Longines - Art Deco Tank – WWII - Cal. 23M – Fixed Lugs - No reserve price - 3345 - Men - 1945

Longines – Art Deco Tank – World War 2 - Cal. 23M – Stainless Steel – Fixed Lugs – Men – 1945

An exceptional Longines men’s wristwatch from the mid-1940s offered with a rectangular stainless steel case, small seconds, and the in-house mechanical Longines caliber 23M.

From the movement serial number 7047805 the watch can be dated to 1945, accordingly the last year of World War II.

Case:

Particularly appealing is the unusual construction of the rectangular stainless steel case. The top and bottom are framed by robust, rounded crosspieces, while the widely flared lugs of the watch give a distinctly characteristic Art Deco silhouette.

A notable period-typical detail is the fixed strap bars. Unlike modern spring bars, the strap lugs are fixed in the case construction. This design, now rarely seen, is clearly visible in the close-up photos.

The case back is internally original and signed LONGINES – ACIER INOXYDABLE – MODÈLE DÉPOSÉ and bears the designation 3345 / 17.

Dimensions:
Case without crown and lugs: ~25 × 30 mm
Overall length including the distinctive lugs: ~40 mm
Case height incl. crystal: 8.3 mm
Max. wrist circumference: 21 cm

Due to the long lugs, the watch has a noticeably greater presence on the wrist than the raw case measurements might suggest.

Dial:

The light dial features applied gold- or rose-gold colored hour indices, the historic winged Longines logo, and a separate small seconds at 6 o’clock.

The dial and hands are in authentic vintage condition with visible, age-related patina. The dial has deliberately not been restored, preserving its historical character.

Movement:

Inside, the mechanical Longines manufacture caliber 23M with manual winding operates.

The movement is signed LONGINES with the serial number 7047805 and runs at a frequency of 18,000 half-swings per hour (beats per hour).

The movement has been cleaned; the watch winds smoothly and runs reliably.

After cleaning, the movement was additionally tested on a timegrapher. A current measurement yielded:

* Rate deviation: approx. +18 seconds/day
* Amplitude: 242°
* Beat error: 0.3 ms
* Frequency: 18,000 A/h

A photo of the timegrapher measurement is part of the auction. The values provided represent a snapshot and can vary depending on position, winding state, and wear conditions.

Condition and Bracelet:

The watch is in an authentic, age-appropriate vintage condition. The case, dial, and hands show corresponding signs of wear and aging. These have intentionally not been removed to preserve the watch’s historical character.

Mounted is a brown vintage leather strap, secured accordingly due to the fixed strap bars.

Please consider the many high-resolution detail photos as an essential part of the condition description.

A distinctive and unusual Longines form watch from 1945, combining several attractive features of its era: the in-house caliber 23M, a signed stainless steel case, small seconds, fixed strap bars, and a striking Art Deco Tank case architecture.