Longines draws inspiration from its rich heritage

Master Collection (Small Seconds)

LONGINES has been around since 1832, so long that we tend to forget what it represents – and is good at. The new Longines Master Collection (Small Seconds) is a timely reminder of that.

A nod to the winged hourglass brand’s watchmaking mastery, watches in this collection come with a small seconds feature, and a choice of three colours for the dial – salmon, silver or anthracite – highlighting the traditional watchmaking skills and the classic design excellence that Longines has always stood for.

The standout feature, as the name suggests, is the small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock – a hallmark of classic design. A beaded minute display on the flange adds a touch of elegance. The small stainless steel case (38.5 mm across) and engraved Arabic numerals are a further display of the ageless look of the watches.

The engraved dials recall the Master Collection models rolled out last year for Longines’ 190th anniversary celebration. Black hands contrast with the salmon dial, blue with the sandblasted silver one, and 5N red with the grained anthracite dial.

Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, with several layers of anti-reflective coating on both sides, offers a protective veil over the dials. The case-back is in a transparent crystal, providing a clear view of the exclusive Longines L893 automatic movement. The silicon balance-spring fitted on the movement ensures time is measured precisely. And when the watch runs out of fuel, there is spare power to keep it ticking accurately for 72 hours. 

The new watches (S$3,660), which come with a five-year warranty, can be worn with a soft grey alligator strap secured by a triple safety folding clasp, which is equipped with a push-piece opening mechanism for safety and ease of use.

HydroConquest GMT

Longines has also unveiled a two-time zone model in its HydroConquest line, which reflects the brand’s historic expertise in developing timepieces with multiple time zones.

The HydroConquest, launched in 2007, has been primarily a modern dive-watch collection aimed at sportsmen and women. The new HydroConquest GMT, which can display time in two time zones, is useful to all travellers, “with the underwater sports codes that personify it”.

The model is an attempt to broaden the customer base, and Longines says it is aimed at “modern-day adventurers who love discovery and at demanding sportsmen and women and will accompany them wherever they go”.

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The watch’s sleek design and exclusive Longines GMT movement combines technical excellence and elegance, two hallmarks of the brand. The inspiration for the watch came from the world of water sport; the watch is water-resistant to 300 m. It is also a product of Longines’ long expertise in such timepieces; the brand introduced a dual-time zone wristwatch as early as 1925. 

Housed in the redesigned 41-mm screw-down stainless-steel case of the new watch is a movement packed with a silicon balance-spring and innovative non-magnetic components. The movement is 10 times more resistant to magnetic fields than the ISO 764 benchmark standard. It is also very precise and has a power reserve of 72 hours.

Featuring alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces, the HydroConquest GMT is available in a green, brown, black or blue sun-ray dial, all enhanced by a two-tone 24-hour scale. The gilt- or silvered-polished hands and hour markers glow in the dark, thanks to Super-LumiNova coating. The arrow-shaped GMT indicator matches the colour of the dial decals.

The watches come with a steel bracelet (S$4,160), strung together by redesigned H-shaped links. The bracelet has a micro-adjusting clasp, a first for a Longines watch. The watches may also be paired with blue or black rubber straps with a micro-adjusting clasp. The option of a Nato bracelet in khaki green or beige (S$4,160) is also available. 

Spirit Zulu Time

The new Longines Spirit Zulu Time is another model with a time zone mechanism, and this one is a direct throwback to the brand’s first dual-time zone wristwatch produced in 1925.

The Longines Spirit Zulu, rolled out in 2022, is based on Longines’ century-old expertise in making multiple-time zone timepieces. Even the name of the collection is traced back to the 1925 watch, which had the Zulu flag on its dial. Zulu refers to the letter “Z”, the symbol of universal time for pilots and the armed forces. 

Longines’ GMT models, developed mainly for pilots, have bolstered the brand’s reputation as a reliable provider of precision instruments for the world’s greatest pioneers on their exploits. The Longines Spirit Zulu Time adds a new chapter to an already-rich history.

The 2023 version of the model comes in a smaller 39-mm stainless steel case, which is also more friendly on the wrist. The dial is available in matt black, sand-blasted anthracite or sun-ray blue, rimmed by a bezel with a coloured ceramic insert.

The collection’s highlight is an eye-catching 18 karat yellow-gold bi-directional rotating bezel and crown, matched by a chocolate crown ceramic insert with a gilt GMT track. On the anthracite sun-blasted dial model, the hands and Arabic numerals are coated with Super-LumiNova luminescence substance.

As indicated by the five stars stamped on the dial, the movement powering the watches is of the highest quality.

It has a silicon balance-spring and is chronometer-certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). It is also certified as resistant to magnetic fields of 600 to 800 gauss – meeting the ISO 764 standard. 

The watches (S$4,570 to S$6,480) come with a five-year warranty and may be paired with a stainless steel bracelet, an interchangeable Nato band in brown, or an interchangeable brown leather strap with contrasting cream stitching.

Flagship Heritage

Longines’ timepieces are also known for their elegance and simplicity, especially those in its Flagship Heritage series. Elegant and simple watches always sell, which is perhaps why the Flagship Heritage is one of Longines’ most enduring collections.

This timeless classic series has continued to grow, with three more timepieces added to it. The new watches (S$4,640) showcase an understated, evergreen design, each with a moonphase complication.

Reflecting satin-brushed finishes, the watches come in a 38.5-mm stainless steel case with a screw-down back. The back is embossed with a caravel on a gold medallion, the emblem of the Flagship Heritage line. The case lugs are chamfered and shortened, which make the watches a perfect fit for any wrist.

At the heart of the new Flagship Heritage timepieces is an automatic mechanical movement with a silicon balance-spring that makes the watches precise and highly resistant to magnetic fields.

The moonphase complication rotates on a small dial at 6 o’clock. Its astronomical function is paired with the date indicator hand in the colour of the moon, hour markers and Super-LumiNova-coated hands.

The domed dials hark back to the original 1957 watch, and come in silvered-opaline, sun-ray silver or sun-ray blue. The watches are matched with leather straps in brown, grey or blue.