Community Stories

Help to identify an old Longines ref. 5346 from 1944

gatorcpa
Posts
12,540
Likes
16,894
Longines didn’t make a lot of chrome plated cases.
gatorcpa
 
durri70
Posts
910
Likes
1,050
gatorcpa gatorcpa
Longines didn’t make a lot of chrome plated cases.
gatorcpa
Then what is the material on my watch ? If the case back says SS should be all SS?
 
Deafboy
Posts
2,281
Likes
6,537
The main body doesn't look like SS. Looks very corroded. The other parts are correspondingly shiny. It is difficult to see in the pictures but there seems to be evidence of flaking of a metal coating on the main body at the lugs. Is that the case? Then I would think it is chrome plated on a base metal that is not SS.
Edited:
 
durri70
Posts
910
Likes
1,050
Deafboy Deafboy
The main body doesn't look like SS. Looks very corroded. The other parts are correspondingly shiny. It is difficult to see in the pictures but there seems to be evidence of flaking of a metal coating on the main body at the lugs. Is that the case? Then I would think it is chrome plated on a base metal that is not SS.
The bezel and case back must be SS, but the main body as you say must be another metal ( don’t know what type of metal) as it looks like is peeling in some areas of the lugs. Once I get it back from the watch maker I’ll do better pictures. I asked him to clean the rusty area but I don’t think he can’t clean it that much, I guess it needs to get a new chrome coating again but at the same time don’t if it’s worthy or it it will look better to keep it as it is ?
Being a redial plus this issue I don’t know what to really do
Edited:
 
Syrte
Posts
7,597
Likes
21,790
Have you paid a lot for it?
The best thing to do is to enjoy it and wear it, and be thankful you got valuable lessons -- it's called "noob tax", you will not make those mistakes again.
Edit / Add: and stop spending more money on it than you already have.
 
Tony C.
Posts
7,641
Likes
26,491
No way that case was SS. My guess is that it is a franken, and somewhen put a Longines casebook and movement into a third-party chrome case.
 
durri70
Posts
910
Likes
1,050
Tony C. Tony C.
No way that case was SS. My guess is that it is a franken, and somewhen put a Longines casebook and movement into a third-party chrome case.
Well, it was a real bargain ( I feel shame to say how much I paid ) . The watch was from an old watchmaker that already passed away. I got many pieces from him: NOS constellation cases, Patek Philippe case opener , Jaeger-LeCoultre calibers with its dials, Longines Ultronic and Ultraquartz...
So I don’t think that this case it’s a Franken watch.
I really appreciate your notes and looking for more comments. No matter what I like the watch .... may be in the future I find the proper case, crown and dial ...
 
Syrte
Posts
7,597
Likes
21,790
durri70 durri70
Well, it was a real bargain ( I feel shame to say how much I paid ) . The watch was from an old watchmaker that already passed away. I got many pieces from him: NOS constellation cases, Patek Philippe case opener , Jaeger-LeCoultre calibers with its dials, Longines Ultronic and Ultraquartz...
So I don’t think that this case it’s a Franken watch.
I really appreciate your notes and looking for more comments. No matter what I like the watch .... may be in the future I find the proper case, crown and dial ...
You cannot find the proper case, and dial. Longines has the case number in its records. And everyone is looking for good dials. The right dial will be more expensive than your watch.
 
durri70
Posts
910
Likes
1,050
Syrte Syrte
You cannot find the proper case, and dial. Longines has the case number in its records. And everyone is looking for good dials. The right dial will be more expensive than your watch.
Then I’ll have to be happy with what I got. Would you chrome the case I just leave as it is Syrte ?
 
Syrte
Posts
7,597
Likes
21,790
durri70 durri70
Then I’ll have to be happy with what I got. Would you chrome the case I just leave as it is Syrte ?
As stated- i advise you stop spending money on it. Since you like it, wear it the way it is and enjoy it for what it is. If you buy nicer watches in the future you will forget about it no matter what — and spending more is not going to change anything about it.
 
DaveK
Posts
4,802
Likes
14,378
I haven’t handled one in person, but I find these vintage-look straps from FinStraps to be super cool. When I see a watch like yours, and the condition of the case, I picture it looking quite at home on one of these

6372C7CA-8531-4FBB-836F-F461F4685757.jpeg
 
durri70
Posts
910
Likes
1,050
Syrte Syrte
As stated- i advise you stop spending money on it. Since you like it, wear it the way it is and enjoy it for what it is. If you buy nicer watches in the future you will forget about it no matter what — and spending more is not going to change anything about it.
Thanks for the advice
 
durri70
Posts
910
Likes
1,050
DaveK DaveK
I haven’t handled one in person, but I find these vintage-look straps from FinStraps to be super cool. When I see a watch like yours, and the condition of the case, I picture it looking quite at home on one of these

6372C7CA-8531-4FBB-836F-F461F4685757.jpeg
Thanks Davek the color of the strap will match very good with the rusty case 😀)
 
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

K

Need help to identify an old Omega Seamaster Automatic

KP-99 Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
liquidsongbird
liquidsongbird
Posts
12
Views
3K
C

Help trying to identify an old Omega Gold Watch

Chris3888 Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
SkunkPrince
SkunkPrince
Posts
4
Views
1K
J

Help to identify an old watch? Genuine or fake?

JonnyT82 Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
Dan S
Dan S
Posts
16
Views
1K
Civic4982

An old Longines 5 Star admiral

Civic4982 Longines Watches
argonbeam
argonbeam
Posts
6
Views
3K
naidu

Help to identify this old Longines ...

naidu Longines Watches
Marty McDawg
Marty McDawg
Posts
38
Views
10K
rhedelius

Help identifying an old Longines

rhedelius Longines Watches
rhedelius
rhedelius
Posts
2
Views
2K