First LIVE photo of the Longines Istituto Idrografico R. Marina Watch
Courtesy of TimeWerke magazine
Good shot
Yes there is more news
or attractive as the chronograph reissue, in fact some of them look remarkably
uninspired. I will post the rest of the Longines 2008 novelties
tomorrow.
Another interesting Longines for 2008: Master Collection Retrograde
Press release
The Longines Master Collection Retrograde in rose gold
In order to honour its 175th anniversary, Longines has launched last year a timepiece bearing witness to its rich horological heritage and constant striving for elegance: This year the enhanced model of The Longines Master Collection Retrograde is also proposed in a 18 carat rose gold version. These watches, enclosing an automatic mechanical calibre developed especially for Longines, become the flagship model of a collection devoted to highlighting the horological traditions of the brand.
Over the years, Longines has dedicated numerous efforts to perfecting the mechanical measurement of time. A creator of horological movements, the Saint-Imier-based firm has nevertheless also assured that a touch of added refinement always forms a part of its creations. Longines has always regarded elegance as being the fundamental underlying principle in both the arrangement of the watch calibre and in the aesthetics of the final watch. Faithful to the 175 years of its watchmaking tradition, Longines has today realised a synthesis between its technical and aesthetic heritage in the creation of a new flagship timepiece representing its collection of horological tradition: The Longines Master Collection Retrograde.
Enclosing an ETA calibre specially developed and made exclusively for Longines, The Longines Master Collection Retrograde forms part of a collection of sober, elegant timepieces, the heir to the watchmaking past of the firm with the winged hourglass. Offering retrograde functions (day, date, seconds, second time zone on a 24-hour scale) in a movement with automatic rewinding, The Longines Master Collection Retrograde combines a mechanical horological complication with simple usage. Apart from showing the time, its functions include a display of the day, set at 12 o’clock, a calendar on the right of the dial, a second time zone on a 24-hour scale to the left and a subsidiary seconds hand at 6 o’clock. These four functions are retrograde: that is, the hands indicating the information instantly fly back to regain their starting position once they have reached the end of their travel. Dancing in harmony, the seven hands trace out a graceful ballet, making this timepiece a captivating article to own.
The Longines Master Collection Retrograde stands out for the clarity of its dial and is available in one version with the four retrograde functions (day, date, seconds, second time zone on a 24-hour scale), which are housed in a stainless steel or rose gold case with a transparent sapphire cristal case back. This reveals the decorated movement and the oscillating mass adorned with the Longines logo. Available in 41mm or 44mm diameter sizes. The stainless steel model can be supplied with either a steel bracelet or an alligator-skin strap in dark brown or black and triple folding clasp. The gold version of the watch is available with a dark brown alligator-skin strap. The Longines Master Collection Retrograde is also available in a version with power reserve indicator. This model includes three retrograde functions (day, date, second time zone on a 24-hour scale).
The Longines Master Collection Retrograde in 18 carat rose gold
Technical Information Sheet
Reference numbers The Longines Master Collection Retrograde in 18 carat rose gold
L2.715.8.78.x Men’s models (Æ
L2.717.8.78.x Men’s models (Æ 44 mm)
Calibers Self-winding mechanical movement
caliber L698 (ETA A07.L21)
16½ lines, 25 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour
Power reserve of 46 hours
Functions Hours and minutes
4 retrograde functions
Day, date, seconds and second time zone on a 24-hour scale
Cases Round, 18 carat rose gold, Æ 41 mm and Æ 44 mm
Transparent sapphire crystal case back
Dials Silver-finished stamped “barleycorn”, 11 Arabic numerals
and black painted minute track
Hands 6 blued steel hands
Water-resistance To 30 meters (~ 100 feet)
Crystal Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
Bracelets Dark brown genuine Alligator strap with triple safety folding clasp or buckle
The Longines Master Collection Retrograde with Power Reserve in 18 carat rose gold
Technical Information Sheet
Reference numbers The Longines Master Collection Retrograde with Power Reserve in 18 carat rose gold
L2.714.8.78.x Men’s models (Æ 41 mm)
L2.716.8.78.x Men’s models (Æ 44 mm)
Calibers Self-winding mechanical movement
caliber L697 (ETA A07.L11)
16½ lines, 23 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour
Power reserve of 46 hours
Functions Hours, minutes, seconds and power reserve
3 retrograde functions
Day, date and second time zone on a 24-hour scale
Cases Round, 18 carat rose gold, Æ 41 mm and Æ 44 mm
Transparent sapphire crystal case back
Dials Silver-finished stamped “barleycorn”, 11 Arabic numerals
and black painted minute track
Hands 7 blued steel hands
Water-resistance To 30 meters (~ 100 feet)
Crystal Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
Bracelets Dark brown genuine Alligator strap with triple safety folding clasp or buckle
Here are the rest of the 2008 Longines novelties, starting with the Conquest Ceramic
Longines Sport Collection
Conquest ceramic: the elegance of performance
The Longines Conquest is the quintessential expression of the brand’s sporting elegance. Special attention has been paid to the aesthetics of the bezel, the cabochon crown and the links, all made of ceramic. This exceptional material combines timeless glamour with novel technical features. As a subtle marriage of steel with ceramic, performance with elegance, the Longines Conquest includes technical characteristics that meet the requirements of the most demanding sportsmen and women. Both sober and sophisticated, this model is guaranteed to be noticed at the most fashionable soirées as well as in the stands at the prestigious Royal Ascot or the Melbourne Cup Carnival horse races.
The Conquest line perpetuates the spirit of adventure of all those who, to discover new horizons, have dared to go farther than others. It is in this spirit, and bearing in mind the brand’s own heritage, that Longines has designed the models in the Conquest line. Its aim is to seduce today’s sportsmen and women, who concentrate on efficiency and performance without sacrificing elegance. The subtle balance between ceramic and steel is a perfect allegory of this spirit.
The Longines Conquest has a fixed bezel and a cabochon crown made of black, grey or white ceramic. Some models come with black or grey ceramic links that make up the bracelet. This material is a combination of aesthetic beauty and exceptional technical features. Scratch-proof and non-allergenic, ceramic is impervious to all chemicals as well as being almost totally resistant to friction, abrasion and high temperatures. Its sheen contrasts with the brushed finish of the steel used for the case and the bracelet. The black, grey or white of the dial with its sleek design is a subtle reminder of the quality of the ceramic.
The characteristics of the models in the Conquest line meet the requirements of the most demanding sports: water-resistance to 300 m, screw-in crown and case-back, lateral protection for the crown, triple folding safety clasp. The 41 mm diameter stainless steel case houses a choice of a self-winding, chronograph or three-hand movement. These models are also available with a leather or rubber strap or with a stainless steel bracelet.
The expert craftsmanship of this blend of ceramic and steel illustrates the philosophy and attitude of Longines in associating elegance and performance.
The Grande Vitesse
Press release
Longines Sport Collection
GrandeVitesse: measuring records
With the GrandeVitesse line, Longines has sought to give material form to the concept of speed through a series of models honouring the memory of the fastest men in history and destined for bold sportsmen of today. Fluid lines, aerodynamic curves, energy-filled typography, tachymeter and the form of the pushers are just some of the distinctive signs of this watch made for speed. It is inspired by the world of automobile and motor sports, for which Longines for years provided the timekeeping.
It is in the nature of man to wish to attain ever faster speeds. Records are made to be beaten, pushing back physical limits each time in the same way as the demands made on the equipment for measuring them become increasingly severe. In the field of timing, Longines can boast a long experience, marked by fundamental technological advances enabling time to be divided into increasingly small fractions of a second, but also by famous speed records, such as that of Donald Campbell with his Bluebird, who in 1964 became the fastest man on earth at a speed of 648 km/h.
With the models of the GrandeVitesse series, the notion of speed becomes truly tangible. Their technical and aesthetic characteristics are such as to raise them to the stature of instruments for timing records. Each has a Æ 42 mm case in stainless steel, the aerodynamic curves and harmonious outline of which evoke both performance and elegance.
The “Racing” and “Classic” models are equipped with a double tachymeter on the bezel or dial. Graduated in km/h and mph, they enable the measuring of a ground speed of about Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound or about 2,477 km/h at sea level and 20°C). The special “Cavalier” model also has a similar device but limited to the speed of a galloping horse.
The GrandeVitesse series includes automatic chronographs with mechanical movements, visible through the sapphire glass base. The dial is available in silver sunray, black and chocolate colour for the Racing models, and opaline silver, midnight blue, black and rhodium-plated for the Classic models. It features a “big 12”, the design of which is inspired by the form of the numbers used in marking racing cars. The “Cavalier” model has a chestnut brown dial with Arabic numerals.
The sporting spirit of the series is further stressed by the non-slip embossing of the crown, case band and a pusher. One of the pushers is highlighted in bright red in the “Racing” model, and enable the activation of the chronograph functions indicated by the same colour on the dial.
The different models are available with a steel bracelet and leather or rubber strap fitted with a triple security folding clasp. A reminding of the materials customarily used in the competition world… and the necessary precautions to be observed during a race.
Hydro Conquest
Press release
Longines Sport Collection
HydroConquest: profoundly sporty
Diving watches “par excellence”, the models in the HydroConquest series are a homage to the men who have dedicated themselves to conquering the oceans and to enthusiasts of the open seas. They meet the strict requirements demanded by this discipline: they are water-resistant to 300 m, are fitted with a unidirectional turning bezel, screw-down case and screw-in crown, lateral protection for the crown and double security folding clasp with integrated diving extension-piece. These rigorous guarantees of uncompromising safety fit in perfectly with the harmony of this silent world. Performance and elegance, a unique Longines combination.
With a watchmaking heritage of more than 175 years, of which130 in the service of timing sports events, Longines clearly justifies its firm investment in sport. The winged hourglass brand has given material form to this deep attachment in every dimension of space and time: air, land… and water.
The HydroConquest series aims to become the preferred watch of divers and enthusiasts of aquatic sports. It has everything required to do so: water-resistant to 300 m, the round case, made from a solid block, is of stainless steel (also available in two-toned version) and is fitted with a screw-in crown and screw-down case back, superluminova luminescence on the hands and indices to facilitate reading in all conditions, a rubber strap with double security buckle and integrated diving extension-piece… Nor should we forget the unidirectional turning bezel, an indispensable safety device for divers. To this are added the lateral protection for the crown and the extra index, which makes of the HydroConquest the diving watch par excellence.
Since technical demands do not exclude the possibility of glamour, refined feminine versions of the watch are available with a studded bezel set with 30 Top Wesselton VVS diamonds.
Longines has sought to offer a wide range of models which are distinguished from each other not only by type of bezel, but also in terms of size of case and movement: Æ 47.5 (automatic movements) and Æ41mm (automatic and quartz movements) for the chronographs, Æ 39 mm for the watches with three hands (automatic and quartz movements), Æ 29.5 and Æ25 mm for the ladies’ models (quartz movements). The dial is available in ocean blue, abyss black, white, white mother-of-pearl, gold and silver sunray, all with superluminova hands and indices or diamond indices. Characteristic of the Longines Sport Collection, the number “12” stands out in terms of size and sober, contemporary design. The unidirectional turning bezel is available in eloxed aluminium, steel with studs for improved grip, or steel with embossed figures. The straps are made from the materials favoured by divers: stainless steel (all steel or two-toned) and rubber, with a double security folding clasp and diving extension-piece.
Thanks, SJX to have taken the time to post these new Longines
There is also the Re Edition of the Diving watch...
Which may look as the most interesting Longines this year with the Instituto...
Best.
Nicolas
The Longines Spirit lives
SJX, it is great that the watch has caught your attention. If I am not wrong, check out the Longines Spirit too, which i think is in a larger size and was introduced sometime in 2005. I think the spirit is also a nice-looking Longines watch inspired by its 1940s military watches.
Not the Lindberg
Thanks for this precision, SJX
The Lindberg is terrific!
It has been re edited in a very close look to the original, and, for me, this is one of their nicest watches.
The Spirit is not bad, but the Linberg is the Real Mac Coy!
Best.
Nicolas
If you mean the Legend Diver
Cheers!
Lionel
Yes, that's what I meant, Lionel..Thanks.
This Legend Diver is quite nice, too, a bit " Polaris Looking ", but nice!
Best.
Nicolas
