Longines has long been a stalwart in the history of Swiss watchmaking. Since its establishment in 1832, the brand with the winged hourglass in its logo has consistently set benchmarks across all domains of horology. Its repertoire includes robust diver’s and pilot’s watches, top-tier chronographs, GMT and calendar watches, distinguished dress watches, and, last but certainly not least, refined timepieces for women. The rich history of the Saint-Imier based brand operating under the umbrella of the Swatch Group and its impressive archive constantly provide inspiration for new releases that combine the beauty of yesteryear with modern day achievements and the brand typical elegant appeal.
The latest example is the Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve, which is launched to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Conquest line. In 1954, it marked a historic milestone as the first Longines watch to receive formal name protection from the Federal Intellectual Property Office in Berne, Switzerland. The Conquest of the first hour, the Ref. 9001, was a water-resistant, magnetic-resistant increased and shock-proof three-hand timepiece which was driven by the self-winding caliber 19AS. Its 35mm case boasted a Champlevé enamel medallion inlaid in the case back.
In 1959, five years after the debut of the Conquest collection, Longines further enriched the line by introducing an innovative power reserve indicator comprising of two rotating discs positioned in the center of the dial. This sophisticated mechanism was powered by the self-winding Longines calibre 292, enhancing both the functionality and appeal of the collection.
To mark the 70th anniversary of the Conquest collection in 2024, Longines is reimagining this classic with the new Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve. Channeling this clever and unique mechanism, the power reserve is likewise indicated via two concentric and rotating discs in the center of the watch face. Via a baton-shaped marker, the inner disc indicates the movement’s depletion level on the external coiling disc, graduated from ‘64’ to ‘0’, indicating the hours of the watch’s remaining running time. It goes without saying that any movement of the wrist changes the picture, as the power reserve increases and the discs move.
Presented in elegant champagne, anthracite, or black, the three-part dial of the Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve is furnished with twelve applied facetted hour markers in yellow gold, rose gold, or silver tones along its fixed section. Embracing the distinctive circular motif of the Conquest collection, a small ring supports the hour markers and separates the minute track on the periphery. Staying true to its predecessor from 1959, there is a date indication at 12 o’clock indicated through a trapezoid window. The font of the lettering “Conquest automatic” stays also true to the original.
Within the 38mm stainless steel case which is water resistant to 50 meters ticks the new exclusive Longines L896.5 caliber. As is typical for the brand, this self-winding movement is fitted with a silicon balance-spring that allows for a magnetic resistance up to ten times greater than the ISO 764 benchmark standard.
The alternating satin-finished and polished surfaces and the box sapphire crystal enhance the elegant retro aura. The Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve is available with black or gray leather straps, fitted with a new steel pin buckle, in accordance with the latest models in the Conquest Heritage line.
Pricing for the new Longines models is marked at $3,800.
To learn more, visit Longines, here.