{"product_id":"vintage-longines-ultra-chron-8073-2-watch-cal-431-circa-1960s-serviced-warranty","title":"Vintage Longines ULTRA-CHRON 8073-2 watch Cal 431 circa 1970 Serviced Warranty","description":"\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSPECIFICATION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReference\u003c\/strong\u003e: Longines ULTRA-CHRON 8073-2\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMovement\u003c\/strong\u003e: cal. 431 36000 bph\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge\u003c\/strong\u003e: Circa 1970\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCase Size\u003c\/strong\u003e: 36mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCase Thickness\u003c\/strong\u003e: 11mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLug to Lug\u003c\/strong\u003e: 41mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLugs\u003c\/strong\u003e: 18mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e: Used Longines watch\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBox \u0026amp; Papers:\u003c\/strong\u003e No\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCase Material\u003c\/strong\u003e: Gold plate\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWarranty\u003c\/strong\u003e: 12-Months Warranty\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePOINTS TO MENTION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn great preowned condition with light wear from use\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCase and bezel have some light scratches and marks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFully serviced high Beat 36000 bph automatic movement\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSunburst dial\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLongines signed crown\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePaired with an unworn brown leather strap\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLONGINES ULTRA-CHRON 8353\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTHE ULTRA-CHRON\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eDuring 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhile 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\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOUR THOUGHTS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Past2PresentWatches","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":62646526968195,"sku":"LUC5052WO","price":795.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0783\/2397\/4423\/files\/longines-ultra-chron-8073-gold-front-_4.jpg?v=1789732316","url":"https:\/\/past2presentwatches.com\/products\/vintage-longines-ultra-chron-8073-2-watch-cal-431-circa-1960s-serviced-warranty","provider":"Past2PresentWatches","version":"1.0","type":"link"}