Longines US Navy Torpedo Boat Chronometer
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1906
Maker / issuer
LonginesCatalogued as a first-series US Navy torpedo boat chronometer produced circa 1906 by Longines in Switzerland, this large 68 mm open-face silver pocket watch features a silvered dial with bold black Arabic numerals, spade-style hands, a running small seconds subdial at 6 o'clock, and an Up/Down 50-hour power reserve indicator positioned below 12 o'clock.
The source documents the piece as being powered by calibre 24.99 with movement number 1927947, regulated by Arnold Vuille-Roulet. The case incorporates a gold crown and hinge, with case-back military engraving reading 'US Navy 1927947'.
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
- Type
- Torpedo boat chronometer
- Origin
- Switzerland
- Calibre
- 24.99
- Regulator
- Arnold Vuille-Roulet
- Dimensions
- 68 mm
- Case Number
- 1927947
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Movement Number
- 1927947
- Military Engraving
- US Navy 1927947
- Maker / attribution
- Longines
Design
- Visible features
- • Open-face silver case with a prominent bow and a contrasting gold-toned crown. • Silvered dial with black painted Arabic numerals and an outer railway minute track. • Up/Down 50-hour power reserve subdial indicator positioned below the 12 o'clock numeral. • Small seconds subsidiary register positioned at 6 o'clock. • Signed 'LONGINES' in the dial center and inscribed along the lower rim 'FABRIQUE DES LONGINES FRANCILLON & CE ST IMIER (SUISSE)'.
- Mechanism Specifications
- The movement is identified as Calibre 24.99, a bridge movement featuring a lever escapement, a Guillaume gold screw compensation balance, and a blued balance spring according to Phillips. Regulation of the movement was performed by Arnold Vuille-Roulet. The auction condition report classifies the movement condition as 'good, to be restored'.
- Construction and Dial Features
- The watch features a large 68 mm open-face silver case, described as tiered with a gold crown and hinge. The silvered dial is marked with black Arabic numerals and includes an outer railway minute track. The watch is signed 'LONGINES' and inscribed along the lower rim with the manufacturer details. Functional components include a small seconds subdial at 6 o'clock and a 50-hour power reserve indicator positioned below the 12 o'clock numeral. The auction condition report notes micro-scratches on both the case and the dial.
- Object Identity and Documentation
- This timepiece is catalogued as a first-series US Navy torpedo boat chronometer produced by Longines. It is accompanied by copies of the Bulletin 2me Classe de l'Observatoire Astronomique de Neuchatel, 1908, and the Bulletin 1ère Classe de l'Observatoire Astronomique de Neuchatel, 1916. The watch is identified by the movement and case serial number 1927947, with production estimated at circa 1906. The object bears a specific military engraving on the case-back reading 'US Navy 1927947'. While these details are provided by the cataloguer, they remain subject to independent verification as the movement and case-back are not visible in the provided photograph.
Identification
- Reference
- Cal. 24.99
- Lot Number
- Lot 146
- Serial number
- 1927947
- 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 movement and the case-back military engraving described by the auctioneer are not visible in the supplied single-view photograph.
- Research required: The auction condition report lists the movement condition as 'good, to be restored'.