Baselworld 2013: Longines Military Heritage 1938 and Longines HydroConquest Chronograph

Longines's tribute 2013: Military Heritage 1938

From an aesthetic both simple and effective, without losing its élégance attitude, Longines revives in three versions - a three hands watch, a 24-hour model and a chronograph - its military watches of the 1930s. 

The lines have travelled through time, the roundness of the box seems timeless. The Super-LumiNova has replaced radium and references to the original model are legion. As the deliciously obsolescent corrugated crown transcended by frank and direct Arabic numerals on the mat black bottom. In the end, it is 40 mm in diameter three hands version that is the closest to the historical model. Resurrected according to the rules of the art, after a prolific heritage, this suave and reliable warrior, served on a black strap vibrates at 28,000 v/h from an ETA 2892/A2 (the L619.2 ) automatic caliber claiming its 42 hours power reserve.


The date is placed at 3 o'clock, the case is water resistant to 30 meters. The hour and minute hands, rhodium plated and satin finished, have been “super luminovated”.

Longines and diving : The HydroConquest 2013

Elegance and performance, two identity keywords closely related to the fate of the more than 150-year-old brand Longines of Saint-Imier, flagship of Swiss watchmaking and economic udder of the Swatch Group. Suddenly, a few drops of water put this series of models under the microscope of the news. 

Called to conquer the universe of divers and water sports enthusiasts - also including the target of idle and amorphous summer holidaymakers-the HydroConquest is water resistant to 300 meters, which is a good starting point. Then there is this unidirectional rotating bezel, really bright in colours -red, black and blue- this securely screwed crown guarded by ad hoc devices and the luminescent material befitting the in-depth time reading.

The double security folding clasp allows itself an expansion in diameter to cover the wrists wrapped by a diving suit. On the engine side, the chronograph model is inhabited by a column wheel L688 caliber developed exclusively by ETA, the sister society at the origin of all the Longines’s movements. White or blue dials, sprinkled with red spikes, stainless steel or rubber strap.

Historically seen as inveterate sports, the Longines brand had good reason to venture and underwater terrain.