Longines Diver Chronograph

There is perhaps no more versatile complication than the chronograph.

From race cars to rocket ships, boats to battlefields, you are likely to find a chronograph being employed to measure a plethora of tasks and times. From the Greek khrónos (‘time’) and gráphō (‘to write’), a chronograph is a watch that has the ability to record time, generally via the addition of small sub-counters that register minutes and hours.

Though many storied brands produced notable chronographs during the complication’s heyday from the 1930s through the 1970s, numerous other firms fell by the wayside during the Quartz Crisis, folding completely and disappearing or being rolled up into conglomerates that pillaged their stores of parts. Thankfully, collector-favorite marque Longines is still alive and kicking, situated as one of the Swatch Group’s strongest mid-tier brands.

This particular Longines Reference 8224-4 diver chronograph from the late 1960s is a perfect example of the company's excellent offerings from the heyday of the tool watch: Housed in a 43mm stainless steel cushion case with a radially brushed surface, a neat 14-sided bezel, a signed crown, dual integrated pump pushers, and an acrylic crystal, it features a wildly cool, Singer-made matte-black dial with an outer rotating elapsed time bezel in white and orange; luminous, applied 'baton' indices; a luminous 'baton' handset with a white minute hand and an orange central chronograph seconds hand; and a triple-register chronograph display with white totalizers and black 'exotic' typography.

Powered by the hand-wound Longines Calibre 330 based upon the venerable Valjoux 72 movement, this incredibly diver's chronograph from the late 1960s combines 'Paul Newman' Daytona aesthetics with the functionality of a tank-like dive watch housing. Paired to a signed stainless steel multi-link bracelet with brushed and polished surfaced and a Longines-signed clasp, it’s just the type of fun tool watch that makes for a perfect weekender — or an excellent everyday option for the more aesthetically adventurous collector.

Founded in 1832 in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, Longines was at the sharp end of the watchmaking spear during the beginnings of modern horology. Constantly innovating, the company devised some of the most important wristwatches of the 20th century. Indeed, by 1919, Longines was the official supplier of timepieces for the International Aeronautical Federation, working to develop highly accurate navigation chronometers for many of the era's great aviation pioneers.

Most famous among Longines' forays into navigation pieces is the Lindbergh Hour Angle watch, a wristwatch designed by famed aviator Charles Lindberg in conjunction with the brand to allow aviators to calculate, with the help of a sextant and a known latitude, their exact geographic location.

From the 1930s to the 1950s, Longines also released a series of stunning time-only watches. Often referred to as “Calatravas” after the iconic model by Patek Philippe, most of these watches had thin stainless steel cases at 32-35mm, standard sizes for the time. Like the Patek Philippe Calatrava, these timepieces were known for their perfect proportions and the elegant simplicity of their designs.

But it wasn’t just time-only watches that drew the attention of clients the world over — particularly in the Americas: The company’s caliber 13ZN, first released in 1936, is widely regarded as one of the finest chronograph movements ever devised by any brand. This development would form the basis of work in sports timing, in which Longines developed timepieces with flyback functionality as well as 1/100th-second counters.

Today, Longines produces a remarkable number of watches annually — over 1.5 million of them — and rakes in over $1B in annual revenue through the sale of everything from simple quartz watches to sophisticated moon phases and chronographs. Incredibly, they produced their 51 millionth timepiece in 2019 and in some ways, it feels like the brand is just getting started.

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Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.