7,475 CHF
Longines for Wittnauer, "Weems second setting watch", No. 21538, Caliber 1869 N, 1930's. Fine and rare hour angle, center second, stainless steel "Staybrite" aviator's wristwatch. polished, hinged back, steel dome, ball-shaped winding-crown, additional stem on the band to set the revolving seconds dial. white enamel with painted Arabic numerals, at the centre, revolving mat silver dial to adjust the time in seconds. "Breguet" blued steel hands. Notes A similar watch is published in "Longines", page 82. Note: This hour angle system is called the "Weems Model" because of its Inventor: Professor and Instructor Philippe Vanhorn Weems, of the Naval Academy of Annapolis, who was an Authority in the 1920-30's. He formed the famous Charles A. Lindbergh who established the record for the first nonstop transoceanic flight. The hour angle watch " Lindbergh Model" used for this flight, is drawn from the Weems invention. Professor Ph. Weems wrote several important books and received a Gold Medal from the International Aeronautic Federation. This watch bears a large ball-shaped winding-crown, enabling the watch to be rewound by a pilot whilst wearing gloves. It is practically impossible to build a commercial timepiece which will keep time to the exact second under the conditions met in a ship or in an airplane. The unavoidable variation in the chronometer from true time has necessitated an extra calculation in navigation to compensate for this chronometer error. Lt. Co Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1993-10-17
