Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Jul 09, 2016

LOT 458

LONGINES REF. 23086 AVIATION CHRONOGRAPH STEEL Longines, No. 6964542, Ref. No. 23086, No. 114. Made circa 1945. Very fine and rare, large, stainless steel wristwatch with chronograph, 12-hour register and red central progressive minute register hand.

HKD 160,000 - 240,000

USD 20,600 - 30,900 / CHF 20,400 - 30,600

Sold: HKD 262,500

Three-body, polished and brushed, numbered and engraved screw-down case back, concave lugs with underside numbered 114. Brushed, silvered, with luminous Arabic numerals, outer minute track, outermost fifths of a second scale, subsidiary seconds dial for constant seconds and 12- hour register. Luminous skeleton hands, red central minute register hand. & G.Toselli and Chronograph wristwatches by Gerd R.Lang and Reinhard Meis. It is interesting to note that all of the examples illustrated have the identical configurations of case, dial and hand design with no variations evident. Furthermore, each watch is stamped with a continuation issue number both to the case back and inner shoulder; From the numbers researched It can be assumed that no more than 500 of this model were manufactured. Cal. 137N, 13''', rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 18 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Dial, case and


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-53

Very good

Reprinted

Notes

movement signed, movement stamped LXW indicating it was originally destined for the US market. Dial, case and movement signed. DIAM. 39.5 mm. THICKNESS 13 mm. Produced in a contemporary sized 39.5 mm.diameter case, the steel LONGINES chronograph with progressive central minute register could be considered one of the rarest, most attractive and desirable chronographs from the company. Featuring a visually striking red chronograph minute hand that gradually advances to provide an easily visible record of minute passed, the model was probably designed for aviation. According to our research less than 10 previous examples of the steel Longines central minute register chronograph, REF. 23086 have appeared at international auctions over the last 15 years, 4 of those examples by Antiquorum in the thematic sale 'Longines, Legendary Watches' held in 1994. Further illustrated examples can be found in Longines by Marozzi,