Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 17, 1993

LOT 33

Longines for Wittnauer, "Weems second setting watch", No. 21538, Caliber 1869 N, 1930's. Fine and rare hour angle, center second, stainless steel "Staybrite" aviator's wristwatch.

CHF 5,800 - 6,300

Sold: CHF 7,475

C. polished, hinged back, steel dome, ball-shaped winding-crown, additional stem on the band to set the revolving seconds dial. D. white enamel with painted Arabic numerals, at the centre, revolving mat silver dial to adjust the time in seconds. "Breguet" blued steel hands. M.161/2"' rhodiumed, 15 jewels, lever escapement, monometallic balance, antishock system, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring. Dial, case and movement signed. In very good condition. Diam. 47 mm.


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Notes

A similar watch is published in "Longines", page 82. Note: This hour angle system is called the "Weems Model" because of its Inventor: Professor and Instructor Philippe Vanhorn Weems, of the Naval Academy of Annapolis, who was an Authority in the 1920-30's. He formed the famous Charles A. Lindbergh who established the record for the first nonstop transoceanic flight. The hour angle watch " Lindbergh Model" used for this flight, is drawn from the Weems invention. Professor Ph. Weems wrote several important books and received a Gold Medal from the International Aeronautic Federation. This watch bears a large ball-shaped winding-crown, enabling the watch to be rewound by a pilot whilst wearing gloves. It is practically impossible to build a commercial timepiece which will keep time to the exact second under the conditions met in a ship or in an airplane. The unavoidable variation in the chronometer from true time has necessitated an extra calculation in navigation to compensate for this chronometer error. Lt. Commander P. V. H. Weems, U. S. Navy, saw that in an airplane moving at speeds of 200 to 300 miles an hour or more, the time required for calculating chronometer error was hazard that should be eliminated. Since it is impractical because of high gear ratio to set the second hand to the dial, Commander Weems hit upon the idea of setting the dial to the hands. The seconds dial in the center of the large watch is rotated by the small stem. On marked on the outer bezel which is rotated by hand and then locked into position by an outer stem. Use: the hour and minute are set on the watch in the usual way. For navigation purposes, the Greenwich Civil time is set directly on the watch face. When being set with a radio time signal which cornes in on the minute, the second dial is rotated to keep the 60 mark continuously under the second hand. The dial is stopped the instant the signal is heard. For serious navigation, a record should be kept of the errors and of the daily rate as indicated by movement of the second dial. The Longines Weems Second-Setting Watch is made in two styles. The smaller model is useful not only for sea and air navigators and airline pilots, but particularly for those working in radio broadcasting and others, such as civil engineers requiring exact time.