Is anyone knowledgeable with the Longines Single Button Chronograph cal 12.68Z? This is the 37mm diameter watch excluding crown. Does the watch really command prices upward of $15K?

 

Yes, this is a highly prized though flawed example.
Handset- center minute and second hands are replacements, good luck finding others- and case back w/o ref numbers- will lessen value...

 

I saw one being sold by Matthew Bain and the price they want is $35K. The owner offered it to me initially at $3k. When I called him up after 2 days to schedule a viewing, I was surprised that his price went up to $15k. But as you mentioned some of the hands are not original. Likewise, there is no reference anymore in the back case maybe from over polishing. It also has a name engraved in the case back. Is it still worthwhile to make an offer for the watch? What would be a fair price?

 

Very uncommon in that large size, which helps to explain the inflated asking price.

 

But isn't the 12.68Z just a simple watch with sub seconds? (mine is).... so what caliber is the watch above.

 

12.68z chrono, uses same base mov't, referred to as a stop second (in this case with a central minute counter ala highly prized 13zn), center second hand pauses with slight pressure and resets to zero when fully engaged, but is otherwise in constant motion (not a true chronograph in some eyes).

 

This seems to go back to a lot of your posts. Just because a watch is for sale doesn't mean that you need to buy it. Do you like/love that watch? Are you prepared to pay in the neighborhood of the asking price (or some other price which is not insignificant) for an imperfect example? What else might you buy with those funds if you pass on this one? To me, these vintage watches are not widgets, but, rather, special art pieces that should be sought if desired, but not otherwise. JMHO.

 

It's a modular chronograph movement and it's called the same as the time only base movement.

+1. While I do like these watches, for that price, I think it would behoove you to look for a nice 13zn instead. It will be close to impossible to find correct chronograph hands for this watch. I hope a perfectly good Mido multicenter wasn't cannabilized for it .

 

This piece seems to me definitely overpriced, having seen nice and correct examples for the same price under pro seller hands...
I think like Jordan and Calalum, you should probably pass on it to find a better example as collection is all about quality.

 

Not likely, given that they go for around $2k. As a related aside, that type of red hand was also used as a second hand, albeit slightly different in detail, on a small number of time-only Mido models (one of which I own).

 

The movement 12.68z stop second looks like this...
For me one of the most beautiful movements ever made!
Big size 37-38mm are priced on the high end, therefore the smaller ones really looking ultra elegant.
I´m glad that I found one here at the privat sales forum, comes back from watchmaker next week.

 

Many thanks for your advise Calalum. I don't normally collect by brand but by watch type. My collection is comprised mostly of chronographs, divers and world timers so the Longines single button chronograph watch is something I would consider. When the owner initially offered it at 3k, I thought it was too expensive already but a fellow collector told me that the particular watch his highly prized because of its big size and scarcity.