I saw this Longines cal 12.92 today in a very reputable watchmakers shop where they also sell on consignment.

Serial number is 5058011. 15J
Case back #. 4023614 indicates 14 k

I was told it is white gold filled.

I'm not familiar with it at all and wonder if anyone can provide any details on the watch, the quality of the caliber etc etc. And if I could get a sense of its value ....

The crown, which is unsigned, looks off to me. How hard is it to replace this if that's the case?
I'm not exactly sure of the size, but I think it might be 31 mm not incl the crown. I plumb forgot what the caliper measurement was and didn't write it down. Duh.

Here are some photos I took in the shop.







Any details or info would be enlightening and much appreciated.

I'm thinking of buying it as a gift ..... But that of course depends on what I can find out about it. I really liked the look of it.

 

It's a beautiful watch from the 1920's- early 1930's.

Your intuition is correct - the crown is a replacement, but your reasoning is off. Longines didn't sign their crowns in the early 20th century. The style, however, is off. The watchmaker who would service the watch would likely be able to find a suitable replacement, but don't expect to find the exact style of crown this came with.

The dial, case, and movement all look correct (unless somebody contradicts me on the case?)

You will find no shortage of Longines fans on this forum. It can be said with confidence that they were at the top of their game from the 1920's-1940's. They produced fantastic movements and yours is no exception.

If you can locate a crown, it would be a swell piece to own.

Considering the small size and the need for a crown, I would expect about $125-$250 for it.

 

Crown is certainly not original but otherwise a very neat watch.

This caliber 12.92 is particularly interesting as the fourth wheel lacks a distinct cock and instead shares a bridge with the third and center wheel.
I have a caliber 12.91 (central seconds) with the same design and I believe it to be quite uncommon.

The Breguet numerals/hands and overall condition are a plus while the gold filled case and incorrect crown are a minus. I agree with @Modest_Proposal that a range of $125-$250 would be reasonable.

 

Great info. Thanks. And Interesting to hear your estimate of value.
So their asking price of $650 would mean it stays in the showcase. [emoji2]

Although I do have a dateless Legend Diver, I know little of the vintage options in a longines. I have a fair collection of vintage Omegas. That's why I'm kind of looking at others. I actually had this in mind for a woman. It looked great on her wrist. But .... This won't be the one. What do you think of the merits or otherwise of a gold filled watch. Would it be better to stay away ... And be willing to pay more for solid gold ..... Of course the skies the limit. Or is it still a good bang for the buck if it was in the price range you mention.

 

Just to add .... The gold filled case is a minus as suggested .... But I guess I'm wondering g it it's a definite deterrent for most .... Or does it boil down to the price and whether there are enough pluses, like the nice dial .... To warrant having something that just looks nice.

I'm probably answering my own question because that comes down to a matter of personal choice I guess.

 

I would say that most collectors avoid gold filled cases as a general rule. However, with the right dial, in the right condition, and at the right price, exceptions are made.
This Longines caliber 9.47N is a case in point.

 

Is this the 'regular' cal 12.92 arrangement that you referred to in your post? I'm not familiar with the names of the parts. But I'm gathering (using your terms) this one has independent and distinct cocks vs a shared bridge.

 

Does that make it (the one in my original post) a 'modified' movement or was that a manufactured variant?

 

Manufactured variant but fairly unusual. Here is my 12.91 in the same vein.

 

Appreciate the info guys. Many thanks. At their $650 (cdn) asking price that watch is not going to end up on my girlfriend's wrist.
Cheers
Paul.

 

Not a problem Paul.

May I ask the name of the shop where you saw this Longines as I too am in Canada and don't know of too many places with vintage watches.

 

PM sent.