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Questions Vintage Longines Sector Dial

  1. Nicetomeetyou Aug 25, 2016

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    Hi All,

    This is my FIRST ever watch forum post. So please take it easy on me. I'm thinking of wading into the world of vintage watches -- especially after seeing pictures of some amazing vintage Longines watches. Specifcially, some 35mm tre tacche sector dials. I've included two pics. One is a 35mm and the other was a rare 37mm sold at Christies.

    Longines sector 1.jpg Longines sector 2.jpg

    I had a couple of questions:

    1) Is there a resource to tell if a model available for sale has the correct dial? Ie Original vs refinished vs replacement vs franken? I understand the Longines website has a way to obtain a certificate of authencity (but that only gives a few details). I see that most people just post a pic here and ask the experts.

    2) Do you service your vintage Longines through the manufacturer or through independent watchmakers? Are parts scarce for the 12.68Z movement associated with the 35mm tre tacche models? Is maintaining this vintage watch as expensive as a modern Patek?

    3) I haven't seen too many models for sale. How much would one expect to pay for a decent example?

    Thanks in advance for the advice!
     
    omegastar likes this.
  2. Tony C. Ωf Jury member Aug 25, 2016

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    1) No, though various forums, and especially the Italian forum, are fine resources to search and ask question on.

    2) Independent are fine, and parts for most Longines movements, including the 12.68Z are readily available. Service is generally far less expensive than for a Patek, especially if there are any parts replaced.

    3) Much too broad a question.
     
  3. ulackfocus Aug 25, 2016

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    1) Yes, there is a resource for spotting refinished dials - here. ;) There are several other places that are good with Longines.

    2) Service costs won't be any worse at an independent than any other vintage watch, and certainly not as much as a Patek.

    3) No idea as I don't follow pre-1950 models. Sorry.
     
  4. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Aug 25, 2016

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    1) post a picture here, they'll tell you if its a redial... these guys are ruthless!

    2) service shouldn't cost much, its a simple piece and parts aren't expensive. Just find a good watchmaker you can trust.

    3) I think I paid $300 for my '44 12.68z with an old redial, fully serviced, so don't expect to break the bank.
     
  5. GuiltyBoomerang Aug 26, 2016

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  6. Nicetomeetyou Aug 26, 2016

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    Thanks for replies all.

    While searching yesterday, I did see a watch online.

    http://www.lorologiese.com/us/brand...2mm-sector-dial-watch-ref-4638-cal-13-34.html

    coin edge 1.jpg coin edge 2.jpg coin edge 3.jpg

    It's NOT what I had in mind as its a 37mm coin edge case. (I'm looking for a 35mm stepped/Tre Tacche case). However, I thought it would be a useful example to talk about...

    Can anyone describe what they think of the dial / case / price? The dial looks too clean for 1930's. Is it a redial? Price ($2.1K USD) is much higher compared to what people have posted on the thread so far, although this is a different/larger/more contemporary watch size.

    I've read that italian vintage watch dealers may have better examples of vintage longines like the tre tacche sector dials. Any comments? Or suggestions which ones might have a good reputation? I saw a link on Hodinkee which I'll post below.

    https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/six-italian-vintage-watch-dealers-to-follow-on-instagram
     
  7. DirtyDozen12 Thanks, mystery donor! Aug 26, 2016

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    Redial and therefore way overpriced. More troubling though, is that the movement serial number dates to the early-mid 1920s whereas the case back suggests that it was made in the very late 1940s. This watch is an utter mess.
     
    Edited Aug 26, 2016
  8. ulackfocus Aug 26, 2016

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    That's a pocket watch movement that happened to fit inside that case with a refinished dial. Looks pretty, which will attract n00bs like kids to chocolate.
     
  9. Syrte MWR Tech Support Dept Aug 26, 2016

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    Welcome,
    identifying redials just takes a lot of practice --and even a world famous Longines collector wrote that his hands still tremble in fear he might be making a mistake when he looks at a dial.

    A good Italian dealer for Longines is Ore del Mondo.
    Don't know why their web site seems to be down though.
    Cheers,
    S
     
  10. PHPHD Aug 26, 2016

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    A 37.5mm+ 12.68Z with a nice dial would probably be in the 5-7k range.

    A 35mm Tre-tacche with matching serial engravings and a not too patina-ed dial would probably be about the same price, maybe a little cheaper.

    The Christie's watch you showed above is a 12.68ZS or 12.68N, which has a center sweep seconds instead of a subdial at 6 o'clock.