98th Auction
2018/11/10
Lot 517
Longines Watch Co., Swiss, Movement No. 50918086, Case No. 50918086, Cal. 262, 66 mm, 298 g
A heavy precision split seconds chronograph with nonius hand, 30 min. counter and constant force
Case: steel. Dial: silvered. Movm.: 3/4 plate movement, nickel/steel "Guillaume" balance.
This chronograph was used by Longines since 1968 at World class sporting events like the Winter Olympics in Grenoble. According to Longines this watch with the movement 262 was the most exact ever produced by Longines. The Vernier-scale is a Longines patent and was used in this watch only.
"Just before the introduction of electronic time measurement watch designers tried one last time to defy the triumph of electronics - by creating a mechanical watch which incorporated all major technical accomplishments of its time. Their endeavours culminated in the caliber 262. All prerequisites for a precision watch were met: Large movement (57 mm); Guillaume nickel steel balance, antimagnetic Nivarox hairspring with inner and outer terminal curves - but then, on-one but a specialist would use an inner terminal curve in 1963!
Swan neck regulation and a fine regulator for setting the time to the second went without saying and the balance-wheel frequency of 36,000 alternations per hour guaranteed absolute precision. Cut and bevelling matched the standard of the movement design. The main attraction, however, was the use of a "force constante" mechanism. Renowned watchmakers such as Harrison, Breguet, Dent and Richard to name but a few had concerned themselves with the constant force mechanism and the remontoir in their time."
Source: "Freunde alter Uhren" (Friends of Old Watches), Hans-Jochen Kummer, Ludwigshafen
A heavy precision split seconds chronograph with nonius hand, 30 min. counter and constant force
Case: steel. Dial: silvered. Movm.: 3/4 plate movement, nickel/steel "Guillaume" balance.
This chronograph was used by Longines since 1968 at World class sporting events like the Winter Olympics in Grenoble. According to Longines this watch with the movement 262 was the most exact ever produced by Longines. The Vernier-scale is a Longines patent and was used in this watch only.
"Just before the introduction of electronic time measurement watch designers tried one last time to defy the triumph of electronics - by creating a mechanical watch which incorporated all major technical accomplishments of its time. Their endeavours culminated in the caliber 262. All prerequisites for a precision watch were met: Large movement (57 mm); Guillaume nickel steel balance, antimagnetic Nivarox hairspring with inner and outer terminal curves - but then, on-one but a specialist would use an inner terminal curve in 1963!
Swan neck regulation and a fine regulator for setting the time to the second went without saying and the balance-wheel frequency of 36,000 alternations per hour guaranteed absolute precision. Cut and bevelling matched the standard of the movement design. The main attraction, however, was the use of a "force constante" mechanism. Renowned watchmakers such as Harrison, Breguet, Dent and Richard to name but a few had concerned themselves with the constant force mechanism and the remontoir in their time."
Source: "Freunde alter Uhren" (Friends of Old Watches), Hans-Jochen Kummer, Ludwigshafen
Sold
estimated
2.300—3.500 €
Price realized
1.800 €