Longines WWII Tre-Tacche

In our opinion, Longines doesn't quite get the respect that it deserves.

That is not to say that the firm isn't held in high regard. But the level of innovation, craftsmanship, and design that Longines has demonstrated over the course of its existence simply cannot be understated, and certainly extends to a wide variety of timepieces across the board.

"Tre-Tacche" watches from the late 1930s and 1940s in particular have developed a cult-like following amongst vintage enthusiasts. The name references its unique three-notch caseback which requires a special tool to remove, but the watch itself is perhaps the most pure execution of a no-frills robust "tool" watch before that designation ever existed.

Dating to the 1940s, this smaller Tre-Tacche features a 25mm stainless steel case with a stepped bezel, strong lugs, an unsigned crown, and an acrylic crystal. Its patinated silver dial, meanwhile, boasts an outer open minute track, applied 'Arabic' indices, a classic 'feuille' handset, and a sub-seconds display above 6 o'clock. Signed 'Longines' in the firm's vintage-style serif signature, it's a picture of simplicity and legibility.

Flip this piece over, however, and its true character is revealed: Hand-engraved into the triple-notched caseback is the name of Robert O. Hayes and his U.S. military serial number. Hayes enlisted to the Army Air Corps into 1942 as a private in Peoria, IL — a fact we can confirm given the serial number listed clearly in the engraving.

Powered by a hand-wound Longines movement and paired to a vintage stainless steel bracelet from Speidel, this supremely cool tool watch proves that Tre-Tacche and Sei-Tacche watches were, in fact, commonly worn by servicemen during the War...and that they weren't afraid to wear smaller watches! Perfect today as a ladies' piece — or as a man's watch for someone who, like Hayes, was perfectly comfortable with a smaller case — it's a supremely cool bit of horological and military history.

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 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.