Longines Heritage Avigation Twenty-Four Hours automatic 47,5 mm Full Set

The brief history

Longines has long-standing and close ties to the world of aviation. Indeed, the brand has produced a large number of pilot's watches and chronographs, on-board devices and other navigation instruments that accompanied the development of civil and military aviation throughout the first half of the 20th century. Today, Longines is bringing this exciting legacy back to life through the models in its "Heritage Avigation" segment.

In the 1950s, Longines supplied watches to the pilots of the national airline Swissair. These watches featured a 24-hour display, as at the time, positioning and flight planning was still based on exact time. Pilots had to be able to rely on a watch indicating not only the exact time, but also the day or night, as they crossed different time zones (in both directions) and the sun was not always available as a reference point. With this 24-hour function, the problem was then no longer a problem for the pilot.

Longines got the idea to reissue this special watch after a retired Swissair pilot, Harry Hofmann, visited the Longines museum in 2009. He presented his original watch to Longines. The watch worn in flight by Harry Hofmann, Swissair navigator on the DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, DC-8 and Coronado airliners until 1974, then served as the basis for this reinterpretation.

A true pilot's watch

This elegantly vintage-looking pilot's watch combines the performance and precision necessary for this field. Its fully polished case looks like it came from a pocket watch with its highly domed sides. Its harmonious lines and generous dimensions - 47.5mm in diameter and 15.62mm thick - immediately bring to mind a pilot's watch. The latter have always been particularly large so that they can be worn over thick leather jackets when not strapped around the thigh. The beautiful onion crown, also very large in diameter, is ideal for handling with gloves and further enhances the vintage feel of the set.

This case houses a matte black dial displaying 24 white Arabic numerals trimmed with SuperLuminova while a "chemin de fer" minute track makes it easy to read the minutes. Indicating the time with luminescent hands, it features a center seconds hand that prioritizes readability, just like the original piece. A date window is located at 3 o'clock. Covered with a sapphire crystal, this timepiece has an officer's caseback. Pressing the pusher located at 4 o'clock opens the solid back and allows you to admire the movement protected by a sapphire crystal.

The inside of the officer's back cover is engraved with the words "Reissue of a Longines navigation watch exclusively made for Swissair navigators, 1953-1956" and is numbered.

Finally, on the mechanical side, there is a caliber L704.3, a self-winding mechanical movement oscillating at 28,800 vibrations per hour and providing a power reserve of 48 hours

The Package

This piece in excellent condition will be delivered to you Full Set, with its original case as well as all its documents. This Longines Avigation Twenty-Four Hours has been authenticated and tested by our watchmakers and as such benefits from the Lepage Vintage 1 year warranty.