By Jovan Krstevski
The new addition to the Conquest Classic collection is the sporty yet classical Moonphase Chronograph. Yeah right, this one’s a bit sporty yet true to its name of being a classical timepiece designed for equestriennes. Even a horology newbie can easily spot the difference of the Moonphase from its predecessors. The shades of gray and the affectionate mix of steel and rose-gold are magnificent designs and what can go wrong when the target audience of this watch are the few people who can truly appreciate a real work of mechanical art designed to be worn on their field of sport. Just a brief glimpse of future’s past, Longines’ heritage is mostly directed to the equestrian universe and there’s no doubt that this time, their newly released timepiece is romanticizing its audience by using the classic elegance of the stars which by far never fails.
The Moonphase’s case is rounded and measures 42mm in diameter, not a surprise because after all this is a chronograph, rather a very complicated timepiece. There are three versions of the Moonphase and as for me, I have a strong inclination to choose the steel version against the two tone and 18-karat rose gold versions. To each his own, but really, not much difference on the inside. The case by the way is superbly rounded, that’s a nod to its elegant appeal and as for the bezel and lugs, the designers didn’t make a mistake by choosing to keep the crown and the pushers in low profile complimenting a quiet and very clean overall case design. This way, the timepiece exudes subtlety in all its glory. That’s romantic according to its designers but for me, it’s just a testament to what a good research and craftsmanship can really do.
Now to the dial, this is basically where the magic happens and just like the stars in the universe, you can bring this in the dark yet still read time and appreciate its elegance thanks to its abundance of Super-LumiNova coatings. The indices are glowing in the dark and the geometrical lines are superbly accurate and neat. However, this timepiece makes reading the date and month a bit more complicated by placing the dedicated subdial at the 12 o’clock position, come’n there’s nothing wrong with the 3 o’clock position. What’s at 3 o’clock instead is the Longines’ brand which is practically staring you right in the face since that is the usual place for the date feature. Longines does make sure that you know who built your watch. However, the rest of the other features such as the moonphase display and the subdial for seconds are properly located in their rightful places 6 and 9 o’clock positions. The horizontally serrated lines design on the dial is also a welcoming ambiance for the steel version, just an added bling for a remarkable classical timepiece.
Longines has the Moonphase powered by the self-winding mechanical chronograph movement L678 gracefully displayed through the transparent caseback. The movement is capable of providing 48 hours of power reserve and if one must go underwater, the timepiece is also water-resistant. The timepiece comes in three strap versions namely black alligator strap, steel bracelet and steel and rose gold cap bracelet, all equipped with a triple folding safety clasp. For more info, please visit longines.com
Jovan Krstevski – Founder, Proprietor & Executive Editor
Watch collector, aficionado and an Event profile in the Swedish nightlife. He launched Watchgeek back in 2011, which is now known as WristReview and is one of the most widely read watch blogs on the Web. He quotes ’WristReview is a site to help people find, explore, discover and enjoy wristwatches.’ His passion jump started in his early teens, when he was given his first mid-range wristwatch which was an Omega Seamaster. Since then he has always been in love with wristwatches! Besides WristReview, he also writes for a number of publications. Read his articles here.
