Longines send you over the moon with their newest Flagship Heritage
D.C. Hannay- Longines’ classic Flagship line gets a handsome new 38.5mm Heritage model in three colourways
- The new models feature both a moonphase and calendar function on a well-balanced dial
- The original Flagship made its debut in 1957, and was one of Longines’ first wristwatch collections
Longines are one of the oldest watch brands in the world, and are one of only a few brands that even non-watch people would be able to name. With a heritage that incorporates revolutions in the technical world of dive watches, pilot watches and maritime chronometers, signalling their pride with the name Flagship is a lofty statement. First introduced in the post-war booms of 1957, the Longines Flagship was the epitome of late ’50s style. Retaining all elements of sophistication, it helped to forge the way for casual sports watches to evolve while retaining classiness. The newest edition of the range is the Longines Flagship Heritage, tapping into the spirit of the original and providing the best that the contemporary brand has to offer in three stunning colours.
The Flagship Heritage sports clean lines, its stainless-steel case measuring a classically sized 38.5mm in diameter, with a height of 12.4mm. A tasteful mix of satin-brushed and polished finishes help the faceted lugs flow nicely into the rest of the case, and in a callback to vintage models, the screwdown caseback features a ship embossed on a gold and blue medallion. Water resistance is listed as 30 metres.
The watch comes in three dial variants, including a silvered opaline with gold handset and indices, a silver sunray with rhodium-plated hands and markers, and a deep blue sunray with the same dial furniture, all protected by an AR-coated sapphire crystal. The dials have an attractive domed look and great balance, with the logo and model name under twelve, and the party piece of this model, the moonphase complication, above six.
The moon and stars of the display are matched to the handset (in either gold or rhodium), and set against a deep blue backdrop. It’s an elegant retro touch that perfectly marries with the aesthetic of the watch, and the pointer date around the aperture is a nice alternative to a more pedestrian date window. One more thing: Longines has included a discreet sliver of Super-Luminova on the Dauphine hour and minute hands, something I personally really appreciate. That may disqualify the Flagship Heritage from true dress watch-status among snobs, but let’s get real. Times have changed, and in all honesty, if one of my watches doesn’t have at least a modicum of lume, it’s probably staying in the box more often than not, so bravo, Longines. Better to be useful than rigidly correct, because I actually wear my watches.
The movement is Longines’ Calibre L899.5, with central hours, minutes, seconds, and the date/moonphase complication. It’s got 21 jewels, runs at 25,200 VpH, and has a long weekend’s 72 hour power reserve. The inclusion of a silicon balance spring increases the movement’s resistance to magnetism as well.
Each dial variant gets its own coordinated strap, with dark brown for the silvered opaline dial, grey for the silver sunray dial, and blue for the blue dial. The straps are alligator leather, and feature a new Heritage pin buckle.
Longines Flagship Heritage pricing and availability:
The Longines Flagship Heritage is available now for purchase. Price: A$4,900 / US$3,050
| Brand | Longines |
| Model | Flagship Heritage |
| Case Dimensions | 38.5mm (D) x 12.40mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Dial | Opaline silver, sunray silver, sunray blue |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Bracelet/Strap | Alligator leather, pin buckle |
| Movement | Calibre L899.5 |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, moonphase |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | A$4,900 / US$3,050 |