Pioneering spirit

THE LONGINES SPIRIT IS A NEW LINE of pilot watches launched last year that marries the Swiss watch brand's rich heritage and modern watch-making technology. It's a formula that has gained traction with many watchmakers but in Longines' case, new chief executive Matthias Breschan believes this will be the key to growing its lead in the US$1,000 to US$4,000 (S$1,330 to S$5,320) segment of the global watch market.

In recent media interviews, Mr Breschan, who moved from Rado to Longines (both owned by Swiss-based Swatch Group) in July 2020, noted that the 189-year-old Longines has a "super-rich heritage" which includes key inventions like the wristwatch chronograph, highfrequency watch and flyback chronograph.

"The history is so rich and that is a fantastic and big surprise to me because, of course, it gives me the perfect platform to develop the brand in the coming years," the Austrian-born CEO told watch news site Haute Time in December.

Mr Breschan, who succeeded Walter von Kanel, a Longines veteran of 51 years, believes that linking Longines' rich heritage with new technologies will bring the brand's success "to another level in the coming years". For this reason, he is sure that the new Longines Spirit collection will show the way.

The pilot watches in the collection, with varying sizes for the case and colours for the dial, come essentially in two versions - a three-hand time-anddate watch and a chronograph with three sub-dials displaying the seconds, chronograph minutes and chronograph hours.

Mr Breschan makes it clear that this is not a pilot watch collection rolled out by just another watch brand. Because of their reliability, accuracy, robustness and original technology, he says, Longines timepieces were among the most sought-after by pioneering pilots. The brand boasts a rich history of ties with the aviation world - one that's probably richer than any other watch brand, he adds.

The heritage elements of the Spirit timepieces are evident in the dials, hands and case, Mr Breschan says. At the same time, the watches also feature state-of-theart technology, in particular a silicon balance spring that makes them resistant to magnetic fields.

"Magnetic fields are definitely the biggest problem when it comes to precision," he points out.

But while many heritage collections are based on specific horological creations of the past, the Spirit line pays homage to some great characters of the 20th century who relied on Longines' precision tool watches in their adventures: Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic in 1932; Paul-Emile Victor who spent seven weeks crossing the Greenland ice cap in 1936; Elinor Smith, the youngest licensed pilot, who soared to a record 32,576 feet high in her plane in 1931; and Howard Hughes, who flew round the world in three days, 19 hours and 14 minutes in 1938 - a flight record timed by Longines.

In Longines' words, the Spirit collection is "a tribute to these exceptional men and women who, by a record, an exploit or a display of courage, have left their mark on history - encouraging new generations to push the boundaries".

The oversized crowns, flange, pronounced step around the crystal, font of the dial, diamond-shaped indices and the large luminous "baton" hands of the Spirit watches - all hark back to the days of pioneering aviation.

Their classically-shaped round stainless steel cases are robust and built for extreme conditions; the dials, covered by domed sapphire glass, are highly readable with luminescent Arabic numerals; and the large batonlike hands are coated with SuperLuminova.

Yet, the timepieces also reflect an execution that's decidedly modern, with clear aesthetic signs and contemporary characteristics befitting a new range of watches.

Modernity further provides the mechanisms that keep the timepieces running on time with high precision. The automatic movements are fitted with silicon hairsprings developed exclusively for Longines and are chronometer-certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.

The five stars printed at the bottom (or near the top in the case of the chronograph) of the dial - a special feature of the Spirit collection - indicate that these watches are powered by the "best" movements. Which is yet another sign of the importance Longines attaches to the collection.

The three-hand time-and-date model in the collection comes in a 40 metres and 42 metres wide steel case, both in sunray blue, matte black or grained silver dial, strapped in leather or matching steel bracelet. This model also appears in a prestige edition with interchangeable straps - steel, leather and NATO-style brown calf leather.

The chronograph model is available only in a 42mm case. The dial also comes in sunray blue, matte black or grained silver, with leather or steel bracelets.

With a price tag of under S$5,000, Mr Breschan says the finish and technology are on par with watches priced at a higher premium, making this new range a worthwhile investment.

Price: S$4,500 (Chronograph), S$4,030 (Prestige 40mm), S$4,190 (Prestige 42mm), S$3,100 (Spirit 40mm), S$3,260 (42mm).