Have you ever bought a watch because the fastening system of the rotor is interesting? I just did. Ok, the case and dial looked in good shape, but my offer was not really meant to be accepted...

Here it is (ad pictures, I'll have it within the end of the week):






I'd say it not too bad for an impulse buy. Crown look OK (a bit small?), and I wonder if the hands have been relumed. Caseback enamel will have to be redone. Usually, lack of minutes tick marks bother me; I wonder if I will like it when I have it in my hands.

What do you think? Did I do good?

 

Looks like a jewel is missing.

 

To know if you did well, it would help to know what you paid.

 

I don't think the jewel is missing, it should be the lighting and it must be dirty. You made me look though . I paid 340eur including postage for it, it is advertised as "running perfectly" (meaning it needs at least a service, problems are expected but it ticks) and as I paid with Paypal I should be OK on this front. I never really expect a fully working watch out of the box anyway.

 

If that is indeed lume in the hands of a watch which does not appear to have lume on the dial, it makes me wonder if either the hands are replacements, if lume was added as you suggested, or if the dial was refinished without lume. The dial looks correct, so I suppose the hands could be replacements or have had lume added. I can’t see the caliber on your movement shot, is it a 290? All in all seems like a fair deal congrats!

 

There are 4 small square lume patches at 12-3-6-9, in the usual style already seen on other Longines models. They are slightly darker than the lume in the hands, hence my remark about the possibly relumed hands. I handled a Conquest like this recently, I think I remember this shape for the hands but not sure. Can't see the caliber number but it may be a 291 (290+date).

For ex the 6 and 9 lume patches:

 

With a new plexi (the other one was badly fitting, wrong tension ring), here it is :



Case sharp and not polished so a few hairline marks and a bump or two, a few moisture pinpoints on the dial, caseback green enamel has to be redone, needs a service. Not bad at all for a 55 years old. The crown may seem small but fits well (the bezel overhangs the case, a bigger crown would be problematic), and has Longines markings.

I asked Longines about it to have some info on Saturday, I had an email this very morning Can't be faster than this... Turns out it was born in 1964, and invoiced to the Barbados! A long way from France...

 

Very nice piece and neat that it went to Barbados.