The Laings Journal
This year Longines introduced the Longines Heritage Collection 1918, the Longines Rail road, the Longines Pocket Watch, introduced new designs for the Equestrian Collection and La Grande Classique de Longines, and re-launched the much loved Dolce Vita in 18ct Rose Gold.
| The Longines Railroad collection stays true to Longines' tradition of designing railway watches, with its simple yet effective design. The dial is off-white polished with black paint Arabic numerals displaying both the 12 hour and 24 hour clock; the off white dial gives the watch a vintage feel. This watch is nostalgic and its automatic winding caliber gives the owner an impressive 64 hour power reserve. Longines has based the design of this watch on the “railway grade” watches which were made for the rail service in the 1960’s. The number 280 on the original dial referred to Longines' hand wound calibre 280, an in-house movement created to withstand the demands of usage in the railway service .The dial of the new Railroad has the number 888 on the dial in reference to Longines' in-house calibre L888.2. | ||
| The Longines Heritage 1918 houses an automatic winding caliber with a 42 hour power reserve. The honey coloured alligator strap compliments the honey comb varnished hands, and the blue steel outer lines really help emphasise both the strap and hands. The dial is reminiscent of the Longines 1918 pocket watch, which gives this watch a nostalgic feel of the bygone era. The blue dial also ties in with the “blue pattern“ of this years Basel, which saw many brands introduce their collections supporting this colour. I definitely feel that this watch is going to be a major seller for Longines this year. It's mechanical, fashionable and affordable, with a design that appeals to both men and woman. | ||
| The La Grande Classique de Longines was introduced in a variation of shades pink, blue and white. All the collections are quartz movements and the cases come in two sizes - 24mm and 29mm. The new straps give this classic collection a modern feel that will definitely attract a new type of Longines customer. The design is fun and vibrant and the strap colors give this watch a summery feel. Interestingly, La Grande Classique was a best seller for Longines in 1995 despite never being advertised, this watch definitely speaks for itself! This collection is timeless and is a must buy. I personally cannot wait to try on the pearly blue alligator strap! | ||
| New additions were also launched of the Longines Dolce Vita - the Sweet Life. This collection is more than a watch, it’s a lifestyle. Dolce Vita celebrates the beauty of life and Basel 2016 saw the re-launch of Dolce Vita in stainless steel and rose gold. All the watches in this collection are quartz movements and the blue hands allow smaller dials to be read easily. The watches in this collection come in four different sizes and are diamond set from 36 diamonds to 46 diamonds dependent on case size. When I hear of Dolce Vita I instantly think of Audrey Hepburn and the 1999 Dolce Vita advertising campaign. Audrey Hepburn, like this collection, was beautiful and elegant. Dolce Vita is a watch that any woman would be proud to wear. | ||
| The Longines Equestrian Collection was first introduced into the Longines family in 2015, and honours Longines' connection with equestrian sport. Basel 2016 saw the launch of five new models in this collection and saw the first steel bracelet introduced. Enhancing Longines' equestrian heritage. this year Longines have introduced a pocket watch with a manual winding movement. My favorite part of this pocket watch is the case which displays a jockey accompanied by his mount. |
Longines has a collection to suit everyone and, although the designs may vary slightly, each watch upholds the Longines guarantee of excellence. Some of the most influential people in history have worn a Longines watch, from Charles Lindenburg to Albert Einstein to Ameila Earhart, and it is guaranteed that they will continue to combine performance and history to create timepieces that we can pass on from generation to generation.
If you would like to find out more about any of these new watches, or to place an order, our watch teams would love to hear from you. Please contact your nearest store.