For sale we have a nice example of a circa 1912/13, Baume & Co imported Longines Enamel dial, silver cased Borgel trench style watch. It has a large 36mm x 36mm case with hinged lugs. Inside it is signed with the Borgel logo and Baume import mark with British hallmarking. It has a neat coin edge bezel, with a bright white enamel dial with Roman numerals and red 12. Inside is a high grade Longines cal 13.56 movement with 18 jewels, which has been recently serviced.
Baume & Co acted as the London agents for Longines from 1976 to the mid 1960s. Arthuer Baume was even listed as an owner and director of Longines in April of 1915.
Longines watches in the British market pre 1927 didn’t have the Longines name on the dial or the movement. This was a quirk of British retailers which would refuse to stock watches with another name on. Baume and Longines were proud of their watches, but needed to be pragmatic and sell within the British market.
The Borgel case is the most well-known patented attempt at water and dust proofing from the early 20th century. The design consists of a solid main section, with the movement contained within a carrier ring, with movement, dial, hands, bezel and crystal. This movement section screws into the solid section of the case. There is a whole in the carrier ring for the stem and pin hand setting. It also has a tube projecting from the case with the winding crown constantly mounted within the end. This is necessary to aid with water/dust proofing and to allow the crown to be pulled out, to turn the bezel and movement section to remove it.
The bezel should never be levered off. The correct method is to pull the crown outwards and hold it out. You then unscrew the movement section via the bezel.
The case is well proportioned. The main body of the case is solid, with hinged lugs and the coin edge bezel unscrewing to expose the movement. The thread is also in good condition with it screwing down as it should. To the right of the case is the traditional large crown tube on the Borgel patent. The onion style crown is original and functions as it should. The lugs are of Longines registered design, dating to 1907.
The enamel dial is original and is in good condition with no chips or serious damage. It is a bright white tone, with simple dash minute markers. The Roman numerals are black with red 12 O’clock. The sub-second dial is neatly in-set into the dial, with 10 second graduations in Arabic numerals.
The watch is presented on a period leather strap which is worn but still has life in it.
The movement is a Longines cal 13.56. It is a high grade 18 jewel movement with gilt finishing, and thermally blued screws. The top jewel bearings for the centre, third and fourth wheel are gold set. It has end stones for the escape wheel. It is a pin set movement.
The movement has been serviced. It’s keeping time to +30 seconds a day, with an amplitude of 350 degrees and a beat error of 0.4m/s.
Full condition report below. Please see the images as these compliment and aid the description provided below.
Dial:
The dial is enamel and is original. It is in good condition with only some slight hairline fractures and no visible chips.
Hands:
The hands have been replaced as the original were badly corroded. They have been replaced with the same spade and whip hands, thermally blued.
Glass:
The acrylic crystal is a modern replacement in perfect condition.
Crown:
The crown is an original Borgel crown which winds the watch as it should and pulls out to unscrew the movement.
Case:
It is a Borgel style case which functions as it should, with no signs of major wear to the thread where the front piece screws in.
The bezel is in good to average condition for the age. It still has the coin edge finish with slight wear. There is a dent to the side of the case above the crown. The case shows some signs of tarnishing but is good for the age. The hinged lugs are good and strong. The top lug appears to have had some repair work as expected with age.
The silver case back is one solid piece which the bezel and movement screws in to. It is in average condition for the age. It has an indentation from wear on a single piece or bund strap throughout its life.
Strap:
The watch comes on a period leather strap which is worn but still has life in it.
Movement:
The movement is a Longines cal 13.56. It is a high grade 18 jewel movement with gilt finishing, and thermally blued screws. The top jewel bearings for the centre, third and fourth wheel are gold set. It has end stones for the escape wheel. It is a pin set movement.
The movement has been serviced. It’s keeping time to +30 seconds a day, with an amplitude of 350 degrees and a beat error of 0.4m/s.
Case dimensions:
Case width: 36mm
Case width with crown: 42mm
Case length: 36mm
Case length lug to lug: 49mm
Case Depth: 12mm
Lug width: 12mm