Longines adds a Monopusher and more to updated Master Collection
Zach BlassLongines is known for presenting high-quality watches for attractively lower prices. The brand made waves with its Hydroconquest, but today we have new entries into the Longines Master Collection with 30mm, 34mm, 39mm, and 41mm time and date variants, a refined 41mm Chrono Moonphase, and, arguably the showstopper, a new 41mm Chrono Monopusher – yup, a monopusher. From Longines.
With the brand’s strong run of refinements and novelties as of late, does the updated Master Collection live up to all the buzz Longines has been generating? We have eight of the new Master Collection references on the table, three different complication expressions, so to work our way through them, let’s start with the smallest and work our way upward.
Longines Master Collection 30mm/34mm
The new 30mm and 34mm Master Collection models, for many of you watching, may feel like a cliff note in the larger story as they are smaller watches, but it is not something to be dismissed by any means. A quick run-through on the specs: the 30mm models are 9.1mm thick and 36.8mm lug-to-lug, while the 34mm size clocks in at 9.3mm thick and 41.5mm lug-to-lug. Both cases are 30 metres water-resistant, and both house automatic movements exhibited through their casebacks.
The 30mm model has a 45-hour movement, and the 34mm model a 72-hour movement, each equipped with a silicon balance spring to resist against magnetism. So despite diamonds on the dial, in some instances set on a sunburst-finished backdrop and others mother-of-pearl, where other brands would have stuck a quartz movement inside and called it a day, Longines not only went automatic, but gave even down to the 30mm size a silicon hairspring to ensure the watches, no matter how small, were done justice. And it is worth calling out the barleycorn-patterned border on both dial styles, because, first off, the barleycorn pattern is a signature of the Master Collection range, and second, on a mother-of-pearl surface, getting that pattern on its more fragile surface is no easy feat.
Longines was willing to go the extra mile. The watches are available on either a leather strap or a case-matching bracelet, and the bracelet in both sizes features a fine adjustment system in its butterfly clasp. Price: starting at US$2,900 (30mm), starting at US$3,100 (34mm)
| Brand | Longines |
| Model | Master Collection |
| Case Dimensions | 30mm (D) X 9.1mm (T) X 36.8mm (LTL) 34mm (D) X 9.3mm (T) X 41.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel Stainless steel & 18k yellow gold cap 200 |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Light blue sunburst dial, barleycorn-patterned border, diamond-set hour indices Mother-of-pearl, barleycorn-patterned border, diamond-set hour indices |
| Strap | Leather strap, folding clasp, fine-adjustment system Stainless steel bracelet, butterfly clasp, fine-adjustment system |
| Movement | L592.5, Longines-exclusive, automatic (30mm) L888.5, Longines-exclusive, automatic (34mm) |
| Power Reserve | 45 hours (30mm) 72 hours (34mm) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$2,900 (30mm/steel) US$3,100 (34mm/steel) US$3,450 (30mm/two-tone) US$3,650 (34mm/two-tone) |
Longines Master Collection 39mm/41mm
The 39mm and 41mm time and date Master Collection models have also received the case and bracelet refinement afforded to their smaller counterparts, cases and bracelets that have been refined to have not just curved but concave surfaces to create a new sense of fluidity and depth and a bracelet with fine adjustment in the butterfly clasp. But with these largely barleycorn-patterned dials, we can better see another refinement.
The barleycorn pattern has been scaled down, finer in texture, to elevate the elegance factor even more. On the dials, whether in silver, blue, or lighter blue, you have a near full set of applied hour numerals – only missing a ‘3’ to leave room for the date complication. Understandably, on the blue dials, the hands are left in a silvered polished form for contrast, but the silver dial features a longstanding signature of the Master Collection: blued steel central hands along with blued applied hour indices. In the 41mm size, you can also find an Arabic dial configuration for both the applied numerals and date wheel. Not something you see every day from bigger brands and at this price point.
In terms of fit, the 30-metre water-resistant cases clock in at 39mm in diameter, 9.4mm thick, and 46.1mm lug-to-lug, and 41mm in diameter, 9.5mm thick, and 48.7mm lug-to-lug. Inside and exhibited within both sizes, you have the Longines-exclusive automatic L888.5 movement with 72 hours of power reserve and a silicon balance spring and, fun fact, it’s the same movement inside the 34mm model. In terms of pricing, the 39mm models are US$2,650 while the 41mm models are US$2,750 – regardless of whether you go leather strap or bracelet. So, I would highly recommend you go for the bracelet and sort out either a 20mm or 21mm leather strap later should you wish. Price: US$2,650 (39mm), US$2,750 (41mm)
| Brand | Longines |
| Model | Master Collection |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) X 9.4mm (T) X 46.1mm (LTL) 41mm (D) X 9.5mm (T) X 48.7mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Silver, barleycorn-patterned Silver Arabic dial, barleycorn-patterned (41mm only) Blue, barleycorn-patterned Light blue, barleycorn-patterned |
| Strap | Leather strap, folding clasp, fine-adjustment system Stainless steel bracelet, butterfly clasp, fine-adjustment system |
| Movement | L888.5, Longines-exclusive, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$2,650 (39mm) US$2,750 (41mm) |
Longines Master Collection Chrono Moonphase
The new, refined Chrono Moonphase is available with a silver dial that has the new finer barleycorn engraved pattern. There is a lot to take in with the dial, more than its name suggests. Yes, you have a chronograph and moonphase indication, but you also have day and month indications along with the date complication and a 24-hour indicator as well.
The moonphase shares the 6 o’clock dial real estate with the 12-hour elapsed hours counter for the chronograph; at 9 o’clock you have a running seconds counter that also indicates a 24-hour scale for some am/pm action, and at 12 o’clock the day and month are displayed through apertures framed within a 30-minute elapsed minutes counter. For the calendar date, a crescent-tipped hand extends out from the centre of the dial to the calendar scale on the outer perimeter of the dial. As you would now expect, the applied hour indices and all of the hands, small or large, have been blued.
So, how big is the case considering all of the complication packed in it? The 30-metre water-resistant stainless steel case is 41mm in diameter, a very reasonable 13.8mm thick, and also a reasonable lug-to-lug span of 48.6mm across the wrist. And the calibre driving all of it is the Longines-exclusive automatic column-wheel chronograph calibre L687.5 with 66 hours of power reserve and a silicon balance spring.
In terms of straps, you can purchase the watch on a blue leather strap with a folding clasp that features micro-adjustment, or you can purchase it on a case-matching bracelet that also features micro-adjustment in the clasp. Price: US$4,250
| Brand | Longines |
| Model | Master Collection Chrono Moonphase |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) x 13.8mm (T) x 48.6mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Silver, barleycorn-patterned |
| Strap | Leather strap, folding clasp, micro-adjust Stainless steel bracelet, folding clasp, micro-adjust |
| Movement | L687.5, Longines-exclusive, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 66 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, day, month, chronograph, moonphase, 24-hour indicator |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$4,250 |
Longines Master Collection Chrono Monopusher
We’ve now arrived at the showstopper. All of the previous watches are great, but this new design, the newest of the group, you could say, is very special. With the Longines Master Collection Chrono Monopusher, not only does Longines bring a seldomly seen style of chronograph to its more accessible price segment, but it also pays tribute to the roots and origins of its watchmaking. Like the Longines Master Collection Chrono Moonphase, the new Chrono Monopusher has a design inspired by a watch from 1911 – notably one of the first designed to be worn on the wrist. Longines would further refine the concept in 1913 with the calibre 13.33Z, which the brand explains is recognised as the first compact-sized chronograph movement worldwide. This technology would go on to be used by famed aviators such as Amelia Earhart and Richard Byrd to help guide their flights. It was a big deal.
A monopusher, rather than the chronographs we are more accustomed to today, centralises the start, stop, and reset in one pusher – in this instance embedded within the crown. It creates a very clean and classic case look, one that is less obvious in boasting its complication. Monopusher chronographs were not just tools for aviators of the era, but also engineers, military servicemen, and doctors, which explains why Longines opted for a pulsometer scale on the dial rather than the more common tachymetre scale we see on chronos today. A fun twist that makes the offering more distinct than it already inherently is.
The 30-metre water-resistant stainless steel case measures 41mm in diameter, 12.6mm thick, and 48.6mm lug-to-lug across the wrist. For your dial options, you have the refined barleycorn pattern executed with what Longines calls a silver opaline dial and rose-toned hands and indices that I would describe as an ivory-like hue, very classic in expression, or a frosted blue dial that has a more modern feel and is on-trend for what is a very popular dial hue these days in the market with watch buyers.
Two eye-pleasing and dial-balanced counters assume the 9 and 3 o’clock positions, with the running seconds indicated on the left and the 30-minute elapsed minutes scale for the chronograph on the right. Each dial variant is paired with a leather strap, brown for the silver opaline model to drive home the classic feel and match the tone of the dial and anthracite for the frosted blue dial to best fit the more modern expression of the dial and let it be the star of the show. Both straps feature a folding clasp with a micro-adjustment system.
Exhibited inside is the Longines-exclusive column-wheel chronograph calibre L799.5 with 68 hours of power reserve. It is a manually wound calibre, contributing to keeping the watch under 13mm thick and also making the design feel that much more vintage mechanically speaking. And all of this will only set you back US$3,900. Excluding vintage, pre-owned, or burgeoning microbrands, finding a monopusher chronograph from a big-name brand with centuries of watchmaking history at this price is very far and few, once again an example of Longines making a high-quality watch more accessible to watch buyers around the world. Price: US$3,900
| Brand | Longines |
| Model | Master Collection Chrono Monopusher |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) x 12.6mm (T) x 48.6mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Silver opaline, barleycorn-patterned Frosted blue, barleycorn-patterned |
| Strap | Leather strap, folding clasp, micro-adjust |
| Movement | L799.5, Longines-exclusive, manual-wind |
| Power Reserve | 68 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, monopusher chronograph |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$3,900 |
The verdict
In recent years, we have seen watches get better and better – updated calibres, longer power reserves, better dials and bracelets, more micro-adjustment, and a more expansive range of colour and material expressions. But we have also seen prices continue to rise and rise as well, brands once synonymous with being “value-driven” starting to have a bit of an asterisk against that potentially former badge of honour for them. One brand, however, I say with certainty has left zero doubt or uncertainty on its mission to bring higher quality watches at a maintained value-driven price point: Longines.
The Hydroconquest was arguably one of the most successful launches of the year, dominating the conversation the day it launched – a democratically priced diver at just over US$2,000 despite having a range of fan-favourite colours, ceramic bezel inserts, favoured 39mm and 42mm size options, refined bracelets with micro-adjust clasps, and a robust 72-hour automatic movement. I am quickly giving the Hydroconquest a shout, because it affirms what Patrick Aoun, CEO of Longines, expressed to Andrew in an interview: a desire to dominate the entry-luxury sweet spot, to offer the best while being accessible, all without compromising quality and tradition. It was a high-bar-setting launch that gives context to what all tuned into the brand are now expecting from it and what the brand, all the way up to the top, knows it needs to deliver to keep its promise.
Across the collection, whether 30mm or 41mm, it is clear Longines is really invested in the details watch geeks love to nitpick. To have such an expansive range of complications, an elevated, elegant and refined aesthetic that would make anyone think you’re wearing a much more expensive watch, strong calibres regardless of case diameter, and fine-adjustment systems or micro-adjustment systems in every strap or bracelet clasp, we have to give credit where it is due.