Longines Minute Repeating Chronograph
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1905
Maker / issuer
LonginesThis Longines pocket watch, identified by serial number 31966 and dated circa 1905, is an 18K pink gold keyless minute-repeating chronograph. The watch features a polished "bassine" four-body case, with the inside back cover featuring an engraved dedication and the gold hinged cuvette displaying medals from the 1900 Grand Prix Paris.
The white enamel dial is configured with radial Roman numerals, an outer minute track, and an extreme outer seconds track with Arabic five-second numerals and fifth-of-a-second divisions. It retains its original blued steel "Spade" hands. The movement is a 20 ligne rhodium-plated calibre with 27 jewels, incorporating a straight-line lever escapement, a cut bimetallic compensation balance with a blued steel Breguet balance spring, an index regulator, and a patented silent centrifugal governor for the minute repeater, which is operated by a slide in the case band.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- circa 1905
- Type
- Minute-repeating chronograph
- Maker
- Longines
- Material
- 18K pink gold
- Case Type
- Four-body bassine
- Jewel Count
- 27
- Serial Number
- 31966
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Maker / attribution
- Longines
Design
- Visible features
- • The dial displays a subsidiary seconds register at the six o'clock position. • The movement is finished with rhodium plating. • The watch includes a repeating function activated by a slide mechanism in the case band. • The cuvette is engraved with details of awards from the Grand Prix Paris 1900.
- Case and Dial Design
- The watch is housed in an 18K pink gold, four-body case described as "bassine" style with a polished finish. The case features an engraved dedication on the interior of the back cover and a gold hinged cuvette that lists medals awarded at the Grand Prix Paris in 1900. The dial is white enamel and utilizes radial Roman numerals for the hour markers. It is equipped with an outer minute track and an additional extreme outer track for the chronograph, which features fifth-of-a-second divisions and Arabic numerals at five-second intervals. Subsidiary seconds are present, and the time is read via original blued steel Spade-style hands.
- Provenance and Condition
- The timepiece is attributed to the Hispanic market and dates to circa 1905. The auction description includes specific grading for the various components of the watch, noting the case as fair condition due to patination and the movement as good but slightly oxidized. The auction house recommends that the movement undergo an overhaul. All provided descriptions regarding the condition are sourced directly from the auction house records.
- Movement and Complications
- The movement is a rhodium-plated 20 ligne calibre featuring 27 jewels. It is built with a straight-line lever escapement and includes a cut bimetallic compensation balance equipped with a blued steel Breguet-type balance spring. Regulation is achieved through an index regulator. The watch serves as a chronograph and a minute repeater. The repeating mechanism operates on gongs activated by a slide located in the case band. This system incorporates a patented silent centrifugal governor to regulate the speed of the striking train.
Identification
- Serial number
- 31966
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The exact text of the dedication inside the back cover is not transcribed in the source description.
- Research required: The source notes that the movement is 'Slightly oxidized' and recommends an overhaul.