Longines 13ZN12 "Sommatore": A Collector's Vintage Grail Journey

MattS · 2020-12-22T02:16:12Z

Explore MattS's journey to acquire the Longines 13ZN12 "Sommatore," a vintage chronograph grail. Discover insights on collecting, the iconic Caliber 13ZN, and the allure of perfectly imperfect watches.

MattS

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

39 replies5635 views2 photos

MattS, a seasoned collector, shares a deeply personal journey of acquiring a grail watch: the Longines 13ZN12 "Sommatore." His post resonates with anyone who has navigated the complex phases of watch collecting, from initial discovery to strategic consolidation. This article explores the allure of vintage Longines chronographs and the profound satisfaction of realizing a long-held horological dream.

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Hi all,

Echoing a post from Nico on the Longines 13ZN mushroom pushers I want to share a dream come true this year and also a bit of a vintage collector's journey!...

Having been collecting for many years I have gone through all the phases of a collector's journey that some of you know...discovering, excitement, dreaming, accumulating, defining themes, concentrating, selling, swapping, questioning, horofatigue, rabbit holing...name them...but still dreaming...

Then part of the game is making dreams come true...

This is what happened this year...after a lot of thinking, talking with other fellow collectors...I decided to sell 5 very nice and beloved watches to access one of my grails...the Longines 13zn12 "Sommatore" so here it is...

Perfectly imperfect as vintage collectors like them, or should we say nicely aged! This watch ticks many boxes...Big size 39.5mm, chunky waterproof case, big crown, one of he most beautiful chronograph movements ever made the Caliber 13ZN with a special complication, the center minute counter, explaining the double sweep seconds hands, also named Doppia lancette by our italian friends. It also features a clean white dial with 2 big sub registers and a sporty pop of colors with the blue and red hands. the dial is far from perfect, the radium indexes have gotten darker, but it is original, this was produced in 1946 hence as a small case number (54) in the limited production, Longines wouldn't communicate the number of pieces produced but several sources seem to indicate 500.

So Collectors dreams are made of this...and just to continue to have more dreams...

Enjoy the pics

All the best

Matt

Key Points from the Discussion

Acquiring a rare vintage piece like the Longines 13ZN12 often requires prior in-person viewing, as catalogue photos may not fully capture its condition or appeal, especially for unique references not easily found or proxied.
The decision to sell multiple beloved watches to fund a grail acquisition is a common, albeit difficult, part of a serious collector's journey, reflecting a commitment to refining and elevating one's collection.
Collectors often prefer to trade watches with other enthusiasts rather than dealers to maintain a connection with the pieces and track their journey, sometimes even seeing them again in person or online.
The Longines Caliber 13ZN is widely considered one of the most beautiful and technically significant chronograph movements ever made, particularly noted for its center minute counter complication.
The 'perfectly imperfect' aesthetic of a nicely aged vintage watch, often referred to as 'wabi-sabi,' is highly valued by collectors, who appreciate originality and the character developed over time.

The Discussion

FabR

Dec 22, 2020

PS. I moved this thread to HoMe, which is the appropriate section for it (and it also shows on the Front Page). Cheers.

Cpt Scarlet

Dec 22, 2020

Congratulations on getting this one and continuing your collecting journey.

dedestexhes

Dec 22, 2020

I hope to join the club since years, still not done. Who knows 2021? Dirk

Jay (Eire)

Dec 22, 2020

Question for you. With a watch like this had you actually held one in the metal before you began the chase? If not, did you subsequently get to see one in the metal before this one? It’s obviously something many of us do, buy watches without actually seeing them in the metal. And this is possible after years and years of handling watches and knowing what works and what will likely please us. But vintage like this one is different, it’s not as if it’s a vintage Sub for example where one knows wha

MattS

Dec 22, 2020

hi Jay, indeed i had seen several Sommatore...I guess about 6-8 in the flesh and I had dreamed about owning one for some years!...then at the last auctions in Geneva, this one was offered!...I went for the viewing before bidding as well...with Covid the Auction was mainly on line and many potential buyers could not make the trip to see the watches in real. the details pictures in the catalogue didn't really make justice to the watch, and this is not really the kind of watch you buy from pics...s

MattS

Dec 22, 2020

Indeed that is a bit of an end game when it comes to vintage chronographs...a grail! Matt

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Longines 13ZN12 "Sommatore": A Collector's Vintage Grail Journey

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