This stainless steel, military Longines W.W.W. wristwatch (Ref. F 4724) has just been serviced and has perfect mechanical functionality. The Longines W.W.W. is part of a collective of twelve brands, affectionately known as the 'Dirty Dozen', that produced watches for the British Ministry of Defence during the tail-end of World War II.
W.W.W. was a designation by the British Ministry of Defence to classify the group of watches commissioned in 1944. The acronym stood for 'Watch, Wrist, Waterproof'. They were intended to be issued to ground personnel in the British Army, and as such had to follow strict specifications, notably the need for it to be waterproofed, luminous with a black dial and Arabic numerals, and the movement regulated to a chronometer level.
The Longines is the second rarest of these watches after the Grana, with an estimated production of 5,000 pieces.
This particular example is a fantastic original, with all of the parts correct to the watch. The 37.5mm sizing of the watch contributes to the desirability of this Longines, as it was one of the biggest of the dozen. This, coupled with the characteristically stepped "Tre Tacche" case, makes a fantastic watch, that wears well in a modern context.
This Longines retains its original dial, with its luminous material aging to a very nice orange patina, matching the lumes of the cathedral hands perfectly. Furthermore, the screw down case back of this watch is engraved with its associated numbers, broad arrow, and the W.W.W. designation. Notably, the case back engraving number matches the number engraved on the lug which makes for a very rare example; often the casebacks were chopped and changed by the MoD watchmakers. To find one with matching numbers such as this, does not come around very often.
Inside this Longines W.W.W. is the famous 12.68Z movement, and incredibly high-quality movement that - as mentioned above - was chronometer graded. Having recently been serviced, it is performing at its best.
You may wish to
read more about The Dirty Dozen watches here.Viewings can be arranged in Central London by appointment.
