Jump to content

ID Longines Admiral Watch (Ronda Movement???)


Recommended Posts

I recently purchased a Longines Admiral watch that I though was an automatic. There is the link to a similar one on eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-LONGINES-WITTNAUER-ADMIRAL-GOLD-FILLED-GENTS-RETRO-AUTOMATIC-WRISTWATCH-/382004003649?hash=item58f1368341:g:qUcAAOSwA3dYgFXu As you can see the one I have is identical to the automatic one on eBay (see photos).

To my dissappointment I have discovered that it is has a Ronda, 1 Jewel quartz movement (labeled "Swiss Parts" that is assembled in the Far East). There is no caliber number on the movement. Also I was expecting a two piece stem but the Ronda has a one piece that i had to force out to remove the movement from the case (only comes out the front).

The inside of the one-piece case states: 
Longines Wittnauer
Star W.C. CO.
10k Gold Filled
2951-505
6912972

Does anyone know the Ronda movement was a replacement for the original Longines movement? OR did Longines sell this watch with the Ronda movement in the 1970s/1980s???
Does the watch have any value if the movement is not the original?

LOngines1.png

LOngines2.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The watch you have should not have a quartz movement fitted if you look at the numbers 2951 is the case style and 505 is the calibre used it will effect the value a great deal depending what you have paid for it, the watch as it stands is a franken watch and someone has retro fitted a quartz movement which is very wrong for the watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bid on two watches, this one and a Ernest Borel kaleidoscope cocktale watch with an automatic movement (This one really does have an automatic movement. I haven't removed the case back but it's supposed to have an ETA 55, 17 jewel movement.)

I paid a total of $350 for both watches. If I can find a Loingines 505 calibre movement and fit it to my Longines would that make it original enough to sell as an unaltered Admiral?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To fit the Ronda I would imagine the dial feet would have been ''chopped off''..while these feet do break off and can be repaired you may need to use double sided tape to get the dial to stay on.

Having said that, I've seen Longines Admiral movements come up for sale complete with dial so you could get lucky (doesn''t make it original but it would satisfy me!) but most of the ones I've seen don't have the crown portion of the two-piece stem so you'll need to buy some parts anyway.

Have you tried to contact the seller? Basically it was misrepesented and you should have the option to return it. (the fact that you had to 'force' the current stem off may cause problems though.)

Anil

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, anilv said:

To fit the Ronda I would imagine the dial feet would have been ''chopped off''..while these feet do break off and can be repaired you may need to use double sided tape to get the dial to stay on.

Having said that, I've seen Longines Admiral movements come up for sale complete with dial so you could get lucky (doesn''t make it original but it would satisfy me!) but most of the ones I've seen don't have the crown portion of the two-piece stem so you'll need to buy some parts anyway.

Have you tried to contact the seller? Basically it was misrepesented and you should have the option to return it. (the fact that you had to 'force' the current stem off may cause problems though.)

Anil

No seller to contact. I bid on an online auction (Alex Cooper) and did not physically inspect the watch. Even if I had inspected the watch before bidding I don't think that the auction house would have let me try to remove the movement (take the crystal off etc.). I guess I could have tried to pull the crown off to see if it was a two-part stem/crown? If I could not have pulled the crown off I would have known that something was not right??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/9/2017 at 3:13 PM, Tracy said:

No seller to contact. I bid on an online auction (Alex Cooper) and did not physically inspect the watch. Even if I had inspected the watch before bidding I don't think that the auction house would have let me try to remove the movement (take the crystal off etc.). I guess I could have tried to pull the crown off to see if it was a two-part stem/crown? If I could not have pulled the crown off I would have known that something was not right??

Seeing the watch running would have been enough, a quartz moves every second but a mechanical moves continously.

Anyway as mentioned all you have to do is to open a claim with PayPal or the card issuer, if you have paid by other means you can only hope that the seller honest or take him to court.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
16 minutes ago, hotshot47 said:

I have this identical watch.  I bought it in Saigon in July 1970.  It still runs and looks great.  What would the value be?

Landed here and subscribed from searching?
Check sites like chrono24.com for a real market estimate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/9/2017 at 11:18 PM, Tracy said:

I bid on two watches, this one and a Ernest Borel kaleidoscope cocktale watch with an automatic movement (This one really does have an automatic movement. I haven't removed the case back but it's supposed to have an ETA 55, 17 jewel movement.)

I paid a total of $350 for both watches. If I can find a Loingines 505 calibre movement and fit it to my Longines would that make it original enough to sell as an unaltered Admiral?

 

I'm sorry for your frustration @Tracy, I think most of us can relate to the gamble that is online buying. If this is within your budget, perhaps this will help you feel better.... I found a fully functional Longines 505 movement for under $200 on the Bay, check your PM's for the link.

 

 

s-l1600 (10).jpg

s-l1600 (11).jpg

 

In my zeal to be helpful, I just realized this post is quite old! Please forgive me if this issue has been long resolved!!!

Edited by FLwatchguy73
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...