Longines 1939 14K reference 4100 curved/curvex “drivers watch”

Posts
1,095
Likes
5,556
Would you agree that I shouldn’t touch the dial?

I think everyone that has responded to this thread would agree, including me.

Thank you for sharing this watct, it`s very interesting👍
 
Posts
15
Likes
14

  • Radiumpasdion
  • Blue Hands
  • Modest Proposal
    DD12:
  • Syrte
  • Thanks to you and all…terrific to come from afar and to be welcomed to this terrific group.
    A am thankful that with all that have shared and contributed with an amazing amount of knowledge
    and thought. It is very kind that all have greeted me such goodwill. Again Thanks.
    My last thought….
    Would you agree that I shouldn’t touch the dial
Edited:
 
Posts
7,611
Likes
21,830
@Radiumpassion has already responded what everyone would respond regarding the dial. It is beautiful and if you touch it you will destroy the beauty and value of the watch.
 
Posts
15
Likes
14
@Radiumpassion has already responded what everyone would respond regarding the dial. It is beautiful and if you touch it you will destroy the beauty and value of the watch.
 
Posts
12,631
Likes
17,059
I came across a ‘Gold Mine’…..Pateck watch company seems to be the originator of this style watch and maybe Longines was just testing a copy of the Pateck watch.
Then as now, the watch business was a very “copycat” enterprise. One reason for this is that there were relatively few families involved in the upper eschelons of watchmaking, especially in Switzerland, and members of these families were scattered throughout many Swiss companies.

What tended to happen is that some smart person invented a new innovation (whether working for a company or not), patented the new design, and licensed it to watch companies and/or watch case manufacturers. Sometimes the inventors were individuals or smaller watch companies who sold or licensed these patents to larger companies. The Reverso is a good example of this. I believe these angled watch cases also came about using this model.

You also need to remember that in those days watch companies generally did not manufacture their own watch cases. Even Patek did not make their own cases. They were contract manufactured by many specialty companies.

So the way to research who “invented” or was the first to manufacture these angled watch cases would be to research Swiss or American patent records, not by looking at auction results.

The Patek Philippe watches you cited seemed to have been produced in the late 1930’s at the same time as the others.
gatorcpa
 
Posts
2,780
Likes
4,821
Would you agree that I shouldn’t touch the dial?
Yes! Longines dials of this type (yours was made by Stern Freres) used an organic varnish that was very prone to deterioration from moisture. The dial in your watch is actually in pretty good condition. Attempting to clean the dial is a large risk that could significantly impact the appearance and value. I would strongly advise you to not touch the dial.
 
Posts
321
Likes
839
+1. Sorry, I cannot post a photo of the ref. 4100 from Goldberger's book because of the copyrights.
If you want to sell it leave it as it is. The dial looks beautiful so.👍
 
Posts
15
Likes
14
Then as now, the watch business was a very “copycat” enterprise. One reason for this is that there were relatively few families involved in the upper eschelons of watchmaking, especially in Switzerland, and members of these families were scattered throughout many Swiss companies.

What tended to happen is that some smart person invented a new innovation (whether working for a company or not), patented the new design, and licensed it to watch companies and/or watch case manufacturers. Sometimes the inventors were individuals or smaller watch companies who sold or licensed these patents to larger companies. The Reverso is a good example of this. I believe these angled watch cases also came about using this model.

You also need to remember that in those days watch companies generally did not manufacture their own watch cases. Even Patek did not make their own cases. They were contract manufactured by many specialty companies.

So the way to research who “invented” or was the first to manufacture these angled watch cases would be to research Swiss or American patent records, not by looking at auction results.

The Patek Philippe watches you cited seemed to have been produced in the late 1930’s at the same time as the others.
gatorcpa


Your absolutely on point. And will be very difficult to establish who designed the original curved watch in this discussion.
The whole industry was rampant with in the 1920’& 1930’ of small and established watch companies requested, or purchased the use another’s patent, design and movements. And sometimes just never asked.

Gatorcpa, your story of the Hamilton ‘Otis’ (1938-1940) one of the more colorful & unique stories in the industry..
And how for decades the established story was of ‘Hamilton’ stealing or just arguing that their design of the Flip/reverse Watch was theirs to be manufactured.
The truth as we found out that Jaeger LeCoultre never sued Hamilton and until recently it was established that Jaeger actually sold the right & license for the Otis to be manufactured for $.60 cents a case. All the work on this story is due to the hard work of Mark Cardelucci at www.vintagehamilton.com

My Otis, one of my first or second watch I purchased.in the late 1960’s!.
Edited:
 
Posts
2,312
Likes
6,630
My Bulova Rite-Angle —the fancy engraved version (1939).