CORUM "LONGCHAMP" AUTOMATIC JOURNAL WATCH CA. 1960

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In La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Gaston Ries had already been running his watchmaking workshop since 1924 when he called on his nephew René Bannwart to found the Corum brand. From the outset, in 1955, Corum chose to place itself in the avant-garde, taking as its emblem a key raised to the sky, symbolizing a mystery to be unraveled, new territories to be explored, but also the ingenuity, perseverance and audacity necessary for the watchmaker to master time.

According to Corum founder René Bannwart, it goes without saying that a watch must also tell the time. The watches he produced from 1955 onwards had to be technically and aesthetically remarkable, with creative designs and innovative materials. Bannwart was uncompromising when it came to the quality of his movements, but the appearance of his watches was of paramount importance to him. The watches he presented at the Basel Fair in 1956 immediately caught the public's attention. 

When his dial supplier failed to deliver as scheduled for the 1958 Fair, Bannwart turned a problem into a solution, using simple gold discs without indexes, simply adorned with the typical Corum logo and key at "12 o'clock". Visitors were enthusiastic, and threw themselves into the first "blank dial" watch in history. Later, these "watches without hours" would serve as models for the "Romulus" presented in 1966.

The model that would become Corum's signature timepiece was designed in 1960. It was the first Admiral's Cup, with its square case. Corum has never ceased to present itself as a revolutionary brand, presenting in turn the "Coin watch" in 1964, designed with a 20-dollar gold coin nicknamed the "Double Eagle", a model worn by several personalities including American presidents; the Buckingham, with its oversized proportions, a year later; the Rolls Royce, resulting from a partnership with the car manufacturer; and, in 1986, the Météorite, whose dial is cut from a genuine space stone.

A revolutionary brand in its day, of which few vintage models are in circulation apart from their best-sellers.

Here we present a superb example typical of Corum watches.

Circa 1960. This is a rare variant of the Corum "Longchamp", here in automatic and "Journal", with date.

This is a magnificent piece with an original gold-plated case with invisible handles.

The dial, meanwhile, is in a pinkish tone and sublimated by an atypical granite-effect relief that gives it a unique charm and personality.

It is powered by a Swiss-made self-winding mechanism. A rarity on the market, like all Corums.

Manufacturer: Corum

Model: Longchamp
Catalogue number: 7426432-1
Year: Circa 1960
Materials: Gold-plated
Dimensions: Diameter 33.5 mm Total height 40 mm
Caliber: Automatic, Corum Caliber 24874
Strap: Condor Alligator blue 16 mm
Box/paper: No