Online Catalogue
Auction 13 March 2024 - Basel Watch Auction
The Hour Angle Watch is among Longines most iconic wristwatch ever made and is associated with the famous aviation pioneers Charles A. Lindbergh and Captain Philip Van Horn Weems. In some ways this particular watch complete with all its original papers is a perfect testimony from that historical period where Europe was in reconstruction after the Second World War. Being delivered to the agent Seelich who was in place in Czechoslovakia at the time, which has now become Slovakia, this watch is fully complete with some rare original documents. Interestingly enough, few words can easily be identified in the writing and description of that watch such as Longines Lindbergh, name inherited from the famous aviator who developed this very specific type of wristwatch able to calculate hour angle while flying. Among all papers, one mentions the now very famous Czech wording hodinky meaning wristwatch in Czech which gave inspiration to Ben Clymer to create the famous online blog dedicated solely to vintage and contemporary watches, called Hodinkee.
Longines
Model “Lindbergh”
So called “Hodinky”, Ref. 4365,
No. 23228 3 / 6839526, circa 1947
A stainless-steel oversized hour angle
aviator’s wristwatch with sweep center
seconds delivered to agent Seelich in
Slovakia
Case: circular hinged case, inside
cuvette, graduated bezel for hour angle
calculations 15 degrees, inside case
numbers, signed
Dial: white enamel, Roman numerals,
indirect sweep centre seconds, inner
circle calibrated with 180 degrees with
Arabic numerals, signed
Movement: mechanical with manual
winding, calibre 37.9, nickel finished
lever movement, monometallic balance,
signed
Clasp/Buckle: buckle on a leather strap
Dimensions: 46 mm
Accessories: extract from the archives
mentioning date of sale 23 February
1947 to the agent company Seelich
in Slovakia, original paperwork and
a photograph from the period most
probably showing people helping to the
reconstruction of Czechoslovakia after
the Second World War.
*CHF 12'000 – 18'000
The Hour Angle Watch is among Longines most iconic wristwatch ever made and is associated with the famous aviation pioneers Charles A. Lindbergh and Captain Philip Van Horn Weems. In some ways this particular watch complete with all its original papers is a perfect testimony from that historical period where Europe was in reconstruction after the Second World War. Being delivered to the agent Seelich who was in place in Czechoslovakia at the time, which has now become Slovakia, this watch is fully complete with some rare original documents. Interestingly enough, few words can easily be identified in the writing and description of that watch such as Longines Lindbergh, name inherited from the famous aviator who developed this very specific type of wristwatch able to calculate hour angle while flying. Among all papers, one mentions the now very famous Czech wording hodinky meaning wristwatch in Czech which gave inspiration to Ben Clymer to create the famous online blog dedicated solely to vintage and contemporary watches, called Hodinkee.