Basel Preview: Longines Twenty-Four Hours
In the 1950s Longines supplied watches to the Swiss national airline, Swissair. These timepieces, developed specifically for aviators, had a distinctive 24-hour dial. This feature met the needs of navigators who, at the time, had to determine the position of the aircraft and set up a flight plan. Longines will re-issue this watch with the official launch at Baselworld 2011. The new version has been given the name Longines Twenty-Four Hours. In 2009, Harry Hofmann, a retired navigator from the old Swissair, visited the Longines Museum. He took advantage of this visit to present the company with a Longines watch that he used to wear when he was working for Swissair. This watch is one of those Longines created for Swissair navigators during the 1950s.An original Longines aviation watch from the 1950s. The watch that Harry Hofmann wore when he was a navigator for Swissair, flying DC-4s, DC-6s, DC-7s, DC-8s and Coronados up until 1974, bears the number 8237331. It is fitted with a Longines

4N MVT01/D01/42 Watch
Poor us who would love to wear this watch but cannot afford it (now or ever). A truly cool design that I think will appeal to a legion of watch lovers and traditionally non-watch lovers, alike. The time is told in a simple digital manner on four discs. Because there are four numerals (assume it said like 11:25 for the full four numbers). And this is why the brand is called 4N. I think it is sort of funny how brands come about with a plan of just selling one watch. Basically, all future 4N watches can only have 4 numerals right? You see this type of one watch brand pretty often in the watch world. Once in a while, the brand does well enough to make more models.The model name of the watch is something a bit weird like 4N-MVT01/D01/42 - at least I think. I am just going to call it the 4N, just like I call the Cabestan Vertical Tourbillon Winch watch, the Cabestan watch. Inside the 4N watch is the MVT01 movement. Which is not a particularly clever way of indicating that it is their first m

Speedmaster, Hexalite vs Sapphire?
Looking at getting a Speedmaster. Leaning towards the Hexalite Domed crystal version with SS case back, compared to the Sandwich Sapphire Crstal case.Any opinions on the Hexalite model. Seems more true to the original, I like the engraved case back and the domed crystal. How easy to polish out crystal scratches?Anyone swim often with their Speedy? (I hear different opinions on this)Have to admit, also like the new Brown Dialed Speedys. Kind of gives it a worn patina look. Cheers!

Discounts on 5167r? And 5167r vs 116618lb (blue dial)?
Hello everyone,I've been waiting for the 5711 blue dial, but with the recent news of the price increase, I'm starting to consider other options (should've gotten the white dial when it was offered to me a couple months back ).I'm considering the 5167r model instead, and was wondering what the typical discount would be on this piece nowadays.Also, when compared to the submariner gold blue dial, which of the two do you guys prefer?Thanks and hope everyone has a great day.

Should never have tried one on.....
.... but Melbourne is way too tempting ....