Signed Longines, Stop Seconde model, ref. 5824, movement no. 7’255’451, case no. 23’473, circa 1947

The present piece is a remarkable and extremely well preserved example of an aviator’s wristwatch from the mid-twentieth century. The aesthetic language of the piece expresses an absolute commitment to the professional nature of the watch: the dial is extremely readable, the black finish maximizing the contrast with the white luminous numerals. The choice of placing the engraved scale of the revolving bezel on a sloped plane inside the crystal increases its size, and thus its readability, and protects it from scratches and impacts. The 47.5 mm. diameter of the watch is judged today as very appealing and not unusual, but in the 1940s it would have been considered preposterous on a non-professional timepiece. Of course the large size is dictated both by readability considerations, and also by the fact that the watch would be worn on top of the aviator’s jacket. The crown as well is designed specifically for its elective task: the large size and ribbed finish are an aid to using it while wearing aviator’s gloves.

Considered the harsh condition such watches were subject to during their normal use, to find such an appealing and well preserved example is nothing short of exceptional.

A similar watch is prominently described and illustrated in Longines Watches by John Goldberger, pp. 138-139. It is interesting to point out how that piece bears a similar “NAV” engraving to the back, and the picture of the original archive book shows that the example in the book as well was originally delivered to the Netherlands