Importantes Montres de Collection

Geneva, May 15, 2011

LOT 454

Lange & Sohne Die Grosse Fliegeruhr Lange & Söhne, movement No. 215022, case No. 215022. Made in the 1940's. Very fine and very rare, oversized, anti-corrosion matte nickeled military pilot?s wristwatch with indirect center seconds and the original aviator?s leather strap. To be sold without reserve

CHF 3,000 - 5,000

USD 3,300 - 5,500 / EUR 2,300 - 3,800

Sold: CHF 10,000

C. Three-body, matte gray, inclined bezel, concave lugs, large winding crown, snap-on case back, band engraved with ?FL 23883?. D. Black with luminous Arabic numerals and baton indexes, inner 12 hour graduation with luminous dots, outer minute division. Luminous blued steel lozenge hands. M. 21???, 2/3 plate, gilt brass, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Case and movement signed. Diam. 55 mm. Thickness 20 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

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 England? and the 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.): 215022- 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 the radio surveillance and 23 was the code number for the navigation department..