Longines Lindbergh Hour Angle – Ref 3210 - 1938 – Cal 18.69N - SS - Archive

It is an original Longines "Hour Angle Watch" that can read the latitude and longitude calculation of the hour angle (hour angle) by the combination of the inner disc of the dial operated by the crown at 3 o'clock and the rotating bezel of the circumference, replacing what was calculated by the angle with the celestial body with time, and knowing where you are by the time difference between the standard time and another point. It is an aviation watch called "Hour Angle Watch". This watch I believe is the second generation. This watch is also known as the Weems Second Setting watch. These watches have a serious historical significance, making them highly sought after by collectors.

This watch was invoiced on October 27, 1938 by the company Casullo, which was at that time the Longines agent in Panama. 

Beautiful and very rare stainless steel Longines Lindbergh Hour Angle with reference 3210 and round white enamel dial and inner light gray dial. Hours are black with Roman numerals and 180 engraved in blue with Arabic numerals. The inner center has a red ring graduated up to 15. The hands are blue/black with Breguet style. The watch comes with a silver bezel with graduation in black for navigation purpose. The watch comes with the classic onion crown and pusher at 4 o’clock to set-up the time. It is a stainless-steel case with engraved inside “Acier Staybrite – 200342. Then come a cuvette with engraved inside “Acier Staybrite – 200342”. The watch has a manual winding movement with caliber 18.69N and 15 jewels. The watch comes with the original brown NATO strap (poor condition) and a black NATO strap not original to this watch. The Watch comes with the “Extract from the Archives” dated March 3, 2026.

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 manual winding movement with caliber 18.69N, 15 jewels and 18,000 A/h. The power reserve is approximately 36 hours. The 18.69N caliber was used for the first three Hour-angle generations and available in either a nickel or gilt finish. This caliber had been a stable of their pocket watches for many years and was first developed in 1908.

Measurements

Diameter excluding winding crown: 47mm


Length including lugs: 55mm