I have a 1939 Longines 12.68z monopusher and I am looking for name and hand information. I now know it is a terrible redial. Poorly printed and it should only say Longines on it. I am having difficulty telling what it is as It has been cannibalized of all its chrono components.

Am I correct in calling this a Stopsecond? I am looking to part ways with it and want to describe it correctly. I am not versed in Longines as this is my only one. What I have found is the 12.68z monopusher came in several case sizes and two hand configurations. There is a 4 hand with central second and a 5 hand with central seconds and minutes. I am leaning toward it being a Stopsecond as it has no internal movable bezel. Is it correct to call it a 4 hand stopsecond? The Extract makes no mention other than the caliber and delivery location.

I like the tag line on the ad for the Stopsecond:
the Sportsman's and Doctor's watch
as useful as a chronograph!

Thanks for your help.

 

Why would it be called a 4 hand when it only has 3?

 

This chronograph is known as a single-button "fly back" chronograph. The subject watch is showing the minute, hour, and running seconds hands, but it is missing the center-mounted fly back minute hand, and the center-mounted fly back seconds hand. So there should be five hands, not four. The single button is used to zero the two chronograph hands which start up again, as soon as the button is released. Ideal for timing laps in, say, automobile rallying.

 

Sorry I was not clear. I was not sure if it was missing one or two hands. Thank you @Canuck for clarifying!

 

Better than calling it a back hand.

Maybe we should call it hand-icapped. Or even better, call it hand-imissing.

 

No hands...could it be a Soccer timer.

 

Ok call me stupid but how do you pull off a fly back on a mono pusher?

I'm not doubting just curious as to how that works. So the chrono minute is always running as per @Canuck

 

There are both 4 and 5 hand versions of the Longines Stop Second, those simply with constant running (chrono) second and those with both constant running (chrono) second and minute hands. Here are my two examples...

 

Thanks for posting your Longines. My case looks similar to your 4 hand version. I'm leaning toward mine only having a running second hand. Thanks again.

 

Here's a 5 finger (no discount) example:

http://shop.hodinkee.com/blogs/jour...947-longines-single-button-flyback-chronostop

 

The one I referenced is one I am quite familiar with since I serviced it a number of years ago. It was definitely the 5 hand version. I had an article on the reconditioning of this watch published in the NAWCC Bulletin issue from October 2006. That there is a four hand version surprises me since it would probably only be useful only for timing 60-second intervals.

 

The first ones, beginning in 1938, were only stop seconds- 4 hands. I believe in 1940 the center minute counter was added.
I have a pdf from the good Longines folks somewhere; Ill try and find it....

 

Thank you for the dates! Mine is a 1939.

 

Longines extract says mine is from 1941 and it already has five hands.
Real beautiful movement btw...

 

Thankfully this thread was reposted…. as I had omitted to say DIBS on this beautiful watch!
And dibs on @LarryG's five hander too !
All the best,
S

 

WOW guys! Thank you for sharing your awesome 12.68Z stopsecond chronographs Really a watch I want to add to my collection! I know some
of them were delivered to Norway, but I have not been able to trace on down yet.

Here are a couple of pics from «catalogue des fournitures« of the minute recording version.

 

mine was originally delivered to Turkey!

 

this is another one around 1947 waiting for the abstract of Longines archive

 

Darn, we really want to see the front too