watch. This is the original Weems navigation watch worn by pilots during the 1940s & 1950s. Stainless steel case with tu-tome silvered dial bearing ‘LONGINES WEEMS’ name. The moveable outer bezel marked to 60 minutes. Usual crown at 3.0 position, and second-setting corwn at the 4.0 position. Press fit case-back. Longines 17 jewel movement with fine regulation. The watch still retaining its original canvas strap with stainless steel buckle. The watch complete with its original polished wooden case with blue velvet interior. Satin gilted propellor to the inside roof with Longines Weems designation.
Case size: 33mm x 40mm with lugs
Condition report: Light use to the case. Plexi-glass clear and free from adverse scratching. Dial original. Hands original. Some natural aging to the dial (see images). Case-back clean and free from adverse scratches or damage. Bezel locking system working. Movement generally clean: slight rust marks to the top bridge and wheel. Watch functioning: would possibly benefit from a service. No warranty implied. The polished wood case showing some light use.
Special notes: It is extremely rare to find the original polished wood case for the Longines Weems watch of the 1940s / 1950s.
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.
Provenance: n/a
Ordering: shop@jensenmuseum.org or telephone: +1694-781354
