Longines 12.68z 1935 "calatrava"

[LRX_12]

Hey there,

My first post here in the Longines forum! I wanted to present you my only Longines.

Another so-called "Calatrava" Longines . Of course it is not a Calatrava but for now I do not have the reference of my piece. The serial number indicates that it was produced in 1935 (5'345'xxx). The movement and caseback serials exactly match. It is powered by a manual wound 12.68z caliber which seems to be the earliest version since it has the nice single "internal" case screw. The case is 32-32.5mm in "staybrite" stainless steel. The crown is unsigned and the hands are very nicely blued, I love them.

At first I did not find any piece that looked like mine (the majority have a dial with an "horizontal" 9) on the internet. However, @Syrte has what it seems to be the exact same reference as mine! I found it in this post:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/recent-acquisition-a-steel-longines-calatrava.16026/#post-1447010

Do you have more information to share regarding your very nice watch @Syrte ?

On my side I asked Longines for an extract of the archives so I will be able to know more about my watch. By the way I find it amazing that Longines is providing this service for free when other manufactures like to add a quite substantial fee for the same service.

I need to find a nice 15mm strap now as the one currently fitted is quite used and too large!

Here are some pictures of my watch, hope you like it Thanks for reading and if you have any information to share about this reference please do it!

 

[Syrte]

Welcome and congrats on your nice watch. If you hang around you’ll see we don’t call those “calatravas” here and many are irked by the hyped-up marketing lingo.

I’ll have to look up my own records, but at first blush a serial number 53xxxx seems more like it was sold in 1937.
You should send pictures to Longines to get an extract of archive within a few days, it’s fast and free.

Personally I don’t really care what reference a watch is, Ionly care that it looks good and is original-- and this appears to be both

Best regards,
S

 

[LRX_12]

Thanks Syrte. Yes I indeed know Calatrava is widely uncorrectely used to hype watches (hence my ironical « so-called » reference which I probably should have used more subtly ).

I actually already contacted Longines with pictures. I found a serial number table indicating that 1935 started with 5´333´000 to 5´416´000. This table is maybe not as precise as your records ! Did you request an extract for your piece I linked above as well?

And thanks for confirming that everything looks original! Should the crown be unsigned? I guess that might be the case considering the period it was produced.

And yes it does look good

best

 

[DirtyDozen12]

Very nice watch. It is neat to see another example that is just like @Syrte's. I would actually guess that the watch was invoiced in 1936. Your unsigned crown is correct. Here is a little 10.68Z (serial 5'324'xxx) I have that was invoiced to Ostersetzer (Italy) in June of 1936.

 

[Syrte]

Indeed the crown should be unsigned.
I somehow cannot find an extract for my watch, I may have lost it, but I have a completely different watch with serial number 5344xxx, and it was sold in July 1936. I might have to seek another extract for my watch that’s similar to yours.

PS - you also need a correctly sized 15mm fixed lug strap

 

[wagudc]

Call it what you will, it is a little gem of a watch to me.

 

[LRX_12]

@DirtyDozen12 very interesting case shape, I love the sharp angles. The dial is very similar to mine, quite a "reduced" version!

@Syrte yes, quite hard to find 15mm fixed lugs strap though. I will keep my eyes open... I suspect my watch was issued in 1936 as well. Will have more info later !

@wagudc thanks, even though 32mm is small considering actual standards, I like its look !

 

[berrychlossom]

@LRX_12 So far I've seen three of your watches and they're all amazing. Very tasteful collection

 

[Syrte]

LRX_12

@Syrte yes, quite hard to find 15mm fixed lugs strap though. I will keep my eyes open... !

If you’re interested I know an Italian craftsman who can make one at very reasonable prices and with a wide choice of leathers and colors. Those are all straps he made for me (including the green one I have on this watch).

 

[bubba48]

DirtyDozen12

Very nice watch. It is neat to see another example that is just like @Syrte's. I would actually guess that the watch was invoiced in 1936. Your unsigned crown is correct. Here is a little 10.68Z (serial 5'324'xxx) I have that was invoiced to Ostersetzer (Italy) in June of 1936.

Nice Ref. 755

 

[DirtyDozen12]

bubba48

Nice Ref. 755

Mine is actually a ref. 3541. I suppose that your watch has a cal. 12.68Z?

 

[LRX_12]

So, extract already extracted !! Amazed by Longines job. Even more amazed that they will send me a paper copy for free.

Stainless steel watch powered by a 12.68z caliber. Sold in May 1936 to Ostersetzer in Italy.

@Syrte and @DirtyDozen12 you were absolutely correct!

 

[LRX_12]

berrychlossom

@LRX_12 So far I've seen three of your watches and they're all amazing. Very tasteful collection

Thanks for the compliment ! Funny because I did not consider myself as a collector at all but considering the watches I acquired I think I might soon qualify as such. Yet, I do not have any "strategy" and acquire watches that look good to my eyes ! I find that there is something very special to wear watches that were manufactured almost one century ago. When I look at the craftmanship of these 30s/40s watches I am simply speechless.

 

[Hijak]

@Syrte , some very nice watches there! Seriously nice straps too.

 

[LRX_12]

Syrte

If you’re interested I know an Italian craftsman who can make one at very reasonable prices and with a wide choice of leathers and colors. Those are all straps he made for me (including the green one I have on this watch).

Thanks for he info, these straps are indeed very nice. Your watches are very nice as well.

I unexpectedly found a difference between our two watches. Indeed, on yours, the outer "railway track" has thicker railway crossings at each hour marker. Mine only has these thicker crossings at 3-6-9-12 hour markers. See below comparison. Interesting that even though I found almost the perfect similar watch it actually isn't!

 

[Syrte]

LRX_12

Thanks for he info, these straps are indeed very nice. Your watches are very nice as well.

I unexpectedly found a difference between our two watches. Indeed, on yours, the outer "railway track" has thicker railway crossings at each hour marker. Mine only has these thicker crossings at 3-6-9-12 hour markers. See below comparison. Interesting that even though I found almost the perfect similar watch it actually isn't!

Hijak

@Syrte , some very nice watches there! Seriously nice straps too.

Thank you gentlemen, my watch is somewhat more patinated than the OP but I like those dial patterns.
Interesting to see the slight dial variation but I’m not surprised.

 

[LRX_12]

So I contacted @Syrte strapmaker (thanks!)

What do you guys think would be a good match color-wise for a new strap? I was thinking about a blue strap (similar to the one Longines propose on their « heritage classic 1930 »). I think it can highlight the blued hands! Something like this:

 

[Syrte]

Navy blue really looks nice with blued hands— but I find the Longines Heritage strap the wrong style for their elegant watch, as it’s a casual strap with the side stitch.

So navy blue yes but not distressed, and no white stitches making the strap too busy, especially on a 15mm width. Here’s an example below of a proper color and style match IMHO (18mm - that was before I discovered the craftsman I mentioned).

You could also pick tan pigskin which was a style widely used for watches in those days.

Edited: Apr 17, 2021

 

[LRX_12]

Yep, very nice strap @Syrte, exactly the color and style I was imagining on my watch (minus the rivets) ! Tanks for the suggestion.

I agree that the Longines Heritage strap is not period correct, more particularly the white side stitch.

I think a navy blue strap will look great on my watch !

Edited: Apr 17, 2021

 

[LRX_12]

I just received the paper version of the Extract of the archives. Longines is just above the rest on that archive part!

In the meantime I ordered a strap from @Syrte strapmaker of choice. A truly nice gentleman and the incoming strap looks very promising. Will keep you updated when I get it