1944/45 WW2 Longines 'Greenlander' WWW 'Dirty Dozen' mechanical hand winding wristwatch
One of the rarest 'Dirty Dozen' - only 5000 issued
£4650.00
Out of stock
This is a very nice example of a rare Longines WWW (Watch, Wristlet, Waterproof) supplied to the British War Department towards the end of the Second World War. Contracts to the same specification were let to 12 manufacturers, of which Longines was one, of what became known as the 'Dirty Dozen'. Much has been written about these watches and there are many sources of information on the internet. Only 5000 Longines WWWs were supplied, making it (along with the Etertna of which 5000 were also supplied) the second rarest of the dozen, behind the Grana. It is widely thought that these watches were issued to the British North Greenland Expedition 1952-54, but there is evidence to say this was not the case. Nevertheless, the name stuck and the Longines WWW is generally nicknamed the 'Greenlander'. These watches only rarely come on to the market for sale.
The watch also has matching numbers, with the lug number being the same as the last four digits of the manufacturer's serial number.
It is also worth noting that of all the WWWs, only the Eterna and Longines have a form of shock protection that mitigates the risk of broken balance staff and cap jewels if the watch suffers violent shock, such as being dropped onto a hard surface. As a result these are the most durable and reliable of the WWWs.
The watch is supplied on a superb quality handmade Def Stan 3 6B/2594 replica strap.
Cosmetically the watch is in good, clean condition. The crystal is very good and has the correct underlay profile and has been polished to remove minor surface scratches. The case and back are in good original condition. The hands and dial are in lovely 'vintage 'condition.
Please refer to the images to make your own judgement about the condition of the watch. The images form an important part of the description.
The original cal. 12.68Z movement is in very clean condition and was fully serviced in January 2024, including a new mainspring.The movement was fully stripped, mechanically and ultrasonically cleaned using waterless solutions and hot air dried. It was reassembled, lubricated and regulated. Images from the service are included in the listing.
The watch is absolutely suitable for everyday use, but it is vintage watch so is not recommended for sports or use in extreme conditions. The watch has not been pressure tested so water resistance is not guaranteed. This watch is covered by our waterproof 6 month guarantee.
Issued: Yes
Issue details: British armed forces cWW2
Date of manufacture: 1944/45
Issue numbers: c5000
Movement: Longines cal12.68z
Diameter: 36mm
Lug width: 17mm
Hacking: No
Case back: Screw down
Screwdown crown: No
Bracelet: Handmade Def Stan 3 replica single pass webbing strap
Other features: Shock protection
One of the rarest 'Dirty Dozen'
5000 issued
Matching lug number
Longines cal 12.87z movement
Serviced with photographic record
Nice condition
Supplied on handmade replica webbing strap
6 months non-waterproof guarantee
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