I just wanted to share:

A trip back to those times when winding by crown was not invented but a key has been used...

After month of search the eldest watch in germany has been located. Till today Longines has produced over 50 Million watches. The eldest german watch has serial No. 3166 and dates from 1869 - just two years after the Longines started its "machinery"production in 1967

Till today only 8 of these early watches with AA4 comptoir (costly hand made an set together from separately produced parts) movement appeared. This is now number 9 and the only one that bears the hourglass on the balance bridge. A very nice find in original condition with an original not damaged enamel dial.

This contest just ended with 6 watches being very close to each other - just 1500 numbers apart and all dating from 1869.

The owner of the eldest Longines watch in germany will have the pleasure of a special trip to St. Imier in future.

source: https://www.watchtime.net/…/die-aelteste-longines-uhr-deut…/

 

My oldest is from 1881







Cal. 18LS

 

Thank you! And a small correction: 1867 rather than 1967.

 

Thanks for the info ! Are you the happy owner, by any chance ?

 

What a great timepiece. Nice to see that the well-known Longines font was already used back then!

 

I read that Longines is trying to find the oldest watches still around in different countries. The trouble with watches is that they seem to move around and through borders.

I have a late 1800's Longines pocket watch that was imported to Germany. It is from after 1886 as It has the crescent moon and crown (halbmond und krone) hallmark stamped on the inside of the case. The movement was not made past the late 1890's so i figure it is from the early 1890's.

This is got a pin set system where I have to push a small button and hold it to set the time.

The watch is silver but has a gold overlay.

The most interesting thing about this watch is that it was given by a land owning family in Saxony to the person that was in charge of taking care of their land. The watch has an engraved message from the family to this person.

Despite being in the same area as the German watch making industry which made good watches, this family opted to order this watch from Longines (a Swiss company) to give instead of a German made watch.

One of these days I will get around to having Longines tell me the year it was made

 

thanks for sharing and great story! What does the inscription say - unfortunately I can't read it on your photos.

 

The inscription is a bit hard to photograph. Here are some newer pics

The last pic shows the watch with a Sultana and an interesting 200m non diver Bucherer watch. This watch (the Bucherer) features a armored type crystal and a screw down crown.

 

You may know that forum member @Seiji is something of an expert when it comes to hunting down old Longines:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/sea...nt-transitional-comptoir-aa4-made-1867.77157/

 

That's a very simple looking movement.... simply stunning!!