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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Movement record · Switzerland

Longines Calibre 13ZN

Needs research

A highly regarded pre-war and post-war column-wheel chronograph movement, valued by collectors for its finishing and its flyback function on certain references.

Technical specifications

Diameter
Approx. 29 mm (13 lignes)
Height
Not fully documented in accessible sources
Jewels
Approx. 17–19
Frequency
18,000 vph (2.5 Hz)
Power reserve
Approx. 36–40 hours
Winding
Hand wind
Setting
Pull-out crown
Escapement
Swiss lever
Balance
Bimetallic balance with Breguet overcoil on the finest examples
Complications
Column-wheel chronograph, Flyback function on some references

Identification features

  • Column-wheel control
  • Longines winged-hourglass signature on the bridge

Known variants

  • Flyback and non-flyback versions

Servicing notes

Specialist vintage-chronograph servicing recommended; original parts are scarce.

General guidance only. Antique movements should be serviced by a qualified watchmaker.

Historical significance

One of the most collected pre-war chronograph movements, often cited alongside contemporary Universal Genève and Patek Philippe chronograph calibres.

Related photographs

Longines Golden Watch
Longines Golden Watch — Jorge Barrios Riquelme, CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Longines 4 Grand Prix pocket watch - clockwork visible - enhanced resolution DSF3402-PSMS
Longines 4 Grand Prix pocket watch - clockwork visible - enhanced resolution DSF3402-PSMS — Franz van Duns, CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons file page

No confidently matched photograph of this subject has been found yet. These photographs show a closely related record, and are not examples of the type described on this page.

Sources & references

  1. Longines heritage literature
  2. Collector references vary on precise technical specification

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.