Description
Description
Longines introduced the Grand Prize to be the most refined steel dresswatches in the collection. The dial in marked ZJ on the back, which means it’s made by Zelim Jacot. This manufacturer was located the same town a Longines (St Imier) and made very high end watch dials (in 2004 the company was purchased by Patek Philippe). They made dials for the most prestigious collections of brand like Omega Longines. This dial is absolutely a masterpiece! the applied numerals have facets which sparkle in the light. The sunburst pattern radiates from the date winding (see the wristshot to see the sunburst effect). Inside the steel monocoque case beats the Longines cal. 345. This movement was revolutionary and its construction it totally different from any other movement made by Longines during that time and was fitted into the very best watches in the Longines collection. A watch for the true (Longines) connaisseur!
Dial: fully original and in fantastic condition
Hands: original hands, very good condition
Case: very good condition, very sharp, probably unpolished
Crown: original crown, very good condition
Crystal: original acrylic crystal, no scratches
Movement: Longines cal. 345, very good condition, fully overhauled, 12 months warranty
Strap: brand new Morellato leather strap with steel buckle
Some background information
Longines was founded in 1932 by Auguste Aggasiz. Local craftsmen made watch parts and he collected those parts to finish and assemble these parts to complete watches. He then sold those watches internationally. When Aggasiz became ill, he found a successor in his nephew Ernest Francillon. Francilion was educated as economist and had a revolutionary view on the manufacturing of watches. He envisioned a factory where all watch parts would be made by machines, with tolerances so accurate that the parts would be fully interchangeable. In 1876 Francillon sent Jacques David to the United States to research the watch industry, which was already industrialised. With this knowledge, Francillon built a new factory in St. Imier, on a piece of land that was called “Les Longines”. This factory was to become an internationally recognised watch brand, making high quality watches. To the current day, Longines watches are made on the same location where the new factory was once build by Francillon.
