It is always special when one can trace the history of a watch back to its origins. One can typically do this when looking at things like reference numbers, serial numbers, and manufactures. But it is even more special when the history of the watch, where it was during its’ life, and maybe some details about its owner can be discovered.

The watch today is a time-only watch from Longines. The watch was manufactured in 1957. The watches case is stamped with the number “1053”. Based on additional details about the watch that we will cover later, the watch was sold in the USA. Longines did not utilize reference numbers for most of the watches sold in the USA market, but one can find cases stamped with the number 1053 that look similar to this watch, so we can at least say that the case reference is 1053.

To describe the watch further, the watch has a 10k gold filled case. One can see the stamp describing the case metal on the caseback that sits next to a stamp that says “S&W”. This stamp describes the case manufacturer of the watch. The watch has manufactured by Schwab & Wuischpard Case Co. Schwab & Wuischpard was founded between the 1920’s and 1930’s and was located in Manhattan, New York. They were originally located across the street from the UN, but later relocated to Woodside, NY. They manufactured cases for companies like Hamilton, Elgin, Longines, Girard Perregaux, and Rolex. They closed their doors in 1963.

The case is in overall good condition. The 33mm case is thin and has equally thin and relatively long lugs. The case has a two piece construction; the bottom section of the case is integrated with the lugs and has a concave section where the movement sits. The crystal and upper portion of the case can be removed for easy access to the dial and movement for servicing.

The watch has a silver dial with applied hour markers and printed Longines logo and name. The watch has a cross-hashed, subsidiary seconds dial. The seconds dial is recessed, giving the fairly simple watch dial additional dimension. The watch has a thin crown that is signed with the Longines logo.

Before diving into additional watch case markings, let’s look at the movement and inside caseback. The watch runs on the caliber 23Z manual wind movement. The caliber 23 movement is a fairly historic movement for Longines. It was introduced in 1948 and was an upgrade from its predecessor, the caliber 10.68Z that was introduced in 1925. To upgrade the movement, the movement had a shock resistance system and anti-magnetic protection added which were both concepts that were made extremely evident after World War II. It is also quite historic considering how much of an impact the War had on European economies, so to release a new caliber so close afterwards was astonishing. There were two versions of the caliber, the 23Z which is equipped with subsidiary seconds and the 23ZS that features a center seconds.

On the bridge that suspends the balance wheel, one can see an engraving that reads “LXW”. This inscription was the import code used by the Longines Wittnauer group when they imported movements from Switzerland to the USA. So, it is likely this movement was put together in Switzerland, shipped and imported to the USA. It then met up with it’s case that was manufactured by New York based Schwab & Wuischpard.

With the movement removed, one can see the inside caseback markings. At the top, one will see the case reference 1053. Then, one will see the traditional markings from the Longines-Wittnauer Watch Company that operated out of New York and Montreal. Wittnauer was a successful brand in the USA, and was acquired by Longines in 1950, just after World War II where they became a distribution partner for Longines. In 1969, Longines-Wittnauer was sold to Westinghouse Electric Corporation and in 1994, Longines ended their distribution relationship with Wittnauer. But, during their partnership, many different models hit the market that are of interest to collectors today. Additionally, you will see the S&W stamp, referencing the case maker, and the case metal stamp.

Turning over the watch, one can discover additional details about the watch. The caseback is engraved with a dedication: EA Bruce NCO Club Employees 6-29-59. This dedication opens up a world of information about the origins of this watch. Clearly the watch was a gift to an EA Bruce in 1959. On the search for who EA Bruce was, one will stumble on an article in the Windward Marine from 1958. The article describes that $60,000 was given to transform an “old commissary building into a modern staff NCO club”. Additionally, a MSgt. E. A. Bruce, club manager, was quoted to say "The new club will give us, the club staff and myself, an opportunity to put into effect the many plans we have contemplated over the past year. Our primary aim is to make the Staff NCO's and their dependents comfortable and help them enjoy the many conveniences offered." Bingo! We found our EA Bruce.

It appears that EA Bruce was a Master Sergeant in the US Marine Corps based at the US Marine Corps Air Station in Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii USA. It also looks like he was the club manager of the NCO club there. Looking online, it looks like there still is an NCO club existing there today.

Piecing together the details about this watch, it seems that this watch was a gift to Master Sergeant Bruce from the the NCO Club Employees. Details about when the transformation of the commissary building with the $60,000 was completed are unknown, but being that this watch was gifted in 1959, one could imagine that it might have been newly opened when this watch was gifted. Perhaps it was gifted for Master Sergeant Bruce’s contributions to its opening.

We also now know that this watch started it’s life off on the wrist of a gentleman in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. So the movement of this watch was likely manufactured in Switzerland in 1957, based on the movement serial number, and imported to the USA market, based on the import code LXW. It’s case was manufactured in New York by Schwab and Wuischpard and then combined with the caliber 23Z movement. Then it was likely distributed to the Hawaii market, sold, and gifted in 1959. Talk about an incredible journey the watch went on - and that is only up until its original sale!

It truly is incredible when details like this emerge abut a watch. It gives the watch additional meaning to its owner, whether it is the original owner or a collector who has fallen in love with the watch. Keeping this alive is what makes watch collecting so special.

Enjoy!