I'm posting some pictures of a vintage angle hour I've had for many years (25+). So far I have been unable to determine or get a definitive answer as to how or where this became a 24 hour movement. Longines has confirmed that the serial number corresponds to a 1936 manufacturing date for 11.68z movement and invoiced to Longines/Wittnaur New York in 1937. The only other information was that this was a very limited run, whatever that means. You can see from the pictures that a modification was done to get the hour hand to run a 1/2 speed to match the dial, but that really defeats the angle hour function. The dial does not look like a reproduction and is very sharp enamel, including the name. So I'm left with the question did the original owner have Wittnauer modify it, was it possibly done by a watchmaker, although the dial seems too good for a watchmaker, and this was definitely pre Asia days. All open questions, thoughts?
As far as I understand how the watch works. The position of the hour hand is not used in figuring out position. You need to know the time but it’s the bezel and the inner 0-180 scale that are used for position along with the minute hand. So a 24 hour version still works... Good write up here https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/t...ehind-the-lindbergh-longines-hour-angle-watch
Yes, very true but only if I can get a definitive answer on the conversion. I've never seen or heard of another like it.
I have to say that the dial looks very clumsily made. I'd be shocked if it was the original condition.
I actually agree, it just seemed like a lot of work to go through. I have often thought about trying to find an original 12 hour dial, but I think I'd have a better chance finding Buzz Aldrins watch
IN my experience big watch companies don’t do “One of’s”, unless for a very special customer. Easy for a watchmaker to change gears to convert to 24 hour watch. What I don’t know is whether parts to do a conversion were available back then. Longines would never allow a dial that poor to leave their factory. gatorcpa
It's what I have long suspected, but it always is a good conversation starter. I'm wondering if there's anyway Longines could provide a modern service or replacement dial. I have contacted them but so far......
Of course when you look at this one, from a Bonhams auction, the dial doesn't look much better. Although it could just be a bad redial.
Agree, I never believed it was a Longines "one of", but it was possible at that time that Wittnaur could have converted it for a customer. Unfortunately there's no way to know that now. Seiko or Bulova probably trashed all the old files.
Greetings, this is not a 24 hour movement, below a thread answering how the watch works. https://omegaforums.net/threads/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-use-an-hour-angle-watch.83750/ Both this dial and the Bonham's one are refinished in my humble opinion - however it's still a nice watch, and a historically significant one. Best regards
Please explain. Don’t think Seiko or Bulova ever owned Longines. Longines now owned by Swatch. Their records are more complete than most. Service dial supply has long been exhausted. Watch was made over 70 years ago. gatorcpa
Yeah that's never going to happen! Unforuntately! I would keep wearing this in good health though - it is quite something!
I'm curious, since I'm not really up on watch making, what would you change to make the hour hand run 1/2 speed? One of the wheels under the dial?
You would think that, but my latest response from Longines is much more cursory than one I got back in the 80's (by fax) from Longines/Wittnauer which gave me the exact manufacturing/completion date as well as date it was invoiced to US distributor. At least the invoice dates matched. I did send an inquiry to the online number. The response leads me to believe they really don't know what a manual wind watch is there
Not sure I agree. I recently bought an older Longines, and not only did Longines reply by email within 24 hours, they then sent a paper certificate a couple of weeks later, both with delivery date and country. gatorcpa
No, I agree, they were very responsive, but just not a lot of specific information other than manufacture date and ship to US. I had originally gotten information that the 11.68z movement was made only in a single run and in limited numbers
Longines sold Wittnauer years ago to Bulova, and Wittnauer & Bulova names now owned by Seiko. When the watch was made, Wittnauer was Longines agent in the US and so Longines did not have any information of whether the watch was modified after it left Longines Switzerland and was sold by Wittnauer.