This Longines is part of my collection. It’s a 1956 watch, but it’s still in excellent condition with a little patina on the dial.
The movement is the Longines 12.68Z with serial number 9.49xxxx. On April 28th, 1956, Longines sold it to Bessire which was their Belgian agent at the time.
It didn’t have any problems, and it kept good time. This is just a regular service to keep it in pristine condition. In the case of Longines, it’s extra important because parts are hard to find and they’re expensive.
Disassembly
As always, remove all power from the mainspring before you start working on the movement. This is to prevent damaging the escapement while working on the wheel train.
Move the click away from the ratchet wheel while slowly letting the crown slip between your thumb and index finger.
In this movement, you can move the click with a ped wood, cocktail stick, or toothpick because of its shape.
Remove the balance and the pallet fork with the pallet cock and store them somewhere safe.
Lift the cannon pinion on the other side of the movement.
The center wheel is underneath the ratchet wheel, so I lift both the crown wheel and the ratchet wheel first. The crown wheel screw is left-handed although it doesn’t have the three grooves.
The escape wheel bridge and the wheel-train bridge are separate parts. Lift the escape wheel bridge and then the wheel-train bridge to get access to the wheel train.
Lift the escape wheel, the fourth wheel, the third wheel, and then the center wheel.
Remove the barrel bridge and lift the barrel.
Turn the movement around to work on the bottom plate.
Remove the motion work and the keyless works. Don’t forget to lift the bottom balance end piece.
Pre-clean all the parts with some peg wood and then clean them in the watch cleaning machine.
Assembly
Start with the bottom balance end piece. Don’t forget to lubricate it with a tiny bit of 9010.
Fit the set lever with the set lever screw.
Place the barrel in position and fit the escape wheel, the fourth wheel, the third wheel, and the center wheel. Lubricate the center wheel post with some HP1300 just before you install it.
Install the escape wheel bridge and then the wheel-train bridge. Keep testing the wheels while you position all the pivots in their bearing jewels.
Install the barrel bridge, the crown wheel, and the ratchet wheel. Lubricate the crown wheel boss with some HP1300.
Turn the movement around and fit the motion works and the keyless works. Lubricate the third wheel with some 9010 before you place the minute wheel in position.
It’s worth mentioning that the return bar and the return spring are one part in this movement.
Don’t forget to lubricate the bearing jewels for the escape wheel and the fourth wheel with some 9010 and flip the movement to the top plate.
Lubricate the exit stone of the pallet fork with some 9415 and reinstall the pallets with the pallet cock.
Give the crown a few spins and test if the pallet fork snaps to the next position with the lightest touch. If it does, the movement should immediately start running when you place the balance in position.
Place the hour wheel and a dial washer in position and fit the dial.
This watch is a front-loader with a removable bezel, so I like to fit the movement/dial, the crown, and the bezel first. Then, install the hands and make sure there is enough clearance between the hour hand and the dial and between the hour hand and the minute hand.
Finally, polish the crystal and reinstall it.
What do you think of this vintage Longines watch? Do you have a similar one? Let me know in the comments below.
My husband has this watch which was given to him in 1956 by his father. It says Automatic at the bottom of the face. It has not been used for about 15-20 years. What is the is the approximate current value in American dollars?
Many thanks.
Kerry
If it says “automatic”, it’s not the same watch. The 12.68Z movement is manual wind, not automatic.