Lot 100

Longines

Hour Angle Watch - Lindbergh

An early "hour angle" pilot's navigation watch. The movement was sold on May 30, 1941 to company Longines-Wittnauer Watch Co., which was at that time Longines's agent in the USA. The other parts of the watch were produced locally under license from Longines

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Even in the early years of aviation, between 1920 and 1930, most pilots used timepieces made by Longines. The main reason for this was the technical lead the company held at that time. The best-known Longines watch was the hour-angle watch for pilots, on which Charles A. Lindbergh advised the company during its development. After his successful transatlantic flight, Lindbergh began designing a wristwatch that met the needs of pilots on long-distance flights. Since the Earth rotates 360 degrees, a 12-hour dial is an important tool for dividing this distance over time. Using the rotating inner bezel, the pilot could pinpoint his position via the hands. Lindbergh, who had trained as a mechanic, sent his drawings to John Heinmüller at the end of 1930. Heinmüller was not only president of the International Aeronautical Federation but also director of Longines-Wittnauer in the USA. Within just five months, a first prototype was completed, and the watch went into production that very year.