Few brands give you as much watchmaking for your money as Longines, and few offer so much to choose from. That is precisely the problem: between Spirit, HydroConquest, Master, Heritage and the rest, the newcomer gets lost. That is what this guide is for: to put the ranges in order and tell you, without beating about the bush, which one to buy depending on what you are looking for.<\/p>\n
Longines has been making watches in Saint-Imier since 1832, when Auguste Agassiz set up the business that his nephew would turn into one of the world's most important manufactures. Its winged hourglass is the oldest registered trademark still in use on the planet, and its r\u00e9sum\u00e9 is impressive: a pioneer of sports timekeeping, a protagonist of heroic aviation \u2014 the Hour Angle designed with Lindbergh after his Atlantic crossing \u2014 and responsible for some of the finest calibers of the twentieth century. Today, within the Swatch Group, it occupies the accessible luxury tier: serious Swiss watchmaking without straying into five-figure prices.<\/p>\n
Spirit<\/strong>. The enthusiast's favourite, and rightly so: instrument looks, COSC chronometer certification across the entire line and the Zulu Time, a “proper” GMT (independent hand) at an unbeatable price in its category. If in doubt, start here.<\/p>\n HydroConquest and Conquest<\/strong>. The everyday sports watches: the first is the rugged diver, the second the all-rounder. These are the Longines you see most often out and about, and the ones most often given as gifts.<\/p>\n Heritage<\/strong>. The tempting territory: faithful reissues from the brand's archives, with the Legend Diver \u2014 heir to the 1960 compressor diver \u2014 as the undisputed star. This is where Longines wins the collector's heart.<\/p>\n Master Collection<\/strong>. The elegant classic with complications: moon phases, calendars, chronographs. The Longines “dress” watch par excellence and a safe bet for a special occasion.<\/p>\n DolceVita<\/strong>. El rectangular a\u00f1os 20, con su versi\u00f3n Mini convertida en fen\u00f3meno. M\u00e1s moda que mec\u00e1nica, y no pasa nada: pocas cajas rectangulares tienen este pedigr\u00ed.<\/p>\n For a first Longines that does it all: Spirit in 37 or 40 mm<\/strong>. For the water and daily wear, HydroConquest. For vintage love at first sight, Legend Diver. For dressing up, Master or DolceVita. The good news is that it's hard to go wrong: build quality is consistent across the whole brand; only the outfit changes.<\/p>\n Longines is part of our editorial section<\/a>, and selected pieces from the brand pass through our displays from time to time, available upon request. If you're after a particular one, write to us<\/a> and we'll fill you in.<\/p>\nSo, which one?<\/h2>\n
Longines at World Watch Museum<\/h2>\n