Hands-on with an unusual enamel & gold vein dialled Longines

As you know, we love our vintage watches, and today we have another rare horological beast for you. This one is particularly unusual. No, it’s not a Longines with a cracked dial which has had the cracks filled with gold. Meet the enamel and gold vein dialled Longines Flagship.

Launched in 1957, the Longines Flagship collection focused on classic slim cases, designed to be waterproof, and seen as a rival to Omega’s Seamaster at the time. This example is circa 1966. Measuring 35 x 39 mm (not including the crown), it has the original enamel dial with gold veins running through it, giving it a ‘cracked’ look. This is an intriguing and striking dress watch whose nuances are best viewed through a loupe; it is only then that you get the full effect of the gilt and enamel, and it's just stunning.

Interestingly, despite this being a 1960s model, the hands are Art Deco in style, and almost architectural. It’s an unusual combination, the veining with the hands, and it works.

The watch is signed on the dial, case (signed ‘Longines-Wittnauer') and crown, its movement a Longines calibre 285 manual wind with 17 jewels. The bezel is 14 K gold, as are the lug caps, but the back is stainless steel.

Owned by a collector of vintage Longines who has not seen another one like this before, if you have come across another one in your horological travels, please tell us, as he’d love to learn more about this watch.

Oh and just in case you’re wondering about the importance of the Flagship collection to Longines, their Heritage Collection, which honours the brand’s most iconic watches by recreating them anew, contains some Flagship models that hark back to the early days of the model line.

[AP]