Service: Longines 19.4

Alan sent me this great 1960s Longines, which doesn’t work properly. This super-slim, small and stylish men’s wrist watch is as classy as it gets, and deserves a bit of love and attention.

The dial markers must have come off at one point, and someone has put them back gluing them from the front. I see this too often… Dial markers have little pins that sit in holes in the dial, and you fix them from the back with a bit of shellac. Originally riveted, it’s risky to re-rivet them, as you can damage the dial.

The case is made of stainless steel, which is very thin and light – look at the thickness of the case.

In this photo, you can see the brown glue around the markers.

The dial is in good enough shape and original, so there isn’t much I can do. A restoration would be a bit over the top considering the decent state the dial is in.


This is a small movement for a man’s watch – 8 3/4 lignes, so less than 20mm.

Great looking movement.

As the movement doesn’t have any complications, there aren’t that many parts.

Whilst waiting for the new mainspring, I take the crystal out and clean the case.

All the parts cleaned. The cap jewels are clear and almost invisible (you can barely see them just below the pendant tube).

The new mainspring goes into the barrel.

Movement with the barrel bridge in place.

What a great looking little movement!

Bottom plate complete bar the hour wheel.

I put the dial back on, lightly polish the hands, and press them on.

Simple elegance. Please compare to the five-ton bricks people nowadays strap to their wrists 😉

 

6 thoughts on “Service: Longines 19.4

  1. Thank you for the prompt reply.
    I didn’t mean to ask what temperature to heat the shellac to.
    What I meant was, with what do you heat the shellac?
    Do you use a pallet warmer and then drip some shellac onto the index feet?
    I know one can’t apply flame directly to the shellac or to the dial.

    • I use an electronics soldering iron with adjustable temperature. Dripping it on won’t do the trick, as both parts (dial and marker) have to have the melting temperature of the shellac, as it otherwise won’t bind, and just fall off.

  2. Just curious as to how to best heat the shellac and shellac the numbers back on.
    Sorry that this is such an amateur question but I, too, am disturbed by cyanoacrylate affixed dial markers.

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