Longines '10L' Steel 'Calatrava' - Orange 'Tangerine' Tropical Dial

Longines is one of the most well respected manufacturers of the 20th century, full stop. Founded in 1832 in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, the company built a name for themselves early on as a manufacturer of quality in-house movements right from the start. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Longines also built a reputation for precision timekeeping, earning accolades at international exhibitions and becoming a trusted name in sports timing, particularly in horse racing and aviation — an association with continues until today.

By the mid-20th century, especially from the 1930s to the 1960s, Longines was at the peak of its technical and aesthetic prowess, producing a range of high-grade wristwatches admired today by collectors and vintage enthusiasts. The brand was known for its beautifully finished in-house movements, such as the 13ZN and 30CH chronographs, which are considered some of the finest column-wheel chronographs ever produced.

The piece that we have here hails from the 1940s and is, rather simply, just a watch in the best way possible. It is round, it tells the time, and is manually-wound. What might sound almost boring to some is, to many enthusiasts and collectors, an opportunity to shine if executed well.

This piece features a beautiful 32mm stainless steel case, housing Longines Cal. 10L manual-winding movement inside, along with an absolutely stunning dial. Once silver in color (probably) has aged to a mesmerizing and intense orange 'tangerine' color. There is a little bit of wabi-sabi mixed in there, with some scattered spotting, but it works and presents beautifully. Adding to the appeal are the printed and luminous 'Breguet'-style indices and the matching blued-steel handset — hallmark design characteristic of this era.

This then is, for many, check a heck of a lot of boxes as it pertains to vintage collecting. A storied brand, excellent condition, and a wild —completely unique patina.