On September 4 an interesting Longines watch with triple stepped case but relatively small at 30mm, with incorrect hands, and relatively crude lume on the dial sells off on Ebay for 250 euros - mislabeled "Military". The case back is stratched and dinged but in truth it's a nice project watch.

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/RARE-VINTAGE...351994?hash=item1a19ffeb3a:g:9YMAAOSwV0RXv0YXPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network






Now available at a dealer near you for the humble sum of 1890 euros, with correct replacement hands and a bit of a facelift on the scratches -- it's no longer "military" but the dial has turned "tropical":
http://www.lorologiese.com/us/brand...ase-original-1941-steel-watch-cal-10-68z.html

The case "order number" 2358-35 (with 35 stamped on the lug) and movement serial 5902345 confirm it is the same watch.

Feel free to post other inspiring examples of price gouging ridiculousness.

 

I have a far superior, original example (not exactly the same case, though) that I would be willing to sell. Anyone open to a small, but beautiful "tre tacche", at a friendly price, feel free to PM me.

 

Geez S, don'tcha know "tropical" makes it worth the price increase? That word trumps "military" every time!

( )

 

This dial is refinished.

 

Still not certain that these are the correct style of hands. They are more syringe than pencil. However, I am not even certain that pencil hands are correct. A similar, albeit earlier, example can be found here for comparison: http://longinespassion.com/oldlonginespassion/Longines_Passion/Tre_tacche.html

 

Funny I just noticed the same a second ago, so "correct" may have been "incorrect".

I've seen a handful of 1940s Longines watches with similar hands, including a tre tacche that sold on Ebay about a year ago, a sei tacche that belonged to someone here on the forum, and I can't remember which other.
Are they Longines replacements from a slightly later date?
Did any non Longines aftermarket replacements exist that were made for the most common Longines calibers?
I wonder.

 

I don't know about replacement hands, Syrte, but I did get a revealing letter from Longines about my similar black dial, center sweep hand, multi-step case 3T recently. They claim, after a good while researching the reference types I guess, that this particular 3T had six! different configurations, one of which matched mine with lumed pencil hands and numbers that are NOT lumed. Go figure! The hour numbers and minute/second track are silver gilt and look fine with the lumed hands, but seem unusual to me. Also, these hands are short, due to the small size of the dial fitting inside of the multi-step case. They are the same length as your(and my) mini 3T with the 8 ligne motor!
I couldn't agree more with you on the sudden craziness over 3Ts, etc., but you know what they say about free market enterprise......and a fool and his money!
Best to you

 

Do you happen to have photos of your black dial 3T?

 

I'm out of the country at the moment, but would be happy to send something when I can.

 

Sorry about the quality of the pic, but here is the 3T Multistep(sent to Weil in Chile Nov. 1940) and its brother 3T 30mm(sent to Casullo in Panama Oct. 1940) for comparison . The normal cased 3T retains its glossy black finish better, while the multistep has a matte look, maybe from radium deterioration(?). I think it's easier to see the hands/track with the silver baton hands than the darkened silver/lumed ones on the smaller dial, but I'm just really happy to wear them both.....not always at the same time, though!

 

Wow. That is a really beautiful pair of 3Ts. Interesting that one dial has "Fab. Suisse" and did not originally go to France. Thank you for sharing.

 

Really nice and DIBS ! (as on the micro 6T, by the way, if I haven't said that yet ).
Is the first one a 32mm?

 

I think it is 30 mm, as per above.

 

Hi, Sylvie. You've got dibs on the micro 6T already, what about the micro 3T(still at the spa)? As Dirty Dozen12 says, it's also a 30mm that you have seen on my wrist before.....remember the "other" watch in the shot I sent of my salmon dial 32mm close in numbers to your beauty??? It was there also to show comparison with the main watch pictured. Good to hear from you....wes

 

Another episode from the wonderous life of flipped Longines:

-Purchased on Ebay for 205 euros on Aug. 7;
- back on Ebay after a week for £675 aka. 755 euros.
Mind you: offers accepted, better pictures with better light - and now we know it is a «rare» dial.
Here’s before and after:

 

Taken off Ebay on July 27 ("this item is no longer available"), and just back on Instagram. Both transactions out of Milano Italy.
Prices not published - but the initial Ebay listing was 3000 euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1940-RARE-LONGINES-Sector-Dial-Coin-Edge-Case-Calatrava-/132714982990?hash=item1ee66dee4e:g:gaYAAOSw4a1bVYIm&nma=true&si=1Yb7Q%2FPlo7CumI2qcEehd1WNq60%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

Flippin' flippers...

 

Quote of the day "“It’s called flipping, and it almost ought to be illegal” - Donald J. Trump, US President

 

More from the wonderous Longines casino....

A Longines redial sold on OF by our own @watchknut
FS for $465 more recently on Aug. 12 --
https://omegaforums.net/attachments/71641f92-c936-48b5-9b5f-e05ce2465014-jpeg.582812/

Also initially posted here as donor watch:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/restored-longines-tre-tacche-35-5mm-12-68z.59712/

And now.... tata.... one month later, trying at 550 euros on Chronotrader, and we no longer seem to be certain it's refinished... (well of course it is, in case anyone wondered).
http://chronocentric.com/forums/chronotrader/index.cgi?md=read;id=94515