Caliber 30CH is unanimously considered one of the best chronograph movements of the mid twentieth century. Incorporating a flyback function, the movement allows for the chronograph to be instantaneously reset and restarted, enormously useful for practical applications.
Such a hallowed engine is housed - in this instance - in an equally striking case. Standing out with a large, 37.5mm diameter, reference 6474 appears to have a relatively simple case architecture, but closer examination reveals a remarkable level of detail. The bezel, for example, features an incredibly complex construction. Starting from the dial edge, it features a sloped edge, followed by a concave area and then a sharp step. The transition between each of these three parts of the bezel is marked by sharp edges, of course highly sensitive to polishing. In this instance, however, the edges are perfectly preserved and very sharp, testament to the superior condition of this case.
The dial is no less charming. Very airy, it is defined primarily by the luminous numerals - now aged to a charming and intense camel hue. The only other graphical indications are the Longines signature and the outer baton fifth-of-a-second combined with Arabic five minute divisions. Such a sparse graphical layout anticipates trends that would become commonplace just a few years later in the 1960s and 1970s.