Lot 490

Longines

Tre Tacche

A fine, rare vintage wristwatch with indirect centre seconds, invoiced on June 09, 1938 to company Wirth, which was at that time Longines agent for Switzerland - with original box and Longines extract from the archives

The design and quality of the Longines watches of the 1940s and 1950s were unsurpassed compared to the competition of the time. Apart from the famous 13ZN chronographs, this success can be attributed to the oversized timepieces with their extremely clean and minimalist dial layouts in a classic style. The movements are among the best made in existence.
The "Tre Tacche" is at the top of the list for collectors of Longines watches. The brand started making waterproof watches for everyday use early on - in fact, the basis for the classic stainless steel sports watch that would hit the market about a decade after this one. Thanks to watches like the Longines "Tre Tacche", the trade came to understand what was important in a robust "toolwatch".
This example is simply stunning. With a stainless steel case measuring 35 mm in diameter, a large size for the model and the stepped bezel, the timepiece looks very present on the wrist. The dial is charmingly aged and displays an evenly beautiful patina, as well as elegantly curved, blued hands. Inside is the reliable in-house calibre 12.68Z, which was also used in the important Longines "Hour Angle" pilot's navigation watch. As the extract from the Longines archives confirms, the watch was invoiced to the Swiss Longines concessionaire Juwelier Wirth on 9 June 1938.