Vintage Longines ULTRA-CHRON 8073-2 watch Cal 431 circa 1970 Serviced Warranty

SPECIFICATION

Reference: Longines ULTRA-CHRON 8073-2
Movement: cal. 431 36000 bph
Age: Circa 1970
Case Size: 36mm
Case Thickness: 11mm
Lug to Lug: 41mm
Lugs: 18mm
Condition: Used Longines watch
Box & Papers: No
Case Material: Gold plate
Warranty: 12-Months Warranty

POINTS TO MENTION

• In great preowned condition with light wear from use
• Case and bezel have some light scratches and marks
• Fully serviced high Beat 36000 bph automatic movement
• Sunburst dial
• Longines signed crown
• Paired with an unworn brown leather strap

LONGINES ULTRA-CHRON 8353

The Longines Ultra-Chron 8383 is an early 70s Swiss automatic watch powered by the highly regarded Longines Calibre 431. It sits within the brand’s Ultra-Chron line, which was developed during Longines’ push into high-frequency precision watchmaking in the 1970s.

The Cal. 431 is a high-beat movement running at 36,000 vibrations per hour (5 Hz), which was very advanced for its time. Longines promoted this technology as a way to improve accuracy, with claims at the time of around ±2 seconds per day under optimal conditions. This made the Ultra-Chron one of the more precise mechanical watches available in the pre-quartz era.

The 8073 reference has a gold plate case around 35mm, with a slim, understated profile typical of late-1960 early 70s dress watches. It features a clean ??? dial with applied baton indices, a framed date window and simple stick hands.

Inside, the Cal. 431 is a 25-jewel automatic movement, part of Longines’ broader Ultra-Chron development program that began in the mid-1960s. The entire line was a response to the “high-beat race” of the era, competing with other Swiss manufacturers exploring higher-frequency escapements for improved chronometric performance.

THE ULTRA-CHRON

The Longines Ultra-Chron was launched in 1966 to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the company. At that time it was the world's most accurate watch. It was advertised within a “minute a month”. Hi-Beat movements started to be brought to market by the likes of Seiko in their Lord Marvel line Cal. 5740C. The faster oscillating balance was designed to be less vulnerable to shock, making it a better timekeeper. A pleasant side effect was the incredibly smooth seconds hand. Beating at 36,000 beats per hour, Longines developed a new lubricant “molybdenum disulphide” which proved to remain on the parts longer than traditional oil lubricants. The Ultra-Chron line ran for nine years.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Ultra-Chron collection gained attention, especially in the world of high-performance sports. It was known for its ability to keep precise time under extreme conditions. The Ultra-Chron was marketed as a watch capable of providing "ultra" precision, and it helped to solidify Longines' reputation as a manufacturer of quality, high-performance timepieces.

The Ultra-Chron was only produced until the mid-1970s, and examples are therefore hard to come by. Despite their rarity, this reference was produced in a variety of case and lug shapes, materials, and dial variations.

The Longines Ultra-Chron is remembered as one of the pioneering high-frequency mechanical watches and remains a symbol of Longines' ongoing commitment to precision and craftsmanship. Its introduction helped shape the trajectory of watchmaking in the mid-20th century, especially in the context of high-performance mechanical timepieces.

While the Ultra-Chron may not be as widely recognized as other iconic Longines models, it holds a special place in horological history, marking a significant leap in mechanical watchmaking technology

OUR THOUGHTS

This Longines 8073-2 is its rare seen gold-plated case, which makes it a rarer and more distinctive example of the model. The warm gold finish gives the watch a timeless elegance, while the fact that it houses the high-beat calibre 431 makes it much more interesting to me than an ordinary vintage dress watch. I really like the combination of its understated design, rarity and the engineering behind the movement, as it feels like a small piece of Longines history from an important period in mechanical watchmaking.