Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

New York, Grand Havana Room, May 21, 2003

LOT 251

Longines, "Lindbergh", No. 5320550, invented by Col. Chas. A. Lindbergh, US Pat. 1923305, launched on the market in 1932.Fine, round, oversized, hour angle, center-seconds, solid silver aviator's wristwatch with a stainless steel Panerai buckle.

USD 7,000 - 9,000

EUR 6,500 - 8,300

Sold: USD 8,510

C. four-body, polished, revolving bezel with the enamelled 15 degrees graduation, graduated band, the ball-shaped crown activates also the revolving central dial, solid silver cuvette. D. white enamel with enameled Roman numerals for the 12 hours indication, concentric, the 180 degrees in Arabic numerals, at the center, revolving champagne dial bearing the painted black Arabic numerals for the 60 minutes and the painted red Arabic numerals for the 15 degrees. "Breguet" blued steel hands. M. Cal18.69 N, gilt brass, 15 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, micrometer regulator.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 48 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image

Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good

Case: 3

Good

Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 3-13-01

Good

Slightly damaged

HANDS Original

Notes

Weems Model This hour angle system is called the "Weems Model" after its inventor, Philippe Vanhorn Weems, of the Naval Academy of Annapolis, who was an authority in the 1920-30's. He trained the famous Charles A. Lindbergh who established the record for the first non-stop transatlantic flight. The hour-angle watch called the "Lindbergh Model", used for this flight, stems from Weems' invention. Weems wrote several important books and received a Gold Medal from the International Aeronautic Fedration.This watch bears a large ball-shaped winding-crown, enabling the watch to be rewound by a pilot wearing gloves. It is practically impossible to build a commercial timepiece which will keep time to the exact second under the conditions in a ship or an airplane. The unavoidable variation of the chronometer from true time necessitated an extra calculation in navigation to compensate for the error. Weems noted that in an airplane moving at speeds of 2- 300 miles an hour or more, the time requred for calculating chronometer error was a risk that should be eliminated. Since it is impractical to set the second hand to the dial because of high gear ratio, Weems chose to set the dial to the hands. Therefore he designed it in a way that the seconds dial in the center of the large watch could be rotated by a small stem.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 thoseworking in radio broadcasting and others, such as civil engineers, who require exact time.