Hello all,

I am seeking your opinion on this possible 40s fab suisse dial in 18k gold case. A friend found it and asked me if the dial is original. I am still pretty new to Longines but I think the dial looks ok. I have asked the friend to take better pictures, a movement shot and an inside of caseback shot and I will provide those once they are available. But just from these 2 bad pics, what can you tell me about this piece? Thanks for all your help in advance.

PS: also from the 2nd pic, do the spring bars look fixed or they are the early short stud "male" type? Can we conclude that or need better pics?

 

I think it looks correct and very beautiful. But I would love to see it under a new plexi glass

 

Better pics would be nice, but I think the dial's good.

 

Another vote as above.
Mind you when you look at the engraving on the back, it must have been considered a really nice watch already back then, I'm sure "Lazard Frères & Cie" wasn't exactly a dump even back then.

I'll be very curious to see pictures from the inside of the watch.
Clearly looks the exact same as the reference below - auctioned in France a few months ago -with pictures posted by @naidu who won it.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/help-to-identify-this-old-longines.69658/

 

Thank you and yes a new crystal will bring more of that beauty out.

 

Thank you. I will update with more pics if the friend is able to take more.

 

Thanks Syrte. It does look like they are the same reference, and the one my friend found is probably in yellow gold. Looks like the crown has been replaced however.

Lazard seems to be a financial asset management firm which is still running today.. hmmm...

I will see if he can take more pictures the next time he goes back to the shop and will provide an update.

 

Has your friend not bought the watch?
He should not linger and he should hurry to get us those pictures, as it looks like a barn find and could be a great bargain.
And someone else might find it and take a punt.
How much does the seller want?

Agreed one looks rose gold and the other one yellow gold.
The rose gold case is a so called "national case": it's not signed Longines, it's made in France by a French case maker and not made by Longines in Switzerland -- and the rose gold crown is definitely not a Longines crown.
So I'm not sure the rose gold crown can be called more correct than the other, or that the yellow gold one should be called a "replacement".
The engravings inside the case surely would shed more light.

Lazard is a world famous, even mythical, investment bank and private banking institution.
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/books/chapters/0527-1st-coha.html

PS-/ add: one question is whether the seconds hand is damaged - it looks like it might have been cut. For me it would by no means be a deal breaker.

 

He hasn't bought it yet... I have asked him to go back next week and get some pics and hopefully he buys it without lingering any longer.

Understood on the case and crown. Hopefully we have some more pics next week on the seconds hand, the caseback and the crown, and of course the movement.

 

Top left lug looks cracked?

 

Pretty sure that's just a reflection.

 

Updated with some more pics but I wouldn't call them better pics. Good thing is, the friend thought it is overpriced by his book so he agreed to get it for me; I should have it some time next month, and will update with better pics.

Same PF case as the one naidu won, without any Longines marking and now I tend to believe it's also in rose gold instead of yellow gold. Movement is relatively clean, dial is patina'ed overall, seconds hand may be cut by the tip but I need to confirm upon receiving it. Crown is probably not original to the watch.

 

Fantastic- and dibs!! (Although keep it for a while as I am in no situation to buy )

 

=D probably the fastest dibs.. lol.

 

Hey, I was going to say it already after your first post .

As for the watch, I’m not so sure the end of the seconds hand has been cut. Did you notice your movement aerial number is only 17 digits apart from the other one? That is very cool- the other one ends in xxx51 and yours is the same ending in xx68.

PS - Edit / add: May I ask in what geographic area you are located? Quite amazing to think how far this watch has travelled from a twin auctioned in Lyon so recently?

Also, unlike you I’m inclined to think the crown is indeed original to the watch. In any event I would keep it as you have no evidence it’s a replacement, and IMHO it looks good and much closer in design to Longines crowns of the era than the other example we have which looks more generic.

 

lmao at 'dibs'

 

Yea I noticed the serial numbers are very close to each other. Very cool. They were probably on the same flight and container bin when the movements were delivered to France.

The friend found the watch in Shanghai, China in an antique shop. Not sure where the shop owner found it but definitely not from eBay or some other auction sites, and god knows how long it has been sitting in the shop.

Noted on the crown, but you found a similar example on the other thread with the same dial but different lugs, and that one also has the same crown as naidu's. So I am inclined to believe what I have expressed. But then of course I have no evidence, and I do agree the current crown looks better and closer in design.

 

Shanghai !! That is so very cool. Lucky you for having some friends digging up old watches for you in far away places! It would be so interesting to know how that watch got there... but unless you track down the family of the former owner it will probably remain a mystery.

 

He's not even a close friend haha.. nice folk. Agreed that it would be amazing to find out how it got there.

 

She's finally on my wrist.