Internet Horology Club 185
6B/159's with subseconds?

This topic can be found at:
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/990103944/m/2601059003

January 28, 2008, 16:19
Jim Seal
6B/159's with subseconds?
Hi Gents,

I have a Longines 6B/159 with a subsidiary seconds dial, I havent seen any others, is this rare? I'd like to see some pics of any others out there...
Anyone tell me more about mine, model name/no etc...




Rgds
Jim
January 29, 2008, 09:52
Roy New
Afternoon, Jim.

Welcome!

Go on to the Longines website, find museum, send an e-mail to Mr Raymond Krebs, quoting movement details etc.

Mr Krebs will be able to give you the date of production etc. etc.

Wish him well and give him my name!

Good luck.

Timely regards.

Roy

'So mote it be!'
January 29, 2008, 09:53
Greg Crockett
Thanks for the images Jim. I'm wondering if the movement No. is the same as the number inside the caseback?

Best regards,
Greg
January 29, 2008, 12:46
Jim Seal
Hi Gents,

Thanks for your replies. Roy will do re Museum...thanks for the tip.

Greg,

Inside caseback:
93 Longines 3
22253
1493

Movement:
Longines
5655534

What interests me most is if any other makers supplied subsecond dials, as this seems unusual, all the other Longines, Omega, Movado, JLC etc...appear to be centre second dials. I'm guessing a lot of civvi watches were "called up" with wartime shortages etc.., and wondered whether mine was a case in point...and were there others?

Rgds
Jim
January 29, 2008, 12:59
Jim Hester
I am not an expert on these, but the dial on this one does not seem to go with the rest of the 6B/159s I have seen by Longines or other makers. My first thought is that the movement and dial may not be original to the case and it could be a marriage from some time in the past. Anything is possible however and I would like to learn from anyone who knows for sure one way or the other.
January 29, 2008, 13:52
Jim Seal
Hi Jim,

I dont think its a marriage as such, it could have had the AM engravings faked on perhaps, though I fail to see why, these arn't particularly expensive to buy, my belief is that civvi watches were co-opted...but I haven't seen a civvi version of this either....
January 30, 2008, 01:17
James V. Delgado
All 6B watches were center seconds. This watch either has fake markings, or a non-original movement and dial. The dial is not even oriented correctly. It is a little cock-eyed. That to me suggests that it is glued onto the movement. The 3 should line up with the stem/crown placement.

Best,

James
January 30, 2008, 10:14
Greg Crockett
As noted, off-set seconds don’t match Air Ministry standards for the code engraved on the back of this watch. Further, the movement and case numbers don’t match - not that this alone is conclusive . Thus, it’s safe to assume the case and movement are a “marriage” of various unrelated parts.

If Longines is given the inner case back and movement numbers, they can provide data on each. It's possible the case is original Air Ministry issue.

The biggest warning sign is the dial, which is not of WWII vintage. It looks like something from a civilian watch of the 1960's.

A collector watchmaker would like this watch for the parts it has to offer.

Best regards,
Greg
January 30, 2008, 10:31
Jim Seal
Hi Greg,

I've sent an email to Longines museum asking for any info, lets seen what they say...
I dissagree with the comment about the dial being 1960's, the logo is circa 1942-1954 according to House of Longines website
http://s89500954.onlinehome.us/Longines/e/oi/iden.html

Assuming his info is correct of course?