The Longines Dirty Dozen watch represents a notable chapter in the annals of military horology, distinguished by its significant role during World War II. As part of a collective effort known as the "Dirty Dozen," Longines, along with eleven other prestigious watch manufacturers, was commissioned by the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) to produce timepieces that met stringent specifications for their armed forces.
    
This endeavor aimed at equipping soldiers with reliable and durable watches, crucial for the precise timing operations required in combat.
    
Introduced in the 1940s, these watches were characterized by their robustness, legibility under all conditions, and precision. They featured a black dial with luminous hands and markers for visibility in low light, a durable case resistant to water and shock, and a high-quality mechanical movement. Each piece bore the pheon mark – a broad arrow symbol used by the British government to denote property – thus authenticating its military issue.
    
The Longines model within this elite group stood out for its exceptional craftsmanship and adherence to the MoD's exacting standards. Today, the Longines Dirty Dozen watch is highly sought after by collectors due to its historical significance, rarity, and quintessential representation of wartime resilience and ingenuity. Its legacy not only marks an important moment in military history but also celebrates Longines' enduring commitment to precision and reliability in watchmaking.

What's on Offer

We are very pleased to be able to offer this beautifully preserved Longines Dirty Dozen (DD) WW2 soldiers watch for sale in fantastic original condition and with the very rare bonus of boasting matching lug numbers - this makes this watch really rather rare as far as Dirty Dozen watches go. 

The rich black dial is in superb condition and boasts the most beautiful and even lume which has aged evenly across the dial to a beautiful toffee colour. The lume is also present in the original cathedral hands which still look well. As we would expect to see, there is a recessed sub-dial at 6 o'clock, bold Arabic numerals, an outer minute track and the military pheon which denotes the watch as property of MoD, completes the dial. The dial is encapsulated underneath shatterproof Plexiglas and encased in stainless steel. You will note that on the case back the original military markings are still visible and also include the pheon. 

This is a wonderful example of the Longines Dirty Dozen watch and it is so rare to see them with matching lug numbers. Blink and you'll miss this one!