Hello. I am hoping that forum members can help me make sense of this tre tacche that has come up for sale.

The watch has a US export 10l movement, and the same kind of dial found on the USN BuShips issue watches (without the distinctive second hand), but instead of the more usual six-notch military caseback, it has a three-notch civilian case stamped 'Longines W.[ittnauer]' on the outside.

What do the mavens make of this?

 

Just what are those cracks running the length of all four lugs from? Welds from some weird repair work? An alien experiment gone wrong?

 

A result of the manufacturing process? Where the lugs were actually folded and forged rather than machined.

 

After twenty plus years in QA in tooling and bearings, I 'd call that defective.

My own 6 notched Longines from this era has one lug drilled so far off center I'm amazed it hasn't broken.

Perhaps quality suffered as a result of the need to make a lot of hardware, fast, for various armed services. Case quality didn't affect timekeeping so who cared about rough looks.

 

Yes, I think you've got a point.
Look at the aluminium Omega cases made by Dennison for the MOD in WW2. Made to do a job and not expected to last a lifetime.


As to the OP watch, without any Longines experience, I'd suggest a caseback was replaced, either on purpose due to loss or simply by mistake.

If that's not the case, maybe an "assemblage".

My uneducated thoughts, would like to know the facts though.

 

The marks on the lugs look like a manufacturing defect. Either casting marks left by a defective mold, or poor finishing. There are defects on the outer ring of the case too, so the suggestion that this was 'good enough for government work' makes sense.

 

"As to the OP watch, without any Longines experience, I'd suggest a caseback was replaced, either on purpose due to loss or simply by mistake."

My first thought too, but the '814' on the lugs matches the caseback, so they seem to be a pair.

But maybe the movement and dial were recased? Case screws are missing and the flanged ring found in most military Longines is also absent.

 

Looks like the original back, both it and the case are numbered "814". Done during manufacturing so matching components stay together

 

Just giving this a bump in hopes that it gets a little weekend notice.

 

Only about the case cracks.

From MWR.

 

Thanks. I am still a long way off from understanding these manufacturing process properly, but knowing this certainly helps. I am not a member of MWR either, but they clearly know their way around a 1940s watch.

 

That is correct.
Many Longines lugs of that era have those folded sheets of metal. Regarding this style of dial, it's more frequent on sei tacches (6-notch closures) but I've seen a few tre tacches with those dials also.
This is a civilian watch and there's nothing military about it.

Also OP, I wouldn't particularly call one type of closure "military" vs. another "civilian" -- there are a number of Longines military watches that have snap back cases actually.

Dear @JimInOz, if the second number on the case back matches the number at the back of the lug it means this case back is original to the case. I don't see anything to cause alarm here even though I can't see the lug number very well from my phone.

 

Thanks. I only meant to draw attention to the fact that this particular caseback had no military issue markings, not make a general statement about the caseback type! Sorry for any confusion caused.

In any case, the seller pulled the auction, so I will just have to keep on looking.