OK I have bought this and I think it's a mistake. The Conquest script looks wrong and although the dial isn't terrible I think it's a redial. I'm not even sure that the marker style is a Conquest dial at all. The movement is a 294 dating to around 1959, but I'm not sure the hands belong to this movement/dial either. They look right for a 19AS Conquest and the minute hand is a bit bent anyway. And finally the case ref is 9000 10 which I think should be a 19AS case. I haven't found a Longines case/movement reference but I think 9044 X would be correct for a SS 294 So am I right to conclude that this is a Longines Frankenwatch? The seller claims to be a NAWCC member - does that mean anything? I could return it but will be out duties and shipping so it may not be worth it. The saving grace is that I think the crown is correct for the Conquest 19AS I have that needs one.
The "Swiss Made" riding so high on the dial is a sign of a refinish. Whether it is a "franken"...I am sure Dennis will be along at any moment Oh, and being a member of NAWCC probably carries as much weight as being a member of the BBB.
I think its a beautiful piece redial or not. I'm not an expert but isn't the date @ 12 model uncommon.
You are correct that it's a redial. The markers look like a late 60's / early 70's Admiral's dial to boot, but it is possible they did come with that watch. However, if that movement is marked "294" instead of "291" you could have a factory issued anomoly. Longines must have run out of bridges marked 291 and installed bridges marked 294 on some caliber 291's at that time (late '58 into '59). Most I've seen had the date at 3, so add the date-at-12 feature and it's very uncommon if it did really come from the factory and wasn't frankened. There were a LOT of strange happenings during that short span as Longines was transitioning from the 19A series to the 29x series AND were changing many case references including the Conquest from that strange 12 sided back to normal screwback. Which caseback does yours have? LouS had a very interesting older style Conquest Calendar, but it has a 291 date-at-12. If I didn't already have my Conquest date-at-12 I would have gone after the one he has with a vengence.
It has the 12-side back of the earlier 19AS Conquest. The back has some scratches but the enamel on the medallion is quite complete. The case back number 9000 matches the 2 non-date 19AS SS Conquests I already have, and the case and back have matching numbers. Is there a Longines case number database anywhere? The movement is definitely marked 294 but I don't really understand the difference between 291, 292, 293 (if one exists) and 294. I assume one is non-date, one has a date and one has the power-meter + date, but I don't know which is which. To me, it looks like the case hands and crown from a 19AS Conquest, married to a 294 movement with a redialed dial from (possibly) something else. If the dial did at least come originally with the movement, what non-Conquest Longines date-at-12 watches were produced around 1959?
With the transition, these older style crowns that were usually mated to the 19AS and 19ASD were the norm. The 290 was the no date, the 291 had the date, and the 294 was the power reserve. I've never seen a 293 either, but Longines shows the caliber in their book.
So it seems that apart from being redialed (and it's quite decently done - although the Conquest script being wrong is a bit annoying), it's a correct example of an uncommon transitional watch. If so, that's not quite as bad as I feared!
Odds say that's answer. Here's the correct dial, albiet a little aged: It's from this listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-COLLEC...760049221?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item35ba5eea45Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network Which, curiously enough, also has a 291 marked as a 294. Here's what the dial of LouS' watch looks like: It's in this listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/380638576446?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network Would make a sort of cool franken on your watch, and since it's redialed anyway...... Well, you'd have to know this would fit for size and dial feet location.
The thing is, my dial will never look like the first one because the markers are different - which is puzzling. Yes I saw that second dial too, I would go for it but not at that price!