Amidst all the high jewellery pieces, complications and cutting edge craftsmanship, we’ve seen at Baselworld 2018, brands like Longines have put their focus on enhancing their watchmaking engineering. With their new HydroConquest Diver, Annual Calendar, Conquest V.H.P Chronograph, Legend Diver and Record Collection, Longines is not only gaining momentum as a traditional watchmaking brand that offers affordable timepieces but also a brand that produces contemporary timepieces with high-quality movements. So without further ado, we take a look at our top 4 releases by Longines at Baselworld 2018.
Conquest V.H.P. (Very High Precision) Chronograph
This year Longines brings the colour ‘Blue’ to the forefront in almost all its releases. The new Conquest V.H.P. Chronograph represents a new achievement in the field of quartz, combining great precision, high technicality and a sporty look, marked by the brand’s unique elegance. The movement developed exclusively for Longines stands out for its high degree of precision for an analog watch (±5 s/yr) and its ability to reset its hands after an impact or exposure to a magnetic field, using the GPD (Gear Position Detection) system. These attractive features are likely responsible for its status as an exceptional movement, to which a very long battery life and a perpetual calendar must be added. The watch is offered in a 42mm and 44m case, in steel or black PVD, and display hours, minutes and seconds, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, a 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock and a 60-second counter in the centre. On each model, manipulations are simplified thanks to the intelligent crown, while two distinct indicators preventively signal the end of battery life. Conquest V.H.P. chronographs boast blue, carbon fibre, silvered or black dials. A steel or black PVD bracelet or a blue or black rubber watch strap completes these exceptional timepieces.
Longines Record Collection
Excellence deserves recognition. Staying true to their signature styles, the Record collection, combines timeless elegance with uncompromising excellence, representing a bridge between tradition and innovation. The highlight here is the distinct sized calibers that have been integrated to enhance the accuracy and longevity of these timepieces. Longines has used silicon balance springs into its movements. This lightweight material is resistant to corrosion, and is unaffected by normal temperature variations, magnetic fields and atmospheric pressure. Thanks to their extreme accuracy, the watches in the Record collection have been awarded “chronometer” certification by the COSC (Contrôle officiel suisse des chronomètres – Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute). Tested separately by COSC, the watches are authorized to have the designation “CHRONOMETER” stamped on the dial. The watches of the Record collection are available in four sizes (26, 30, 38.5 and 40 mm) and a variety of dials, and are intended for men or women. The stainless steel and rose gold or 18-carat rose gold case features a transparent back that allows for admiration of the detail of the movement. Some models also offer a version inlaid with diamonds. The watch is available with a stainless steel bracelet with a rose gold cap, or with a black, brown or blue alligator strap matched to the dial and equipped with a security folding clasp.
Longines Master Collection Annual Calendar
This year Longines adds a ‘Droolworthy’ Annual Calendar to its Master Collection. The annual calendar automatically manages the varying lengths of the months. This allows the timepieces to distinguish between a month with 30 days and a month with 31 days, with no manual intervention required. The Longines Master Collection, is the first range from Longines to house this feature. Combining classical elegance with excellence, the models from The Longines Master Collection featuring an annual calendar contain the new automatic L897 caliber in a stainless-steel case measuring 40 mm in diameter. With 64 hours of power reserve and the annual calendar displayed at 3 o’clock, the movement can be viewed through the transparent case back. The rhodium plated or blued steel hands jump off the black or silver barleycorn or sunray blue dial. These elegant timepieces are complimented by a steel bracelet or black, brown or blue alligator watch strap, all fitted with a folding safety clasp.
Longines Legend Diver Watch
Longines has chosen to revisit some of its iconic references of the past. The new Longines Legend Diver is inspired by the brands’ 1960s diving watch; maintaining the style codes and design elements typical of the era. Only this time, the reinterpretation comes in black PVD-treated steel and houses the exclusive L888 caliber.
The basics of the watch still stay the same. For example, two crowns on the right side of the case, the boxed glass and the bidirectional internal turning diving bezel, which serve as reminders of the technical limitations of the era. The bezel is activated and stopped by the crown located at 2 o’clock, allowing the wearer to determine the remaining dive time.
The indexes, numerals and hands, adorned with Super LumiNova®, pop from the black lacquered dial for optimum legibility, which is further enhanced by the plain, clean typeface used for the numerals 6, 9 and 12. The steel case is coated with a 42 mm layer of black PVD, and contains an automatic mechanical movement that is exclusive to Longines, with the illustration of a diver engraved on the screw-down back. A Milanese-style black rubber strap equipped with a folding titanium clasp treated with black PVD and an integrated diving extension completes this timepiece.
