1974 Longines Ultronic Date Tuning Fork
Ref: 8623 3

Specification

Points of Mention

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and therefore comes with no original box or paperwork. The watch comes paired with a well-suited leather strap. The watch is from Circa. 1974 and is sold in worn, vintage condition, but overall fair condition as you can see. The watch comes with our 12-Months Warranty.

The Watch

Longines was founded in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz and is considered to be the oldest registered watch brand. Its winged hourglass logo is the oldest registered trademark for a watch brand. Famously, Lindbergh, the aviator, and adventurer worked with Longines to create the Hour Angle watch in 1927. They are also the official timekeeper for the French Open.

As a response to the ever-growing threat of electronic watches to the manufacturers of mechanical watches, Longines collaborated with 20 Swiss brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe formed Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH). Prototypes began in 1967, with production starting in 1968. Longines beat the rest of the industry and announced the first production quartz wristwatch on August 20, 1969. On April 10, 1970, the Basel Fair opened with more than 20 Swiss quartz watches on display.

Our Longines Ultronic has a 35mm round stainless steel case. Straight beveled edged lugs with a lug to lug length of 42mm and a thickness of 11mm ensures a comfortable fit on your wrist. On the right side, a signed crown. A polished bezel holds a domed crystal above a sunburst silver dial. An outer minute track has lume pips with block indexes marking the hours. At 3 o’clock a date window. Slender sword hands have lume infill with a sweeping tapered red seconds hand. At 12 o’clock an applied Longines logo. At 6 o’clock the Ultronic symbol. On the reverse, a screw-down case back. Inside a Longines Tuning Fork Cal. 6312 (ESA 9162) F300 Hz is considered one of the very best tuning fork movements. Designed by Max Hetzel, who had previously worked for Bulova; he was also responsible for the Accutron 214, which was released In May 1972. This is the same movement that is used in the Omega f300 tuning fork watches. The watch comes fitted on an 18mm leather strap.