Paying tribute to the accomplishments of aviation’s pioneers, Swiss watch brand Longines has drawn inspiration from its rich history to present a very special piece: The Longines Avigation Watch Type A-7 1935. At the start of the 20th century, the watch brand associated its name with pilots who made history through their extraordinary achievements. Chief among them was Charles Lindbergh, the first pilot to cross the Atlantic solo, an achievement celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2017. Precision and sturdiness were the key words for the design of the “Type A-7” watches, which needed to meet very precise criteria in order to merit this distinction; the American army gave to these chronographs ordered from Longines in 1935.
The Longines Avigation Watch Type A-7 1935 sets itself apart with its dial angled at 40° to the right, displaying 12 large honey-coloured Arabic numerals. These allow perfect legibility and contrast with the polished white lacquer dial. Lastly, a “train track” chapter ring ensures the minutes can be easily read and the timepiece’s case is elegantly equipped with a fluted crown. Developed for the watch to be worn on the inside of the wrist, the particular orientation of the dial allows pilots to read the indices without having to release the plane’s control yoke, while the crown was designed to be easily manipulated, even while wearing gloves.
A bold piece combining unparalleled design with the strict demands of performance and precision fundamental to the world of aviation, the Longines Avigation Watch Type A-7 1935 will not go unnoticed. The 41 mm stainless steel case houses a self-winding L788.2 calibre, a column wheel movement exclusively developed for Longines which enables control of the different chronograph functions (power, stop, and reset) by simply pressing the single push-piece inserted into the fluted crown. Elegant “pear skeleton” hands in blued steel and honeyed varnish complete the remarkable aesthetic of this piece. A brown alligator strap harmoniously enhances the overall piece.
Technical details
Model: The Longines Avigation Watch Type A7 1935
Reference number: L2.812.4.23.2/4
Movement
Calibre L788.2 (ETA A08.L11)
Automatic winding mechanical movement with single push-piece and column wheel chronograph mechanism
13¼ lines, 27 jewels, 28’800 alternations per hour
54-hour power reserve
Functions
Hours, minutes, small second and date at 6 o’clock
Chronograph
– Central 60-second hand
– 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock
Case
Round, 41 mm, stainless steel
Single push-piece integrated into the crown
Sapphire crystal with several layers of anti-reflective treatment
Water resistance: Up to 3 bar (30 meters)
Dial
White lacquered polished, angled at 40° to the right
12 honey-coloured Arabic numerals
Hands
Blued steel, honey-coloured varnish (hours, minutes)
Blued steel (small seconds)
Strap
Brown alligator strap with buckle
