Entrepreneur Anil Agarwal spotted wearing a Longines

Anil Agarwal, founder and chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited and one of India's most prominent industrialists, was recently spotted wearing the Longines Heritage Weems Second Setting, reference L2.713.4.11.0 — a watch with roots in early aviation history that sits well outside the flashier choices one might expect from a billionaire of his standing.

The Longines Heritage Weems Second Setting is a direct reissue of a landmark 1930s instrument watch developed in collaboration with Philip Van Horn Weems, a U.S. Navy commander and aviation instructor who trained Charles Lindbergh. The original Weems watch featured a rotating inner seconds ring that allowed pilots to synchronize their watches precisely with radio time signals — a critical function in celestial navigation before GPS. The ref. L2.713.4.11.0 preserves this architecture faithfully: a 47.5mm stainless steel case, domed hesalite crystal, aged-parchment dial with cathedral hands, and that signature rotating inner bezel operated via the crown. Power comes from the caliber L615, a 17-jewel automatic movement based on the ETA 2895-2, delivering 38 hours of power reserve at 28,800 vph.

From a collector standpoint, the Weems occupies an interesting niche. It is not a limited edition, but its historical authenticity — Longines holds the original archives and design rights — gives it credibility that many heritage reissues lack. The oversized 47.5mm case wears more dramatically than its modest price suggests, and the combination of tool-watch function with archival accuracy has earned it a loyal following among aviation history enthusiasts and vintage-style collectors alike.

Agarwal controls Vedanta Resources through Volcan Investments, which holds a 100% stake in the business spanning natural resources across zinc, oil, aluminum, and iron ore. His choice of a sub-$5,000 Longines over the Patek Philippe or Richard Mille alternatives typical of his peer group is a statement in itself — understated, purposeful, historically literate.

At retail, the Longines Heritage Weems Second Setting L2.713.4.11.0 is priced at $4,825 in the U.S. and approximately ₹4,15,000 in India. On the grey market, the model trades close to or slightly below retail, reflecting steady but unhurried demand — exactly the kind of watch that rewards the buyer who values provenance over price tag.