NEW additions to the Longines Spirit watch collection
Tuesday - 25 May 2021
Longines presents the already-popular Spirit watch in a new, captivating shade of green and in case sizes of 40mm and 42mm with steel bracelet or brown leather strap configurations
Right in the height of lockdown, when all seemed to be lost last summer, Longines gave us all hope of better things to come with an entirely new line of wristwatches dedicated to pioneers of the aviation world. The Longines Spirit watch collection was released mid-2020, combining historical references to the aviation industry with the winged hourglass brand’s heritage. There are multiple retro-inspired elements to admire throughout the series, as well as inaugural blue, black and silver dial options that impart a refined and understated elegance on the wrist. New for 2021, Longines extends the popular collection with two new models with striking green dials. The two new time-and-date watches offer different case sizes of 40mm and 42mm and both are available on a stainless steel bracelet or brown leather strap option. Meet the new green dial Longines Spirit watches.
Despite old-school undertones, the Longines Spirit watch collection is resolutely contemporary. Without losing that high-end feel, these luxury pilot’s watches don’t need to boast a myriad of complexities or unfathomable complications. What the Longines Spirit collection sets out to achieve is a nicely executed, classic and simple pilot’s watch with curves in all the right places. The way the lugs of the Longines Spirit watches taper creates an almost tonneau-like profile and the surface of the stainless steel casing is always brushed in parts to echo a full-of-character design that strays away from the dressier mirror-polished look. By incorporating these subtle design codes, the Spirit watch was able to reach out to a new and wider audience – perhaps even those who hadn’t considered a pilot’s watch as their everyday timekeeper before now.
The new Longines Spirit watches in green have a capacity to resist modern life, and that’s what makes them so special. Available in a time-and-date model only, these are no-fuss, reliable instruments that deliver superior quality to the wrist without having to scream and shout about it. What’s more, the models are equipped with a silicon balance spring that not only improves overall mechanical performance but preserves the life of the movement, granting the wearer an improved and extended international warranty of five years.
The colour of the dial is not the only entrancing element to the display of the new Longines Spirit watches. Moreover, it is the finishing of the dial itself. We’ve already seen Longines confidently play about with different surface textures on the original Spirit watches. The blue version was sunray brushed, the silver was a grained-agente and the black was matte finished. The new green dials are sandblasted to give both the 40 and 42mm models a stunning metallic sheen. This mesmerizing shade of green makes for a nice contrast against the rich beige-coloured Super-LumiNova plots, designed to give the watch a sense of vintage charm. This luminous coating can be seen in the Arabic numerals around the hour track and the sword-shaped central hour and minute hands.
The only pop of colour seen in the retro dial of the new Longines Spirit watch is on the top of the central sweeping second hand. You can also see the five stars adorned to the surface of the dial towards the southern hemisphere of the display, representing the chronometer-certification of the watch’s beating heart and thus the extended guarantee on the watch. Towards the top of the dial is the instantly noticeable Longines lettering and, of course, the hourglass logo, which has remained a token of authenticity and quality for centuries now.
Inside the 100-meter water-resistant stainless steel case of the new green Longines Spirit watches is the beautifully crafted self-winding L888.4 Calibre. This self-winding movement is also known as the ETA A31.L11, but boasts chronometer certification by COSC standards and, as mentioned prior, a silicon balance spring chosen for its anti-magnetic properties. The movement propels at a rate of 25,200 vibrations per hour and also provides a 72-hour power reserve once fully wound. The modifications to the movement no doubt bring a competitive advantage to the Spirit collection.
Brushed surfaces and polished bevelled angles make up the stainless steel case of the new Longines Spirit watches and the caseback is engraved with a decorative embossed hourglass emblem. The case also features 6 screws on the back and a screw-in crown, whilst the top of the watch is sealed with a domed sapphire crystal glass lens with layers of anti-reflective coating applied to both sides.
In this article, we’ve featured the 42mm Longines Spirit watch with stainless steel bracelet ref: L3.811.4.03.6 with a triple folding clasp and push-piece mechanism, and the 42mm Longines Spirit watch on brown leather strap with beige contrast stitching and a traditional stainless steel pin buckle ref: L3.811.4.03.2. For more information on these models or the 40mm iterations, please call our Jura Watches sales team today on 01335 453453
Technical Specifications of the new Longines Spirit green dial watches
- Case: 40mm/42mm – stainless steel – brushed and polished finishes – 100-meter water-resistant – screw-down crown – engraved screw-down caseback with 6 screws – domed sapphire crystal glass front with anti-reflective treatment
- Dial: Green sandblasted – beige Super-LumiNova-coated Arabic numeral hour markers and hands – date window at 3 o’clock – red-tipped central second hand – detailed minute scale
- Movement: Calibre L888.4 – based on the ETA A31.L11 – self-winding – 72-hour power reserve – COSC-certified chronometer – 25,200 v.p.h – silicone balance spring – hours, minutes, seconds, date functions – 21 jewels
- Strap: Stainless steel bracelet – fine-brushed and polished links – triple folding clasp – push-piece opening mechanism / brown leather strap – beige contrast stitching – traditional stainless steel pin buckle
- Reference: 42mm steel bracelet: L3.811.4.03.6 / 42mm brown leather strap: L3.811.4.03.2
- Price: (enter)