Longines 23Z Watch Steel — Patinated Dial, Archive Extract (1951)
Only 1 available
Payment by bank transfer: -3%
Shipping from Europe — taxes and customs duties are the buyer's responsibility outside the EU
Lifetime authenticity guarantee
Movement checked & guaranteed for 1 year
International shipping
Photo taken on a 17.5 cm wrist
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Atelier Note
A dial that seventy-five years have speckled like aged paper, two syringe hands, and a date precise to the very day: September 10, 1951, recorded in the Saint-Imier archives.
A Longines vintage watch from 1951, dated to the exact day by its archives
This Longines vintage watch is dated with rare precision. The Longines archive extract that accompanies it places it on September 10, 1951, sold to Bessire, the brand's distributor in Belgium. Longines, founded in Saint-Imier in 1832, has preserved the register of its movements since the 19th century, and it is from this register that the manufacture establishes its extracts, based on the serial number. Few watches from 1951 arrive with such a precise birth date. On the dial, beneath the name, the winged hourglass registered in 1889.
Its silvered dial bears seventy-five years of patina: warm speckling spread across the entire surface, drawn by time alone and impossible to reproduce on any other example. It reprises the vocabulary of military watches from the 1940s: twelve Arabic numerals, a peripheral minute track, two syringe hands whose luminous material has been restored in a cream tone, and a sub-seconds register at six o'clock, engraved with concentric circles.
The steel 33mm case, 43mm Lug-to-lug and 10.9mm thick, takes its proportions from the 1950s: a restrained diameter, long tapered lugs that elongate the watch on the wrist, an original steel crown beneath an acrylic Crystal. The Longines 23Z calibre, a 17-jewel hand-wound mechanical movement with sub-seconds, was serviced in 2023 by our partner watchmakers and is guaranteed for one year. The watch is fitted with a textured brown leather strap and a steel pin buckle, both later additions.
Three points to note
01
Dated to the exact day — Longines archive extract: September 10, 1951, sold to Bessire, distributor for Belgium.
02
Dial patina — seventy-five years of warm speckling on the silvered surface, unique to this example.
03
In-house 23Z calibre — hand-wound, 17 jewels, sub-seconds, in a 33mm steel case with long lugs.
Why choose a Longines vintage watch?
This Longines vintage watch holds a precise place among men's and women's vintage watches : its 33mm size can be worn by both men and women, and it brings together everything a collector expects from a post-war piece: an in-house calibre, an original dial marked by time, and an archive document dating it to the exact day. A documented Swiss vintage mechanical watch, in the spirit of military watches.
Like all our vintage mechanical watches, this one has been opened and inspected by our partner watchmakers: movement checked, dial, hands and case examined. Every vintage watch we offer comes with an Atelier Victor invoice serving as a certificate, a one-year guarantee, and guaranteed lifetime authenticity.
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Technical specifications
- Brand: Longines
- Model: Sub-seconds, military style
- Year: 1951 (Longines archive extract, September 10, 1951)
- Origin: Switzerland (Saint-Imier)
- Gender: Men's and women's watch (Unisex)
- Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, Longines calibre 23Z, 17 jewels, serviced in 2023
- Functions: Hours, minutes, sub-seconds
- Case: Steel, round, steel caseback
- Diameter: 33mm (34.9mm with crown)
- Lug to lug: 43mm
- Thickness: 10.9mm
- Lug width: 16mm
- Crown: Steel, original
- Dial: Patinated silvered, Arabic numerals, minute track, sub-seconds at 6 o'clock, original
- Hands: Syringe, restored luminescence, original
- Crystal: Acrylic (condition 9/10)
- Strap: Brown lizard leather, not original
- Buckle: Steel pin buckle, not original
Condition and guarantee
- Overall condition: Good condition for its age. The original dial shows a pronounced, even patina, born of time and unique to this example. The syringe hands are original, and their luminescence has been restored. The steel case shows the signs of wear of a watch that has been worn, as shown in our unretouched photographs. Crystal acrylic crystal in very good condition (9/10).
- Water resistance: Not guaranteed (vintage watch)
- Authenticity: Lifetime guarantee
- Mechanical: Calibre 23Z serviced in 2023, guaranteed for 1 year
- Included: Longines archive extract, Atelier Victor invoice, protective case
- Not included: Original box and papers
Frequently asked questions
What is a Longines archive extract?
A document issued by Longines in Saint-Imier, based on the movement serial number: in it, the manufacture confirms, according to its records, the caliber, the date, and the recipient of the watch when it left the workshops. For this example, it states 10 September 1951 and Bessire, the brand's distributor in Belgium. It is provided with the watch.
Is it a military watch?
Its dial uses the military codes, Arabic numerals, minute track, luminescent syringe hands, and sub-seconds, but the archive extract shows it was sold in 1951 to a civilian distributor in Belgium. A military-style watch, born after the war, rather than an issued watch.
Are the dial and hands original?
The dial is original and has never been restored: its speckling was created by time over seventy-five years, and no dial ages in exactly the same way twice. The syringe hands are original; their luminescent material, however, has been restored in a cream shade, a common intervention on watches from the 1950s whose original luminescence no longer lasts.
What is the Longines 23Z caliber?
A 17-jewel hand-wound mechanical movement, manufactured by Longines itself, with sub-seconds; its central seconds version is called the 23ZS. It equips many Longines watches from the 1950s. This one was serviced in 2023 by our partner watchmakers, with complete disassembly, cleaning, oiling, and adjustment, and it is guaranteed for one year.
Is this piece suitable for a slim or larger wrist?
With a 33mm diameter, 43mm Lug-to-lug, and 10.9mm thickness, it suits wrists of approximately 15 to 18cm — a guide, never a rule: everyone wears what they like. Its long lugs give it on the wrist the presence of a watch larger than its diameter. The Lug width measures 16mm, which makes it easy to change the strap.
Mechanical warranty — 1 year
Each watch is inspected by our watchmakers before shipping. In case of a mechanism malfunction during the first year, we cover the repair.
Authenticity warranty — lifetime
If a watch turns out to be non-authentic, we will take it back and refund you in full. Without time limit.
What is not covered
- Exposure to water or humidity
- Shocks, impacts, or vibrations
- Consumable parts (strap, Crystal, crown, pushers)
- Battery replacement (quartz movements)
- Opening or disassembly of the watch by a third party
- Improper use
The accuracy of vintage watches varies according to the model, movement, and year of production. A request for accuracy improvement deemed within acceptable tolerances cannot be covered by the warranty.
Shipping fees
After-sales service is free. Shipping fees outside the United Arab Emirates remain the responsibility of the customer.
Authentication Process
Each watch is examined by our partner watchmakers before being offered for sale: verification of authenticity, checking the conformity of the components, identification of any modification or replacement of original parts.
If any element has been replaced during the life of the watch (dial, hands, crown, Crystal, strap), we systematically indicate it in the product sheet. You buy knowing the exact history of your piece.
Certificate of Authenticity
Your Atelier Victor invoice serves as a certificate of authenticity: it attests to the origin and conformity of the piece, and is covered by our lifetime authenticity guarantee — if a piece sold by Atelier Victor were found to be non-authentic, it would be fully refunded, with no time limit.
We accept several payment methods:
- Bank card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
- Bank transfer (AED, EUR, USD)
- Cryptocurrency (USDT, USDC)
- PayPal
Other currencies accepted upon request. Exchange fees of approximately 3% may apply.
A 3% discount is granted for any payment by bank transfer from €1,000.
Does the strap not suit you? Add the strap of your choice to your order: we will fit it to your watch before shipment, at no fitting charge.
International Shipping
Shipped within 48 to 72 business hours by DHL Express or an equivalent carrier depending on the destination. Delivery in 2 to 6 business days. Each shipment is insured and delivered against signature.
- Free delivery from €1,000 of purchase, as well as on the Jewelry Atelier Victor
- Tracking number sent as soon as the shipment is dispatched
- For certain destinations, delivery may be made to a secure collection point in order to guarantee the integrity of the shipment
Pickup in Dubai
Hand delivery by appointment in Downtown, Dubai. Make an appointment.
Taxes and Customs
The shipping origin is indicated on each product sheet. If the delivery country differs from the shipping country, customs duties and taxes may apply upon receipt, at the buyer's expense. In exceptional situations, customs checks may extend the delivery time, regardless of our wishes and those of the carrier.
For full details, please consult our shipping policy.
FINAL SALES
All sales are final: no return, exchange, or cancellation is accepted after order confirmation. Each piece is authenticated, inspected, and described in detail before being offered for sale.
BEFORE PURCHASE
Our advisors remain at your disposal for any questions and can send you additional photographs or videos upon simple request, by email or on WhatsApp.
NON-CONFORMING ITEM
In the exceptional case of an item that does not match its listing, please notify us within 72 hours: it will be eligible for a refund or an exchange. If the parcel shows damage upon delivery, it should be refused or its opening filmed continuously.
For full details, please consult our return policy.
A piece selected by Atelier Victor
Authenticated, inspected, and photographed by our team. As each sale is final, our team remains available 7 days a week on WhatsApp to answer your questions, share additional photos, or a video of the piece in hand — so that you can make your choice with complete peace of mind.
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