Whilst we are at it, here is another Longines that Patrick dropped by (one of my very few customers that live anywhere near me and so come by the workshop).
Case and dial are in very good condition, so let’s see what the inside looks like…
A fair amount of scratches on the rotor. The auto winder is quite interesting, as an oval attached to the rotor pushes a jewelled disk away from the rotor, and a spring pushes it back towards the rotor, providing the winding action.
Time for some microscope shots. Have a look at the two wire springs – both have been badly mangled and could do with replacing.
The balance jewel is worn out a bit, and needs replacing.
The usual damaged around a bridge screw – somebody used a screwdriver that was too large.
More damage done by a too large screwdriver.The clutch lever spring isn’t original, but a filed-down spring from another movement.
Very nicely decorated bottom plate.
The old mainspring doesn’t look too bad, but I will replace it anyway.
All the parts go through the cleaning machine as usual.
The new mainspring arrives in a tin lid. Normally, they are pre-wound, but that’s not a problem.
The new mainspring in the barrel.
With the base movement assembled, the balance starts beating.
Now I can put the auto winder assembly back on. Patrick found a donor movement, and I change all the little wire springs, and the complete balance over.
The bottom plate also gets a clutch lever spring that fits.
Some of the paint has come off the hands.
After polishing the hands, I re-paint the black stripe.Looking good!
Do I like Longines watches? Yes, I do. Well made movements, complex and interesting detail, what’s not to like? You can pick up decent vintage Longines watches at a good price.
Hi there! Your website is a valuable resource to me! Thank you for taking the time to publish all this information. I’m servicing a 19a right now and am having trouble identifying the part number for the spring in the keyless works on the opposite side of the stem from the yoke that seems to engage with the yoke only when the stem is pulled out in the setting position? It’s visible in the photo above of the dial side of the watch… all alone up there above the stem. I can’t find any reference to it or any photos of it anywhere. And it doesn’t seem to do much as the watch seems to wind and set just fine without it. Any idea what that part is called and numbered?
Please have a look at https://watchguy.co.uk/cgi-bin/files?showfile=Longines/Longines%2019AS.pdf&filename=Longines%2019AS.pdf&dir=Technical%20Manuals&action=documents
Can you indicate the correct crown specs for this 19as movement and Longines Conquest case?
Hi, lovely job! I have a similar watch from the 1950’s that belonged to my grandfather, with a crystal that needs replacement, would you know its reference if I was to source the crystal?
thanks!
You buy the crystals by size – just measure it.
Awesome, Are todays’s Longines wathces assembled by hand?
As a novice enjoy(er) of timepieces you summed up why they appeal to me and why I have a few already including the 431 you serviced not long ago. Undervalued maybe?
I also really do like the script they often use on the dials and many I see seem to stand up quite well over time.
Lovely watch, just so very subtle and elegant with a dash of luxury about it.
Nice classic watch. Is the button the original?
Not sure, but I don’t think it is.
Yes, very nice – I don’t know why I don’t own a Longines. I was actually offered an Admiral auto in a pub(!) last year but had no idea if it was worth the asking price so declined.
Has the dial been restored do you think? Seems odd to have a lump of lume in the middle of the word “Swiss”…
It is a good job I don’t live close to your workshop I think – neither of us would ever get any work done 😉
The 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock luminous dots are all on the outside, and they are very crisp, so I think that’s original, but I might of course be wrong…
I’m pretty sure it’s original. It would be very hard to redial that well with the gold ring and all. The movement serial number dates it to 1956.
It’s entirely coincidental that I live not too far from Christian, I was sending him a watch (the Futurematic) and when I saw the address I realised how close it was. He actually lives even closer to my brother.
If that is a redial I would like to get the number to the ones that did it. It is perfectly executed, and my conclusion is that it is perfectly original. It has all the telltale signs of lovely aging that no re-dialer would ever be able to achieve!
What a lovely watch! 🙂