Longines Classic Oversize

The 1940s were a particularly fascinating decade for Longines. While the manufacture is rightly celebrated for its chronographs and military watches, its time-only production deserves equal attention. These watches represented the more formal side of Longines’ catalogue, combining restrained design, high-quality movements and cases that could be remarkably sophisticated for their time.

One of the most interesting aspects of 1940s Longines is case size. The wristwatch market was still dominated by relatively small watches, particularly in the dress category. Against that background, a 37 mm case was genuinely oversized. Contemporary Longines examples from the same period show just how unusual this dimension was, with 37 mm examples specifically described by auction houses and specialists as large for their era.

This makes the present Ref. 23661-129 particularly compelling. Dating to 1945 and measuring 37 mm, it belongs to a small but important group of Longines time-only watches that anticipated, decades in advance, the larger proportions that collectors would eventually come to appreciate in vintage watches.

The size is not simply a specification on paper. It fundamentally changes the character of the watch. The generous case allows the dial to occupy a much stronger visual presence, while the two-tone construction introduces a subtle contrast between the different metals. The result is elegant without being delicate, and formal without feeling undersized on a modern wrist.

This is precisely why the oversized Longines watches of the 1940s are becoming increasingly interesting to collectors. Their appeal lies in the combination of period authenticity and surprisingly contemporary proportions. A 37 mm watch from 1945 does not need to be interpreted through modern standards: it was already an exceptional size when it was made.

The Ref. 23661-129 is therefore an excellent example of a less obvious side of Longines collecting. It is not a complicated watch, nor does it rely on military provenance or a celebrated chronograph calibre. Its strength is in its proportions, construction and historical context — a beautifully restrained 1945 Longines with an unmistakably oversized 37 mm case.

The watch was professionally serviced in July 2026, adding a practical dimension to an already compelling piece of mid-century Swiss watchmaking.