Another member and I were discussing the veracity of this crown seen on an early All Guard.
It is signed, so is it from another reference or is it an early attempt at what we now know as the Conquest crown?
The All-guard crown in question:


Here is the classic Conquest crown with its lady finger cookie-like grip profile, also seen on most All Guards


Theories and photos of All Guards welcome.

 

I have never seen a crown like that, but it obviously looks like a genuine Longines crown. How is the rest of the All Guard? Is it in the "barn find" category with very little work done on it, or does it have service marks and evidence of previous repairs? My guess is that it is not original, but I have been discovering more and more that will Longines crowns, there were a lot of little variations even within the same calibers. I am referring mostly to slight dimensional variations, but I suppose some kind of prototype crown is possible. We may never know!

 

My all Guard has a similar crown but unsigned. Not sure if original.

 

I also think that it is a nice genuine Longines crown. Size and form seem to be spot-on for the Allguard...
Wait, I found a reference on the internet:
https://www.benswatches.com/product...9006-2-gilt-black-cal-19as-steel-wristwatch-2

 

I do not believe that it is original, nor the one linked above. I believe them both to be replacements.

They should, in my view and experience, be like the classic Conquest crown. I own a NOS pre-All Guard automatic, to use one example, with the latter crown.

 

Well then they are most likely replacements, but I wouldn't mind if the watch is overall in good and original condition. Typical conquests crowns are not that hard to get.

 

@gatorcpa

Yours, while very nice, obviously isn't a pre-All Guard! Here's my "All-Proof", predecessor to the All-Guard. It says only "Automatic" on the dial.

 

Thanks for clarifying that Tony I have seen these automatics around and didn't know where they fit in chronologically.

 

You're welcome, though I've pieced this together myself, and have never seen any official timeline from Longines.

The only possible reason that I can think of why they might have simultaneously produced otherwise identical watches, yet marketed them differently, is if the name "All Guard" was trademark protected by another company in some market(s). But I've seen no evidence of that.

 

Based on a very limited sample size of five "All-Guards" and five "Automatics", the former seems to have preceded the latter. All five "All-Guards" have earlier serial numbers than the earliest "Automatic". I have also found an example of each with an "LXW" import mark, so both names seem to have found their way into the USA. Both "models" (time-only) share the ref. 9006, as you probably know. The only 9006-1 that I have found is an "All-Guard". I have found an "Automatic" and an "All-Guard" that are marked 9006-2. Anyway, I would like to have a large sample size before making any serious claims.

 

Thanks, added to my spreadsheet. Still earlier than the earliest "Automatic" that I have found.

 

If by two-tone u mean the presence of a silverish chapter ring, my 19ASD All-Proof also has it.

 

The Wittnauer connection did occur to me, nice job connecting the dots. A small watch I'm a big fan of.
Bringing it all full circle to Omega, Neil Armstrong is rumored to have worn Jimmie Matterns All-Proof alongside his Speedmaster on the Gemini 8 flight.