BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Longines has just introduced three new models into its Spirit collection, and they are all classy affairs. Look, I know TAG Heuer has been on the up and up as of late, and their watches are looking very good these days, but Longines, too, has been undergoing a transformation and enjoying a renaissance of sorts. The Spirit watches are at the cutting edge of this revolution as they sport fresh new designs that seem to appeal to the masses.
The 39mm GMT watch is the first of the new pieces, with its dimensions being 39mm x 13.5mm. Those, however, are only a part of the story, the main draw to this new watch is the fact that its case, bracelet and clasp have been made from solid grade 5 titanium. As I’m sure you’ll know, titanium is much more difficult to machine than gold or even stainless steel, and it usually means new machines and tools are required to achieve the same high-end finishes we watch nerds love.
Luckily, the new GMT watch has loads of these details, with highlights being the gold-plated hands and applied numerals on the black dial, along with the plated stars. The dial is crisp and clean, and seems easy to read, although I’d need to go hands-on and report back on that (hint, Longines, hint). Anyway, behind that smart dial is the self-winding calibre L844.4, which is based on the ETA calibre A31.411 and features a silicone balance spring, 3.5Hz beat rate and 65-hour power reserve. The caseback is solid, and water resistance is 100m. The price of one of these is $4,275 before taxes.
The other model we’re looking at is a chronograph version of the Spirit, of which two distinct versions are available. They’re both stainless steel two-tone watches; one has 18k yellow gold chronograph pushers and crown, along with gold on the bezel, and the other has 18k rose gold ones. Beyond that, they’re nearly the exact same watch although with slightly different dial hues and strap colours. Both pieces have a bulky 42mm x 17mm.
The dials of the watches are clean with only two subdials and, thankfully, no date window which means more balance to the design. Once again the applied stars make their way to the dial, and I think they look just as good here as on the GMT model we saw earlier. Inside these watches and visible through the caseback sits the self-winding calibre L791.4, it’s used in all of the Spirit models equipped with a chronograph. The L791.4 movement is based on an ETA A08.L11 base movement and has a 4Hz beat rate with a long 68-hour power reserve although usage of the chronograph may alter that. The chronograph is also a column-wheel flyback chronograph, which means it can be reset while the chronograph is running with no issues. The price before taxes for one of these is $6,500.
So, which is your favourite? A titanium timepiece is always cool to me; on the other hand, though, I could really use a chronograph watch in my collection. Which would you pick?
