1900s early silver ‘Borgel’ vintage Longines ‘Officers’ watch

A rare silver round vintage Longines ‘Officers’ watch. The large silver case measures 35 mm in diameter and has hinged lugs. The case is signed AB (Arthur Baume, director of Longines U.K.), FB (Francois Borgel, case maker) hallmarked London 1909 and numbered. The Swiss movement with 15 jewels and has ‘pin-set’ hands. The white enamel dial has fine black Roman numerals with a red twelve, subsidiary seconds dial and blued steel hands. The dial is signed Longines above the centre.

Francois Borgel designed these cases and patented them in October 1891 in Geneva, with a Swiss Brevet or patent number 4001. They were then patented in London in November 1891 with patent number 20422. The Borgel case was an early design to try to make wrist watches resistant to dust and moisture. It is a one piece case, where the movement and bezel are mounted on a threaded ring which screws into the case from the front. Borgel cases continued to be manufactured after his death in 1912, initially by his daughter Louisa, and later by Taubert & Fils. Taubert & Fils were renown Geneva-based case makers and specialising in water-resistant cases.