Longines Home Spun Homage Dilemma
Discussion
In an unhurried exercise to find a Longines gents wrist watch from each decade to add to my small collection, I discovered 'The Canadian.' To be more precise, it's the Longines Canadian Pacific Railways Approved RR280 (where 280 is the movement and as far as I can see RR just stands for Railroad). I would love to own one but the problem is they are as rare as the 1933 penny. Okay, not as rare as that, but very scarce. My question is, what is to stop me finding a more common Longines railroad watch and having a facsimile face made?
Just love it.
What are the issues? If I did it, and had an old Longines railroad rejuvenated as one of its more exotic relations, the watch wouldn't be worth much but it wouldn't be an out-and-out fake.
Finding a real one would become my life's work and I have other stuff to do. The watch's original face could be kept and used to restore the donor watch back to original if required.
Just love it.
What are the issues? If I did it, and had an old Longines railroad rejuvenated as one of its more exotic relations, the watch wouldn't be worth much but it wouldn't be an out-and-out fake.
Finding a real one would become my life's work and I have other stuff to do. The watch's original face could be kept and used to restore the donor watch back to original if required.
How about the Military Heritage as an alternative?
https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/Longines-Military-39m..._adty__pla___prch__online___stco_____prid17350715,utm_medium:cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsJmbgJTW6AIVGLLtCh3u1gPVEAQYASABEgKLP_D_BwE
https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/Longines-Military-39m..._adty__pla___prch__online___stco_____prid17350715,utm_medium:cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsJmbgJTW6AIVGLLtCh3u1gPVEAQYASABEgKLP_D_BwE
Edited by lostkiwi on Tuesday 7th April 12:01
DickyC said:
Hadn't thought of that.
It’s only counterfeit if you try and pass it off as something it is not.Especially for something like this where your chances of finding a genuine one for sale seem to be close to zero.
It is absolutely do able, but the cost of getting one dial made could be eye watering. There are a few watch modding forums, they mostly use Seiko as base watches but would think they might point you in the right direction.
lostkiwi said:
Yes, thanks, I've seen that, lostkiwi. It's a good looking watch but it doesn't help my plan to have an example from each decade of Longines wrist watches unless it becomes my 2020s. It also has faux ageing. If you zoom in you can see dots of patina on the face applied by hand by Swiss artisans. Currently, my favourite 2020s is this one:
My 1940s also has the small second hand.
nikaiyo2 said:
DickyC said:
Hadn't thought of that.
It’s only counterfeit if you try and pass it off as something it is not.Especially for something like this where your chances of finding a genuine one for sale seem to be close to zero.
It is absolutely do able, but the cost of getting one dial made could be eye watering. There are a few watch modding forums, they mostly use Seiko as base watches but would think they might point you in the right direction.
A bit grand, but I have a vehicle analogy for you: the Sanction 2 Zagatos of 1992. They were not true DB4GT Zagatos built in the early sixties. Yes, under the skin, they were Astons of the right era. But they were not built in Feltham and shipped to Zagato in Italy for their bodies. They were built on donor Astons in Cobham by Richard Williams and shipped to Italy for bodies to be built and fitted by ex-Zagato employees. They even had Feltham chassis plates.
"My" Longines 'Canadian' - if I ever do it - would be a Longines Railroad watch with a 280 movement, in the correct style case with a hooky face.
Meanwhile, I'll keep looking for a real one.
"My" Longines 'Canadian' - if I ever do it - would be a Longines Railroad watch with a 280 movement, in the correct style case with a hooky face.
Meanwhile, I'll keep looking for a real one.
I don't see anything wrong with investigating the 'mod' path, particularly if you could get something built up that's accurate enough to the original to sate your needs.
Will it, though? Even if you succeed with obtaining something close to the original I'd still think that part of you would pine for the real deal. People sometimes talk about a grail watch - for some it's a watch that is within their means, all be it with one heck of a lot of patience and effort, and for others it's bordering on an impossible dream, if not literally so. If it falls more into the former and if you're that passionate about it then consider it worth pursuing, even if a mod gets you by in the mean time.
Lovely looking thing by the way, Longines have a very well established back story as well. You talk about a collection with something from each decade, where are you at at the moment?
Will it, though? Even if you succeed with obtaining something close to the original I'd still think that part of you would pine for the real deal. People sometimes talk about a grail watch - for some it's a watch that is within their means, all be it with one heck of a lot of patience and effort, and for others it's bordering on an impossible dream, if not literally so. If it falls more into the former and if you're that passionate about it then consider it worth pursuing, even if a mod gets you by in the mean time.
Lovely looking thing by the way, Longines have a very well established back story as well. You talk about a collection with something from each decade, where are you at at the moment?
Edited by CardShark on Wednesday 8th April 23:55
CardShark said:
I don't see anything wrong with investigating the 'mod' path, particularly if you could get something built up that's accurate enough to the original to sate your needs.
Will it, though? Even if you succeed with obtaining something close to the original I'd still think that part of you would pine for the real deal. People sometimes talk about a grail watch - for some it's a watch that is within their means, all be it with one heck of a lot of patience and effort, and for others it's bordering on an impossible dream, if not literally so. If it falls more into the former and if you're that passionate about it then consider it worth pursuing, even if a mod gets you by in the mean time.
Lovely looking thing by the way, Longines have a very well established back story as well. You talk about a collection with something from each decade, where are you at at the moment?
Thanks for that, CardShark. Food for thought, all of it. And, yes, I would always hanker after a genuine example.Will it, though? Even if you succeed with obtaining something close to the original I'd still think that part of you would pine for the real deal. People sometimes talk about a grail watch - for some it's a watch that is within their means, all be it with one heck of a lot of patience and effort, and for others it's bordering on an impossible dream, if not literally so. If it falls more into the former and if you're that passionate about it then consider it worth pursuing, even if a mod gets you by in the mean time.
Lovely looking thing by the way, Longines have a very well established back story as well. You talk about a collection with something from each decade, where are you at at the moment?
It is lovely, isn't it? So elegant. I'm not a fan of the current trend for big watches and will carry at the more discreet end of the spectrum.
I've been meaning to take some pics for the My Little Collection thread. I'll do that and report back.
CardShark said:
You talk about a collection with something from each decade, where are you at at the moment?
Top left to bottom right:
1920s
1940s - inherited
1980s - my first Longines bought new in 1981
1990s
1990s
2000s - the most frequently worn
The 1920s watch arrived yesterday; my first trade with a vintage watch dealer. It doesn't have Longines written on the - slightly damaged - face but has a discreet L on the crown.
That's kind, CardShark, thanks. I was interested to learn that the First War popularised men's wrist watches. Coordinated military manoeuvres required good timing and pocket watches were found to be awkward to use in battle. Wrist watches did exist prior to the war but were seen by many as effeminate.
The benefit for me, if I stick to one or two examples per decade, is there's a chance I can complete the collection.
Off Topic Still Further - I managed to interest my sons in cars and sixties music but failed to spark any enthusiasm for watches. The elder one likes and still wears the watch we bought him twenty years ago but the younger one asked for a camera instead.
The benefit for me, if I stick to one or two examples per decade, is there's a chance I can complete the collection.
Off Topic Still Further - I managed to interest my sons in cars and sixties music but failed to spark any enthusiasm for watches. The elder one likes and still wears the watch we bought him twenty years ago but the younger one asked for a camera instead.
In your interest with that particular Longines you may well have learnt that war isn't the only thing that is responsible for accurate timepieces, the railroads must also take a bow. Brands such as Ball and Waltham were well known on the American railroads for making pieces that were, in short, life savers due to how well they were designed, assembled and regulated, for inaccurate timekeeping lead to many accidents on single-track rail systems where oncoming trains wouldn't pass at sidings when they were scheduled to.
There are a good few clues in the movement 'photo that you've posted as to its quality and suitability. Gold chatons, bevelled edges, shock protection, a large balance wheel, swan-neck regulator and indication as to how well it has been regulated all point to something that was built to be relied upon.
Good luck with the search
There are a good few clues in the movement 'photo that you've posted as to its quality and suitability. Gold chatons, bevelled edges, shock protection, a large balance wheel, swan-neck regulator and indication as to how well it has been regulated all point to something that was built to be relied upon.
Good luck with the search
Edited by CardShark on Monday 13th April 16:22
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