Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 08, 2014

LOT 623

A.LANGE & SÖHNE REF. 127-560A-1, B-UHR WORLD WAR II GERMAN AIR FORCE NAVIGATOR'S WATCH Lange & Söhne, movement No. 211480, Ref. 127-560A-1. Made in 1942. Very fine and very rare, oversized, anti- corrosion matte nickel military pilot's wristwatch with indirect center- seconds and Lange Guillaume-type balance.

CHF 3,500 - 5,500

HKD 29,000 - 45,000 / USD 3,700 - 5,800

Sold: CHF 5,250

Three-body, matte gray, curved lugs, inclined bezel, large winding crown, snap-on case back, band engraved FI 23883, back engraved with movement number 211480. Black with luminous Arabic numerals and baton indexes, outer minute/seconds divisions. Luminous blued steel lozenge hands. Cal. 48.1, 2/3 plate, gilt brass, straight-line lever escapement, Lange Guillaume-type cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometer regulator. Case and Movement signed.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

DIAM. 55 mm. THICKNESS 20.5 mm. Die Grosse Fliegeruhr: This model is one of the watches delivered to the German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, who wanted an accurate, robust, easy to read wristwatch for their pilots. They were used in the "Battle of Britain" and operation "Sea-Lion" (August 1940-May 1941). The inside case back is engraved: - B-Uhr: (Beobachtungs-Uhr: Navigation Watch) - Bauart, (Manufacture): Lange & Söhne - Werk Nr, (Movement No.): Anforderz, (Classification Number): FL 23883: The latter number indicates the watch's assignation. The letters "FL" stand for "flight qualified" and the first two numbers indicate the department the watch was assigned to: 22 was the flight control department, 25 was radio surveillance, and 23 was the code number for the navigation department.