Does anyone have any ideas, comments, or info about EBAY iterm 320694140695 "Longines Chronometer...WWII era "c.1942 -43?. I've never seen it before.


Thanks in advance
Mason

Walter, it looks very much like my navigation master deck watch, only gimbaled...

Mason,

I guess I'm quite the purist, but I'd refrain from classifying this item a marine chronometer, as it doesn't have a detached escapement. I'd be more inclined to call it a gimballed deck watch more than a marine chronometer.

It still is a nice piece, might need some work on getting the box back into shape and perhaps some brass work done (if you choose to clean it up).

Michael

Thanks, all.

I don't have an example with 24 hour military time markings; how would you rate this deck watch (workmanship quality wise or rarity)compared to other WWII era deck watches? I have a Hamilton gimbeled Model 22, is this longenes example comparable?

Mason

I am not an expert on these so I can not tell you much about this particular example and whether everything is correct on it, but I can tell you that it is definitely not a deck watch or a marine chronometer. The marking on the movement is U.S. Army A.C and that stands for United States Army Air Corps which is the name for what later became the Air Force. These kinds of watches were used as reference timepieces when setting the clocks in aircraft so they would all be set at the same time for a mission.

quote:

320694140695

Jim I know full well that mine isn´t a deck watch, it was for navigators on aircraft...
Its the ebay watch Longines Deck Watch Walter is talking about!

Jim,

Werner is correct, I was about to put a correcting post up when I saw his. His watch looks almost the same, but is not gimbaled and has the Army A.C. markings. The EBAY item does not have any military ID marks I can see other than the 24 hour dial and being gimbaled I suspect was for shipboard use; although it's possible Gimbaled watches could have been used on the navigation stations of aircraft; I just haven't noticed any.

Thank you Werner and Walter for clearing up my confusion on the photos. I took a look at the Ebay auction and that watch puzzles me in that there are no military markings on the case or on the movement. Militaries are quite careful to mark these things as they are small and valuable and their markings are essential for their inventory control. My first thought is that this may have been made and sold for civilian use?

well the put-together went for US $2.120,00 and the guy now has another gimballed Longines on offer. On the bottom of the brass bowl, there is a number 615, nowhere on the whole watch is that number repeated!!! Longines

These type of watches are often marked "chronometer" and rightly so. They represent the very highest standard of finish and workmanship available at the time. Nice example Werner! Here are a few other straight line Swiss lever movements that are of similar grade. Those Swiss just didn't mess around!

2

how very lovely William ,I can but wish they were mine-sigh !!!!

they don´t get better than that, do they? A feast for my weary eyes...