Longines Automatic 4221 – Cal L994.1 – 1970’s

Longines Automatic 4221 – Cal L994.1 – 1970’s 

Square black dial with gold Roman numerals for 6, 9 and 12 o’clock. At 6 o’clock you have engraved Automatic. It is a “994 Swiss 4221” made model. The hands are in gold with Dauphine style. The watch comes with a cabochon crown. It is a 14 K yellow gold-filled case with engraved outside “Stainless Steel back -18869403” and inside “Longines – Swiss Made – 4221 1 – 994”. It is an automatic movement with caliber L994.1 and 25 jewels. The watch comes with a black lizard strap. The width between the lugs is 18mm. 

History

Longines was born August 14, 1832 by a young man called Auguste Agassiz who became partner at “Comptoir Raiguel Jeune”, watch dealership in the Jura. After putting watches together mostly by watchmakers living in small farms, the comptoir sell them. The Co. becomes very prosperous. In 1847, the company changes the name for “Comptoir Agassiz & Co.” En 1866, the Co. buys a land called “Les Longines” to build production plant. One year later, the first watches “E. Francillon, Longines, Suisse” are introduced to the universal exhibition in Paris. In 1880, the company registered its patent as “Longines” and the famous trademark “the winged hourglass”. Then came the famous calibers, the 13.33Z, the 13ZN or the 30CH in 1947. The most memorable moment was the association with Charles A. Lindbergh who had flown his Spirit of Saint Louis across the Atlantic on May 27, 1927. Hour angle watch that made navigation easier for many a pilot on trans-oceanic flights was available from 1932. Longines was also the pioneer of electronic timekeeping.

Technical details

Longines automatic movement with caliber L994.1 and 25 jewels. The movement was launched in 1977 and was the thinnest automatic movement with a date in the world with just 2.95mm high.


Measurements

Diameter excluding winding crown: 31.50mm


Length including lugs: 35mm