@divetime Just to be clear, do you believe that this example originally came from the factory with a combination of blue and silver hands?
This is just a speculation. The combination of this watch is very untypical. But after holding the watch in my hands and inspecting it myself, I think it is possible that the watch was actually delivered like this. The dial itself is a lighter shade of grey than I expected or suspected.
With a silvered dial, the watch should have had blue hands. With a black dial, silver hands. But what with a light grey dial?
On the one hand, the whole watch looks very honest and untouched, and on the other hand, since the luminous material in the hands does not seem to have changed, it has a similar structure to the luminous material on the dial, I personally have no problem with this combination. My own conclusion is that it is possible that this is how it was delivered in its time.
Of course, an interested buyer has to do his own homework and I am not responsible.
To me it is a very rare and unusual combination of a super rare watch. I myself cannot recall seeing a similar example in any other auction in the last 40 years. So it is possibly a really rare opportunity.
Beautiful old waterproof 13 ZN chronographs almost never come up in auctions. This may be due to their very small number of pieces and perhaps also to the fact that nice examples quickly change hands privately without even appearing at auction.
If a beautiful specimen (and in my opinion this is one) does come up in an auction, we should not discuss it negatively but be happy to be surprised by a watch that is beautiful and previously unknown in the market.
The Longines company itself is so incredibly helpful and supportive towards its collectors. If, for example, a company like Rolex were to provide the same information to its collectors, I believe a large percentage of the market for vintage Rolex watches would collapse....
In my conclusion, I am very happy that such a watch appears at all and I like it. At the same time, unfortunately, it is not my own watch, nor have I ever seen it before. If I were looking for a 4270 and had the financial means, I would not hesitate to bid on it.
After all, I hope it will achieve a really good result. On the one hand, because it is a really historic and rare watch (as the supposedly first really waterproof chronograph) and, on the other hand, because it would get the recognition it deserves. The new owner can and should be very proud of it. For me, it's a much more desirable watch than any Rolex Daytona or Paul Newman - but I admit I'm not neutral....
ps.: according to what I have heard it was originally delivered to Peru...
