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Ultra-Chron 431
Hi Andrew,
I too was very interested in Lukas's posting as I have a Flagship Ultra-Chron as well.
It was in need of a service when I bought it about 17 years ago, and since then I have it looked after by an ex IWC master watchmaker in Schaffhausen, Switzerland and it's performance is absolutely top class.
It is a 431 with a movement number of 50669121 and is a little unusual insofar as it is inscribed Flagship where others seem to have Ultra-Chron marked.
Also its date window is between 4 and 5 o' clock - not 3 o' clock. The watch itself has a nice slim steel case and lugs, and the removable back is marked Longines Ultra-Chron.
You mentioned the winding on yours being not too reliable, may I ask if you can hear any frictional sound on auto-winding? Because a long time ago I had the same problem which was traced the the movement's incorrect location in the case. After this was adjusted the winding was nearly always at maximum.
The watch is very reliable indeed and is accurate to +2 seconds a day as originally advertised! What people were talking about, saying that the 431 had reliability problems I have no idea. Properly looked after this is one of the great timepieces.
Maybe I shall post some photos.
Ian
Ultra-Chron – when no ordinary chronometer will do
The Longines Ultra-Chron automatic high-beat-rate wristwatch was introduced in 1967 to mark the 100 year anniversary of the company which was founded in 1867. Longines went on to produce several variations of the Ultra-Chron, including different case shap...
Thank for sharing, I heard about....
This watch have 2 barrels, in which one is unlimited to wind(usually install in automatic watch) and the other one is limited to wind as fully wounding (usually install in manual winding watch). This design result in higher torque... one advantage of muti...
Longines Cal. 990
Hi Ogygia, You are correct that a stable high energy, high torque power supply is required for these fast-beat movements. The Cal. 43X series in the Ultra-Chron had a single barrel with a longer and thicker mainspring. Longines did produce twin-barrel wat...
Holy guacamole! That's a fine example of high-performance . . .
. . . time-keeping machinery from the Golden Age of watchmaking, Andrew . . . a great acquisition, and many thanks for the comments and photos. I have good reason to believe that there will be a companion piece on the boards sometime soon ;-) . . . cordia...
Andrew, the Ultra-Chron was without a doubt Longines flagship model
very much like the Constellation for Omega. whether it was released in direct competition is hard to say, but every one i have seen has been adjusted to 4 positions and temp although not many were certified chronometers. in my previous comment to you abou...
The 1970’s were cool, but …
Thanks Graham, I was attracted to the simplicity of this Ultra-Chron and you are correct that into the 1970’s there were some rather gaudy designs that have dated excessively. Still fun to collect, but not watches I would wear regularly. This partic...
Very nice, Andrew...
that's a fine example, and report. I have one which is being serviced at the moment, but I've included a photo below. One interesting tidbit from Heinz Hampel's valuable "Automatic Wristwatches" book is as follows: "Since the long-term reliability of thes...
Range …
Brilliant Tony, There were really a lot of variants and, as Graham comments above, they got more outlandish as the 70’s ramped up. The average price for the steel models is around 75,000 yen, which seems like quite a high price, but we would need more inf...
Yes...
the dial is a really attractive (to my eye) linen. In fact, that was the main reason that I went for it, though I do have a soft spot for vintage Longines as well. And I agree that the hands are both cool, and unusual. The Ultra-Chrons are notoriously fin...
Great post, Andrew and a fine watch
That is a handsome watch, from back when Longines was really something. I have been looking for a 6952 powered watch for ages. Not to buy but just to see the mechanism that hacks the hand at 12 (I have seen watches with a little pin at the 12 to stop the ...
Cal. 69XX
Thanks, BJ It’s my first Longines and there was an immediate affinity. It looks like the Longines Cal. 69XX family consisted of the following movements: Cal. 6902: no second Cal. 6912: no second, date Cal. 6922: sub second Cal. 6942: sweep second Ca...
“Needs no batteries …”
“… just a flick of the wrist makes it go” Contemporary advertising: Credit: Richard Askham...
A shot in the foot …
From the Longines Website (perhaps massaged by the Marketing/Communications Department, but interesting nonetheless): “… in 1967, Longines developed a 11 ½-line self-winding calibre which took the development ideas which had been pursued ...
Hi-Beat Trivia ...
Some WIS trivia … Perhaps for the next GTG if the conversation lags. Question Who were the makers that produced there own 36,000vph movements? Answers Girard-Perregaux (1965) Longines (1967) Seiko (1968) Favre Leuba (1968) Zodiac (1968) Movado (1968...
Classy watch, Andrew!
Perhaps Ginger will chime in on your hi-beat thread if she's back from vacation. I know she collects hi-beats, as do several others on the forum. The Ultra-Chron model name cracks me up a little though. It makes me think of the Transformers cartoon. I kee...
I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing! LOL
I was planning to wear the Ultra-Chron to the Transformers film and get some photos in front of the movie posters. The new story line: “Ultrachron battling Megatron to take control of the Decepticons and forming an alliance with the Autobots to end the mi...
Andrew, you are more than meets the eye! LOL!
Hey, Mr. Producer, since you are already casting for Transformers: The Rise of Ultra-Chron, how about putting in some eye candy for us girls too?! My vote? Your countryman, Hugh Jackman! I foresee extensive opportunities for horologically-themed product p...
Case opening …
The Ultra-Chron is a one-piece case design. To gain access, the crown and stem is removed and air is pumped into the case which displaces the crystal with a loud “pop”. Bergeon produde a dedicated pump, but a 10mL disposable syringe can achieve the same r...
I use a syringe just like this...
...to fill my guitars' in-case humidifiers. Funny how many uses you can get from a thing like this! Daos
You had me worried …
For a moment you had me worried with that title! There are plenty of uses for syringes and my boys particularly enjoy the 50mL size for summer water fights. The 10mL size makes a lethal spud gun with pretty good distance and accuracy. While there are new ...
LASER SKIRMISH?! Tell me more!
Andrew, what in the world is laser skirmish? Is it a fancier version of our "laser tag" I wonder? Leave it to you citizens of the Commonwealth to use a word like skirmish instead. Of course, I grew up in Virginia, so we didn't play with toy guns there. I ...
Skirmish
From what I can G**gle, Laser Tag looks to be similar to Laser Skirmish. A skirmish is of course a minor conflict, so it seems an appropriate description. I’m not complaining, but they don’t let us play with real guns down here so we make do with potatoes...
Great looking Ultra-Chron!
Hi Lukas, Thanks for adding to this Ultra-Chron thread with such a great example. The serial number dates it to 1968 and it is in wonderful condition, from movement to dial to case. Do you know any more about the history of the piece? How do you find it's...
Thx
I don't have problem inefficiency of the automatic winding, my watch have fourty hour power reserve. But this mechanism need often inspection because hight-beat watches consume mechanism parts. Once a two years I live in Poland, here hight-beat watches no...
Ultra-Chron 431
Hi Andrew, I too was very interested in Lukas's posting as I have a Flagship Ultra-Chron as well. It was in need of a service when I bought it about 17 years ago, and since then I have it looked after by an ex IWC master watchmaker in Schaffhausen, Switze...
Hi Ian ...
Thanks for the comments, Ian. Pleased to hear that your Ultra-Chron has been so reliable. My feeling is that all the high-beat movements should be regularly maintained and if so they perform very well from both wear and chronometry perspectives. I would l...
Stunning!
I have the same watch, and it is one of my favorites. It's a pleasure to see the second hand glide across the dial!
A real charmer - congratulations
A very nice acquisition - looks like the balance is appropriately smaller for a high frequency model. These quests for accuracy are one of the great pursuits in the history of mechanical watches as well as quartz. For the former it reminds me to have anot...
Thanks for revisiting the Ultra-Chron, Nomer ...
They are indeed very nice watches with an important place in horological history. And it's interesting that 40 years later we are still 'pushing the envelope' with even higher beat rates. And yes, the Cal. 431 is a compact little movement and it's great t...
IMO it dates...
Hi Andrew, I love your watch - great movement and design! You asked for production time... IMO it dates to the beginning of the 70ies (or maybe last years of the 60ies) due to the design of the hour indizes. This shape was characteristic for that era. Jus...
Thanks Erich ...
... I'm pleased you like it. The Ultra-Chron is very light and comfortable to wear. And I think you are correct ... 1969 or 1970 for this example. Regards Andrew
I'm new to this thread and have a question
My father recently passed away and just a few days ago my mother gave me an old watch of his. It is a Longine automatic ultrachron. I was doing some internet research on it and was lucky to have discovered you. You seem very knowledgeable on the subject o...
hi Craig and welcome to...
hi Craig and welcome to the forum. i'm not a Longines expert myself, but i know Andrew will ask the same as i'm going too. can you post some pics of the watch please, as close up as possible on the dial and caseback that will give everyone here something ...
Thanks G.
Sorry about the duplicate post. I didn't think my first one had gone through. I will get my info tech guy (my wife) to help me with the pictures and will send soon. Craig
Thanks G
I can't figure out how to attach a picture. Would you give me an email address to send photos to?
you cant do that, but...
you cant do that, but attaching a pic is easy. when you have the message box open at the very bottom there are choices for attaching pics. i use the middle one and all you do is browse your pc for the pic, upload it and then select it. it will go onto the...
Welcome Craig, and congratulations ...
As you read around the threads on PPro, you will see that many PuristS have important heirloom pieces in their collections, and for many this is where their interest in horology blossomed. I certainly have my Grandfathers pocket watch and it is a very spe...
Thank you, Andrew.
The kind of stuff that makes worthy visiting PuristSPro on a daily basis. Cheers. JR
the ultrachron was a revolution for its time
The ultra chron was a real revolution for its time, it was very accurate and elegant as well. However good luck for finding spare parts when you need to repair one, that is not easy.
Newbie with a question
Andrew- I recently inherited a Longine ultra-chron watch. I was doing some internet research on it and came across your thread. You seem very knowledgeable on the subject. My watch is 30-40 years old according to my mother. It is "silver" in color with a ...
Great. I love hi-beat watches
Andrew, Your post only increase my deep regret for "passing" a Longines Ultra-Chron (diver version) just because my offer was few dollars less and I was concerned about the originality of the dial (sort of too good to be true). Long story short, a dear fr...
Nilomis Think you sent your...
Nilomis Think you sent your post to the wrong person. I am posting about the ultra-chron thread but I am not Andrew. From: "www watchprosite" <[Email address suppressed for privacy]> To: [Email address suppressed for privacy] Sent: Monday, December ...