Search for the Oldest Longines watches. The historically important transitional Comptoir AA4 made 1867

Seiji Lépine · Jan 27, 2025

I was going to hold off on saying anything but I can't control myself. The Oldest Watch Contest hasn't been held in several years. The management that influenced that contest has retired or left Longines for other careers. Not sure if there will be any future Oldest Watch Contest in the near future 183 may have made that contest pointless.

Also, watches in the past, I believe all had Longines original cases, movements, dial, and hands. So high original content was needed to be selected. The watch that won the UK for example, Longines actually even replaced the bow with an original one to make it more original.

Your watch has a case that does not appear to be Longines made. The stamped numbers match your serial number, however, they are not Longines factory numbers and not stamped in the fashion normally done by the factory as far as I know. I also do not see an EF Longines Co logo on your case. The case for the watch maybe locally produced in the country it was delivered to.

I would not throw the watch away, but if you are looking for a ultra low serial number, you might want to continue looking for something under 1,000; which are pretty darn hard to find as many are now in collections.

DirtyDozen12 · Jan 28, 2025

Lépine
Your watch has a case that does not appear to be Longines made. The stamped numbers match your serial number, however, they are not Longines factory numbers and not stamped in the fashion normally done by the factory as far as I know. I also do not see an EF Longines Co logo on your case. The case for the watch maybe locally produced in the country it was delivered to.

My impression is that Longines was not making its own cases prior to 1880 (source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.watkinsr.id.au/Francillon.pdf). In my view, the numbers on this case are stamped in a manner that is typical of other Longines from the period. I would not expect to see an "EF Longines Co" logo on the case. See some examples below.

Serial 21'080 (source: unknown):

Serial 23'478 (source: unknown):

Serial 23'922 (source: unknown):

Serial 45'354 (source: unknown):

Seiji Lépine · Jan 29, 2025

This logo is on cases for #183, #300, #335, #347, #561, #3166

#561

#300

#183

#3166

#3166 bottom and #183 top

#183 bottom next to #335 top

#347

DirtyDozen12 · Jan 29, 2025

Lépine
I haven't looked at 20B as I think there are hundreds of them up for sale and too many possibilities. You might be right that no EF Longines Co. logo was used during the period of the posters watch. I would perfer a watch that at least had Longines written on the cuvette otherwise the case could have come from anywhere.

I do not think that the absence of "Longines" on the cuvette is of particular significance with respect to where a case came from. Many original Swiss cases do not have such a marking. Maybe more important are other markings that are typical such as apparent maker's marks and numbers.

Seiji Lépine · Jan 29, 2025

Interesting article.

Furby1184 · Jan 29, 2025

I'm currently trying to locate a bezel for the case and a period correct crystal if possible

DirtyDozen12 · Jan 29, 2025

Furby1184
I'm currently trying to locate a bezel for the case and a period correct crystal if possible

I think that finding another watch with those parts might be the simplest option. I notice that there is also a component missing that mates with a key for setting the time (highlighted below).

Furby1184 · Feb 4, 2025

Would anyone be able to assist in locating a case that I could use with this?

Furby1184 · Feb 4, 2025

Lépine
You should start a new thread for help with your watch. Please don't continue here.

Good idea. I'll make now, thank you.

Seiji Lépine · Feb 6, 2025

Another day another Longines AA4 #2913 to find.

Seiji Lépine · Mar 27, 2025

One of the long standing mysteries has been where was the 183 watch sent to.
The watch was sent to the agent Henry Grosjean, it appears that the agent could be
for France in 1867.

Seiji Lépine · Apr 15, 2025

These are Paris hallmarks. It does appear 183 was sent to France.

Katikon · Jun 6, 2025

Hi, I'm from Serbia, I've just registered to this forum as I have some old Longines watch. But don't know much about it. Appreciate some info. Thanks

Seiji Lépine · Jun 6, 2025

Katikon
Hi, I'm from Serbia, I've just registered to this forum as I have some old Longines watch. But don't know much about it. Appreciate some info. Thanks

Hard to tell much with just these photos. I think we would want the diameter of the movement in order to determine if it is a 20 something or 19 something movement. The case appears to be silver plated. The serial number range is a bit on the higher side than would be exciting for Longines pocket watch collectors looking for low serial numbers. I wonder about the reason the case engraver added such a non-Longines like cuvette engravings. The watch hands may not be a matching set. The bow on the watch also does not match the case. There is also a chance that the movement doesn't match the case, you would have to remove the dial and check if the serial number and the case match. Unfortunately, with Longines watches and especially vintage Longines, the matching serial number separates desirable watches from the items that should not be in a collector's collection. Maybe you can clean this watch and use it every day as originally intended?

OmegaSeeker · Jun 29, 2025

Like it when my saved searches occasionally deliver something interesting. See 1504 has been found - or at least listed for sale. Seiji- how many AA4s stamped have you come across? See they’ve said a dozen, which seems low? Still find your search so interesting!

Seiji Lépine · Mar 8, 2026

O OmegaSeeker
Like it when my saved searches occasionally deliver something interesting. See 1504 has been found - or at least listed for sale. Seiji- how many AA4s stamped have you come across? See they’ve said a dozen, which seems low? Still find your search so interesting!

Longines #1504 not complete watch. Unknown movement caliber

J_pilot · Jun 10, 2026

We can now add #1342 to the list! Numbers matching, seemingly all-original sans handset:

Seiji Lépine · Jun 10, 2026

J_pilot
We can now add #1342 to the list! Numbers matching, seemingly all-original sans handset:

This is absolutely 100% original. It is in such great preservation and I think you got original hands in transit. The condition of the case and dial look fantastic! Can we see the back of the dial? I don't doubt it is an original AA4 Longines dial. It is clearly the second type that was made for later AA4s.

J_pilot · Jun 10, 2026

Seiji Lépine
This is absolutely 100% original. It is in such great preservation and I think you got original hands in transit. The condition of the case and dial look fantastic! Can we see the back of the dial? I don't doubt it is an original AA4 Longines dial. It is clearly the second type that was made for later AA4s.

Of course Seiji, and thank you for all the support researching these watches (and vetting this example!). Dial reverse here for posterity:

Seiji Lépine · Jun 10, 2026

J_pilot
Of course Seiji, and thank you for all the support researching these watches (and vetting this example!). Dial reverse here for posterity:

I have put your watch information on the first posting of the thread where all the AA4 that I am aware of have been recorded. When you get the extract, we can update the Invoiced Date and maybe the destination. You have a super important watch for the history of Longines! What a great find!