1949 Longines Mono-Pusher Stop-Second Chronograph (Cal. 12.68Z) 10k Gold Filled "American Airlines"

Most enthusiasts recognize the Longines cal. 13ZN as the cornerstone for early Longines movement making and for good reason, however, the cal. 12.86Z was produced by Longines around the same time and is also an incredible movement but it just doesn’t receive the same level of recognition.

The cal. 12.86Z was based on the cal. 12L platform and is a mono-pusher stop-seconds flyback chronograph movement, similar to the 13Z, though the 12.86Z featured a central minute-counter hand in blued steel that worked in conjunction with the central chronograph hand. An operation that closely resembles an Omega Chronostop however Longines designed this movement far earlier in the 20th century. The cal. 12.67Z movements were also fitted into military-issued timepieces during the Second World War for pilots and aviators as a reliable source for tracking the timing of multiple events.

Regardless of the prestige the movement encased in this Longines holds, the story of the watch is engraved into the case back. This 10k Gold-filled Longines Cal. 12.68Z is engraved with the American Airlines logo of the same era in which it was produced, likely awarded as a gift to pilots or staff alike for their service to the company.