# Longines 428 17 Jewels manual wind (incoming)



## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

Ok I never claimed to be anything like consistent and so consistent with that this is nothing like consistent. After a month with Seiko quartz chronographs from the last 20 years, I opened the box one day put one on and they were just starting to feel a tad bulky, a bit heavy on my wrist, and I was getting a bit bored of just having a quartz with all its probably non-serviceable heartless plastic cogs and gears.

I thought about getting another Zenith quartz, but really wanted mechanical. I've not had a Longines for a while, did consider Omega and then saw this Longines from the mid 1960's with what looked like a very nice 17J 428 manual wind movement. 30mm by 30mm and with 18mm lugs it would feel nice and comfy on my 6 inch wrist and be a welcome relief from the 40mm plus sports chronos on heavy metal bracelets. Also being 18mm lugs it would take my new fluco rallye. So out with the old and in with the older and ahem smaller and mechanical. Where the heart is isn't it?

Sellers pics but i liked the look of the movement and the clean classiness of the case a dial like @yokel said sports watches...why would you?

Longines cal428 17J circa 1964

I just loved the look and feel of this movement










And the clean fresh classiness of it after some of the big recent sports chornos, looks so charming and simple










overall it feels like a watch that will always keep going and always be serviceable ive gone all out quartz for quiet a while ever since the Zeniths and just fancied something old school.










What really stole the show for me and made me pick it over an 80's qtz seamaster the final clincher if you like was this signed crown with the full simple longines name and no motif...god is in the detail. And the case looks so crisp and clean.


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

I got caught up in the 7t32 madness too. Having bought some in "might not be working" condition, I'm realising that when they're dead, they're dead.

I have a soft spot for Longines, having inherited a watch with a 13.35 movement from 1925. I hope you enjoy yours.


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## davidcxn (Nov 4, 2010)

That's a lovely watch Nigel, a timeless classic that will look great on the wrist, well done with your choice. :thumbsup:


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

davidcxn said:


> That's a lovely watch Nigel, a timeless classic that will look great on the wrist, well done with your choice. :thumbsup:


 Thanks David! I really appreciate your comments :thumbsup:



spinynorman said:


> I got caught up in the 7t32 madness too. Having bought some in "might not be working" condition, I'm realising that when they're dead, they're dead.
> 
> I have a soft spot for Longines, having inherited a watch with a 13.35 movement from 1925. I hope you enjoy yours.


 I think a lot of people are wary of the older quartz T's now, even at stupidly low prices i was struggling to find buyers. The mint boxed 7t32 I had only brought 40 quid in the end, i guess my experience with the t42 shows that they were never meant to last forever and a lot are worn out now, doesnt seem you can easily service them like a good old mechanical. The t34 was a lucky sell on really as the buyer had been looking for one and had lost one over the side of a boat in Corfu years ago he was quiet delighted when he found mine for 60 quid on the bay. Has regards the t62, despite its undeniable rarity and good quality, i dont think a lot of people like the looks (might explain why they were rare) correct me if im wrong but most of the t62's seem to be a bit weird and wonderful and not that sought after. In the end that was the only one that i couldnt sell for love nor money so i sent it to Kev, I was suprised at that one but like i say i think despite the quality it does have challenging looks? Amazingly it was the old 1979 LCD Chrono i had that got snapped up and had a few buyers after it, which might show changing tastes and an emerging market driven by 40 somethings looking back on a bit of nostalgia. But yes i think the t32 bubble has burst i think a lot of people are wise to the fact they were a disposable movement thats got old and had its day.

i might add that i still like seiko chronos, but the only one ive kept is the 2012 t92 flighty, partly for looks and partly because i know it will last another good 10 years before going the way of older t32 etc it will wear out but not yet due to its youth. So for 50 quid a modern t92 can be a good bet. Infact thats probably the best way to think about these plastic movement seiko quartz chronos, unless you are going to pay a lot more and get a mechanical from the 70's maybe the 80s and 90s quartz chronos are going to become a bit extinct, the number of dead ones on the bay shows this. The moral of the story is probably to do what everyone else did back in the day, just buy them new or nearly new and when they wear out, get another new one and throw the old one away. There seem to be a lot out there living on borrowed time and running by luck alone. Taking the back off the t32 to replace the battery and the strip down i did on the t42 showed how delicate all the little tiny gears are and how much plastic is in there. I think it was kev who quiet rightly said they werent meant to last forever. I'd have a t32 panda if it came up at the right price maybe, but i'd not hang my hat on it lasting.


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

Just revisiting the age of my Longines, a closer look at Longines serial numbers puts mine in the 1970's rather than 60's, 1969 being 15000000 and 1970 50841***

mine is 51037*** so its circa 1973 to 1974.

http://www.db1983.com/longines-serial-numbers-dating1


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

i suppose im gravitating back to the 1919 that i wanted last year..

[IMG alt="cartier_image.3871858.jpg" data-ratio="66.95"]https://storage.googleapis.com/pubzapuscentral/watchprosite/cartier/58/raw/cartier_image.3871858.jpg[/IMG]

The Tank Normale, or Ordinaire, as it is called sometimes, was the first truly integrative watch design. The Tank's case and lugs are united as one, allowing for a seamless integration of the watch case and strap. By extension, the blending of the lugs and case make the watch both rectangular and square, an aesthetically innovative feat. The Tank was both elegant and utilitarian; its harmonious nature and the ingenuity of its design led to the Tank's immense popularity with both women and men alike. After its first release to the public in 1919, the Maison soon began to experiment with the Tank Normale's austere design, creating numerous variations, some of which can still be found in Cartier's lineup today.

The men's sized version of this icon has never changed in size over the years despite its rather long production run. The last incarnation of the watch, released in 1973, remained a modest 23 mm x 30 mm case size, preserving the exact proportions that it was given upon its inception. Interestingly, the men's sized version of this watch has always contained a manual winding movement, which cannot be said of most of the long-produced Tank variations.

Despite its marked influence, the Maison no longer produces this icon. Although it remained in the collection for a relatively long period of time, it does not appear to have been made in large numbers, as it is a watch not often found on the secondary market. Despite its low production numbers throughout the decades, only the earliest examples of the watch seem to be of any value to collectors, as sale prices seem to indicate. Unlike most of the early variations of the Tank, the Normale was conspicuously absent in the highly celebrated Collection Privée, Cartier Paris series.

The Tank Normale is certainly an understated, elegant timepiece, which truly transcends time. Although the originating model has seemingly been forgotten, its posterity concretes its status as one of the most important wristwatches of all time.

https://www.watchprosite.com/cartier/the-tank-normale-a-forgotten-icon/886.937323.6476693/

@yokel i blame you...at least you have persuaded me away from @Roger the Dodger influences.

Ive managed to get to 30x37 including lugs and excluding crown...so im not that far above the modest 23x30mm of the 1919....i'll get there (nb for my own guidance as much as anything else).

Sort of an horological diary if you like. To jog my memory.

"The men's sized version of this icon has never changed in size over the years despite its rather long production run. The last incarnation of the watch, released in 1973, remained a modest 23 mm x 30 mm case size, preserving the exact proportions that it was given upon its inception."

...by CF in the same year the Longines 428 (from 1973) of the same age at 30x37 is quiet large as against the 1919 Cartier normale...


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## yokel (Jul 30, 2017)

Nigelp said:


> @yokel i blame you...at least you have persuaded me away from @Roger the Dodger influences.


 Well, at least I can tell Santa I've done one good deed this year :thumbsup:


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

yokel said:


> Well, at least I can tell Santa I've done one good deed this year :thumbsup:


 Yes without any doubt.


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## PC-Magician (Apr 29, 2013)

Nice catch I nearly bought that myself.

Enjoy.


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

PC-Magician said:


> Nice catch I nearly bought that myself.
> 
> Enjoy.


 Thank you finding my feet again...expecting it tomorrow. Rob @mcb2007 told me to stop messing about and buy something right, so i guess its a start.


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

The longines arrived. Its a 1973 from the serial on the mvmt so seeing as i was born on 17th December 1972, its as good as a birth year watch. Its in lovely original condition with excellent case and crown and an original dial (thankfully) confirmed by the expected 46 years of lacquer ageing on one edge. All batons are perfect and it has a lovely applied hourglass logo below the usual Longines script.

Crown is also perfect with no wear to signature or the coin edge finger grip, which is sharp and crisp. Hands are lovely square batons sharp polished and simple in stainless.

Dial itself is a silver grey almost white, with straight line brushed affect rather than sunburst. The overall effect is very understated and elegant.

Case sides are brushed and top edge polished which is about as far as any decoration goes. Crystal is domed acrylic with good gloss and probably original shown with some slight marking on the edges but no cracks. Ill need to be careful with the crystal as i expect it may be brittle now? Though having said that it is a good thickness similar to omega used at the time and it still is crystal clear with no yellowing.

Case back is simple brushed unsigned and as new. With stamped case number.

Ive put it on the fluco hunter racing, which i think suits the 70s style. Although its a simple nd 2 hander being the 428, in this clean cut stainless case and dial it does look quiet sporty if not sports. Its definitely a spectator padock watch rather than a black tie i think. Equally at home on the terrace at Lords. Size wise its very nice for me and feels nice on the wrist (pics of dimensions below).

Im very pleased with it indeed as much as had fun with the seikos this feels a bit more meaningful. Might be time to add a few more similar in style to fill the box....cheers Nigel. Btw its the first mechanical ive had for a while and its a gem of a movement, sets winds and sounds very nicely indeed. ;-)


































































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

I found this Omega while browsing it looks identical to my Longines wonder if omega and longines were sharing cases back in those days? @Karrusel what do you think Alan? Thanks Nigel. Dimensions are same too.

https://www.poshtime.com/501.074/Omega-162.025-c.1968.php


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