Another Longines vintage watch from the 1950’s.
This midsize 30mm diameter, manual wind 23ZS 17 jewel movement model with it’s amazing fancy lugs is one of my favourites. The lugs are much more substantial than many of this type, being very solid. The D&A watch case is nicely polished in 14K filled Gold, and the dial has a black face with an inset machined inner, the hour, minute and centre seconds hands in matching gold, as are the applied arrowhead markers. A Gold filled snap back cover and a size 18 black lizard leather strap completes the item.
Quite an expensive watch of it’s day and the 23ZS movement one of their great calibres, with 18000 a/h and a Power Reserve of 44 hours, this model is ticking away, keeping very good time after 65 years. A darned sight more efficiently than I am!
I note this model has a snap back/base which when removed still holds the movement within it. To remove the movement it entails further and careful prying apart from the case base. I have not removed the movement here as I don’t wish to disturb it, but I show a image from a web source.
Note – This model was one of a series and this version is featured on page 918 of the “2018 Complete Price Guide to Watches” Edition 38 by Gilbert, Planes, Engle, Gilbert & Shugart. The other model shown is the sub-seconds version, with diamond markers.
The watch is in very good condition, possibly refurbished to some extent over the period and the movement shows some tarnishing, but not enough to cause any issues. It keeps pretty decent time showing perhaps a minute slow near the end of it’s power reserve of 44 hours. The crown is a little stiff, but other than that, a very nice addition to my vintage Longines collection.
Watch space 