During World War II, Longines produced wristwatches for the British Ministry of Defense, such as the acclaimed "Greenlander," one of the Dirty Dozen produced by twelve different watch manufactures starting in 1945.
After the war, the manufacture from the “long meadows” stretched its creative and technical muscles, and in the post-war period did exactly that with a series of watches whose sturdy steel cases belied their oftimes elegant constructions.
The 1950s were a time when many manufactures began to implement new horological innovations and experiment with watch designs. The watches that Longines released following the war reflected the sturdy construction of the Greenlander, but utilized the manufacture’s early automatic wristwatch movements, first released in 1946. From then on, progress was the watchword, and the lines that Longines produced in the 1940s and 1950s bore names like Conquest, Admiral, and Flagship.
Like the Omega Seamaster, the watches in these lines were known for their waterproof cases. Many of these cases required the use of a special Longines-patented wrench that could only be used to remove the case back--which was reflected in language engraved on the back of the case. Though the motive for this move has been lost to the ages, it nevertheless ensured that the case back wouldn't be tampered with, thus guaranteeing the water-resistance upon which Longines prided itself.
This watch, though ostensibly not part of any of the manufacture's named lines, requires the use of an Admiral 1260 wrench (the model name, Admiral, in fancy script). At 34.5mm it's the perfect size for a vintage dress watch, and is certainly thin, but wears larger due to the beefy lugs.
Elegant touches like the applied gold hour markers and Longines logo at twelve o'clock (which the brand still uses) give the watch a refined appearance, but the look is fresh and clean and imminently attractive to modern eyes.
Resonating with a perfect understated style, it suits the thoughtful, fashionable gentleman of today just as well as it did in the 1950s.
