Longines Art Deco Watch 'IWC Napolean Case'

From 1888 to 1956, IWC Co, or Illinois Watch Case Company was one of the most respected names in the industry. Known for outfitting many of the industry’s most notable manufactures with case componentry and designs, the brand was a popular collaborator with Longines.

What we see here today is an outgrowth of this union. Bringing the expert case manufacturing of IWC Co. to the watchmaking prowess of Longines and the early century designs of the 1900s, we are met with an incredible offering. This incredible piece features a Napolean-style case, and has the numerals of the dial set on the bezel, allowing the dial to maintain fantastic legibility and size in spite of the more modest proportions of the watch.

This is an incredibly innovative and design-forward way of orienting a watch, and helps this piece stand out even in a modern context.

Outfitted with a 10L manually-wound movement, this piece has the satisfying audible and tactile feedback of 1900s hand cranking movements, and is a true joy to wind. The watch industry sadly no longer makes watches of this kind, and we must look back in the archive to find horological gems like these to enjoy. This piece is a wonderful snapshot of watchmaking from the previous century, and speaks more broadly to all that made the early 1900s exciting from a cultural perspective as well. A bit rebellious, irreverent in design, but still tasteful in the aggregate, this is a really cool watch that gets a lot right. This is an important opportunity to own a relevant part of horological history packaged in a fun format. 

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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Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

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 one-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.