Longines Tre Tacche 35mm

hejsam · Oct 30, 2021

DirtyDozen12
Distortion caused by crystals makes assessing dial curvature difficult. Additionally, my presumption that the majority of tre tacches have flat dials makes me biased towards seeing flatness. However, looking at these dials, only the black one stands out as potentially curved, to me.

Okey that is good since I've seen these type of dials on other Longines models, but clearly my eyes for details is not that good since I have a very hard time to see the difference between the domed and flat dials.

Here is two dials in the correct size, what about them and would they be wrong for my tre tacche case?

The font on the logo looks good to me, but the text on the minute track looks a bit sloppy and minute hand too long?

Font on logo okey, but minute track sloppy and what about the "swiss" on top of the track?

hejsam · Oct 30, 2021

Also thought I should share some photos after replacing the glass and putting it on an old pigskin strap, really love the case on these!

DirtyDozen12 · Oct 30, 2021

In terms of design, the first dial would be a pretty good fit for your tre tacche. As you have noted, most 35 mm tre tacches have sub-seconds so finding center-seconds examples for reference is somewhat challenging. I will say that most center-seconds 35 mm tre tacches I have seen have radium dials, and I imagine that yours originally looked similar to the one below.

The second dial would not be correct for a tre tacche. That style of dial was mostly found on American-market watches with the caliber 12L (same as 12.68N but with "12L" marking). The "Swiss" marking is okay.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ0cvNZhAoM/

hejsam · Oct 30, 2021

DirtyDozen12
In terms of design, the first dial would be a pretty good fit for your tre tacche. As you have noted, most 35 mm tre tacches have sub-seconds so finding center-seconds examples for reference is somewhat challenging. I will say that most center-seconds 35 mm tre tacches I have seen have radium dials, and I imagine that yours originally looked similar to the one below.

The second dial would not be correct for a tre tacche. That style of dial was mostly found on American-market watches with the caliber 12L (same as 12.68N but with "12L" marking). The "Swiss" marking is okay.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ0cvNZhAoM/

Again, thanks!

I agree that most 35mm tre tacches have sub second making the center second version even rarer to find, from the top of my head I think I have seen at least one center second 35mm without lume. But as I stated earlier I wonder if the majority of the 35mm tre tacches you see nowadays actually started out with the dial you see in them today or if they where replaced with better dials from other models.

If it makes it easier to find a sub second donor dial I guess many that have walked down the same road as I do now they would have taken that shortcut. And if there is no 100% way to determine what dial/movement originally was put in what case I might take that decision as well.

ConElPueblo · Oct 30, 2021

I am not a Longines expert by any stretch, but let me just say that if that really is a redial it is one I would feel lucky to be wearing. That watch looks fantastic.

Syrte · Oct 30, 2021

hejsam
if there is no 100% way to determine what dial/movement originally was put in what case

There is. It’s called the Longines archive. Either it does say in which case there is. Either it doesn’t in which case you have more freedom.

But none of it should stop you from seeking to put a nice original dial in there that’s the closest possible match.

hejsam · Oct 31, 2021

ConElPueblo
I am not a Longines expert by any stretch, but let me just say that if that really is a redial it is one I would feel lucky to be wearing. That watch looks fantastic.

Yea I agree that its not a particular bad redial, except from the logo everything else looks actually really good and fooled me. So I'm wearing it with joy until I hopefully find a donor dial, but something small just aches inside me when knowing its a redial unfortunately.

hejsam · Oct 31, 2021

Syrte
There is. It’s called the Longines archive. Either it does say in which case there is. Either it doesn’t in which case you have more freedom.

But none of it should stop you from seeking to put a nice original dial in there that’s the closest possible match.

The one example I found that probably is most similar to mine (same reference number 4142, same movement etc) is this from Analog/Shift and fortunately they even show the extract from Longines in their pictures.
The only thing the extract states is that its fitted with a caliber 12.68Z, so either they don't specify which variant of the 12.68Z (sub or center second - 12.68Z or 12.68ZN / 12.68ZS). Or this was fitted with a sub second 12.68Z originally and now is fitted with a center second dial/movement and therefore don't match the extract.

https://shop.analogshift.com/products/as04407-longines-tre-tacche

If all extracts from Longines is this scant it really opens up the options for missmatching dial/movement configurations within the same case.

septentrio · Oct 31, 2021

Redial without any doubt.
Still an attractive watch though!

Syrte · Oct 31, 2021

As indicated before, this information will not be in the regular extract of archives.
Longines does not want to go looking up for extra information every time someone is asking for a regular extract.
In order to find out that information you need to make a special query.

Which is why there’s still room for some unsuspecting buyers to be taken advantage of— even though the information is available.

That being said, I suggest you read more threads in the Longines subforum where a number of other threads address those questions as that might help you see how it applies.

hejsam · Oct 31, 2021

Syrte
As indicated before, this information will not be in the regular extract of archives.
Longines does not want to go looking up for extra information every time someone is asking for a regular extract.
In order to find out that information you need to make a special query.

Which is why there’s still room for some unsuspecting buyers to be taken advantage of— even though the information is available.

That being said, I suggest you read more threads in the Longines subforum where a number of other threads address those questions as that might help you see how it applies.

Ah understood, thanks!
I thought this information would be available in the extract automatically, don't see any real meaning of the extract when its just stating the same things you get in their email for free.

Is it the extract they call "Certificate of Origin and Authenticity" you referring to where this information will be provided?
I have not seen any tre tacche sold with this kind of extract but maybe sellers just hoping unsuspecting buyers won't notice as you stated.

Also found this old thread here on the forum, nice to see @watchknut found a dial:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/restored-longines-tre-tacche-35-5mm-12-68z.59712/

DirtyDozen12 · Oct 31, 2021

hejsam
The only thing the extract states is that its fitted with a caliber 12.68Z, so either they don't specify which variant of the 12.68Z (sub or center second - 12.68Z or 12.68ZN / 12.68ZS). Or this was fitted with a sub second 12.68Z originally and now is fitted with a center second dial/movement and therefore don't match the extract.

Third option: prior to the introduction of cal. 12.68N, Longines produced center seconds versions of the cal. 12.68Z.

DirtyDozen12 · Oct 31, 2021

hejsam
Also found this old thread here on the forum, nice to see @watchknut found a dial:

As a side note, the dial that was transplanted is an example of a 1930s dial in a 1940s watch. It is difficult to say how prevalent sector dials were in tre tacche cases even in the 1930s, as their desirability has made them prime candidates for profit-driven swaps (i.e. many of the examples on the market today may not be original/useful for learning).

hejsam · Dec 29, 2021

So I manage to find a very nice donor dial

Radiumpassion · Dec 29, 2021

Dial and movement I suppose? Looks good, but it looks like you had to slaughter
a very cool Longines to get there😀

DirtyDozen12 · Dec 29, 2021

hejsam
So I manage to find a very nice donor dial

Thanks for the update. I wonder if the donor dial is flat or convex? It looks to be from a later sei tacche. I would be curious to know the serial number of the movement that the dial came with. I think that the watch looks good, though I am not certain that such a dial would have originally appeared in a tre tacche case. You will see this combination (dial and tre tacche), but I suspect that most are frankens.

P.S. Having said the above, as long as you enjoy it, great result!

LesXL · Dec 29, 2021

Bravo on your perseverance and focus on this!

Watch looks great, so wear it in good health ;-)

hejsam · Dec 30, 2021

Radiumpassion
Dial and movement I suppose? Looks good, but it looks like you had to slaughter
a very cool Longines to get there😀

Yes the movement as well since this is a sub-second 12.68z, I indeed had to waste a pretty good Longines but I valued it higher to put the dial into this case which i prefer. Still having my eyes open for a centrum-second donor dial so if I manage to find one I still have the spare case to put this back into!

hejsam · Dec 30, 2021

DirtyDozen12
Thanks for the update. I wonder if the donor dial is flat or convex? It looks to be from a later sei tacche. I would be curious to know the serial number of the movement that the dial came with. I think that the watch looks good, though I am not certain that such a dial would have originally appeared in a tre tacche case. You will see this combination (dial and tre tacche), but I suspect that most are frankens.

P.S. Having said the above, as long as you enjoy it, great result!

Does this look like a flat dial, maybe you can be the judge by these photos?

To my eye it looks like all the other black dials I've seen on tre tacches, but since I don't have the opportunity to study them up close and out case I can't compare them. I also don't had the opportunity to study a sei tacche dial up close. Are you saying these also are put together and would not come out from Longines in this combination or saying that the dial on mine is different?

x483243-c41de7ac4f682b7a5f9bd3567615898c.jpg.pagespeed.ic.DofdcN2pse.jpg

x483252-64da45780ce14d25829c3486790bd0df.jpg.pagespeed.ic.yLK-tx4JUB.jpg

The serial number is a bit later 1946 compared to 1943, but thats not of big importance for me since this serial obiosuly don't match up with Longines batch numbers in their archives anyways since it came from another watch.

BlueHands · Dec 30, 2021

First of all you have there a great looking watch with this black dial. But so far I study your photos it doesn't look as a flat dial to me more a convex one. If I compare my tre tacche (small size) with my sei tacche there is a difference between those two - so my tre tacche dial is also flat. And all the other authentic tre tacches I saw and found in net have the same flat dials. As @DirtyDozen12 explained, there world is full of watches put together with different parts of different decades. So you should be highly bewared of what you spend to a expensive tre tacche watch, maybe it is not what it seems.

Longines Tre Tacche 35mm

hejsam

hejsam

DirtyDozen12

hejsam

ConElPueblo

Syrte

hejsam

hejsam

septentrio

Syrte

hejsam

DirtyDozen12

DirtyDozen12

hejsam

Radiumpassion

DirtyDozen12

LesXL

hejsam

hejsam

BlueHands

Similar threads

Tre Tacche help

Longines Tre Tacche Ref. 5182 35mm!

Help with possible Tre Tacche purchase

Eberhard Tre Tacche Gilt dial

Lady Officer Tre Tacche - feedback appreciated

Further, really reduced… Longines Tre Tacche Ref. 5182 35mm