Partner brand or no, I think it goes without saying that we’re huge fans of Longines here at Boss Hunting HQ.
The ‘Winged Hourglass’ has really been hitting the proverbial ball out of the park these past four years – largely because they’re embracing so many of the elegant, impressively timeless designs that are an inextricable part of their identity.
Now, following closely on the heels of the recent Pilot Majetek – a watch my colleague Nick Kenyon covered back in February – Longines is revealing the Spirit Flyback – a duo of chronographs (i.e. with blue/black dial) which pay tribute to the original “precision instruments created by the brand to accompany the greatest explorers in their conquest of air, sea and land”.
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Named for a kind of extra-complicated chronograph, in which the timing function can be instantaneously reset to zero (conventional chronographs require the wearer to individually stop, reset, and then restart) the new Spirit Flyback actually descends from a rich lineage of similar sports watches – the kind Longines have been making since 1925.
After numerous experiments with the flyback mechanism, Longines successfully managed to patent it in 1936 – a historic first for the watch industry – in the form of the calibre 13ZN, one of the world’s first serially manufactured flyback chronograph movements.
A popular choice over the decades among pilots (especially in the context of the ‘Spirit’ collection) Longines has really gone back to its roots, albeit through the lens of modernity, for this latest flyback’s aesthetic. There’s a faint resemblance to the calibre 13ZN watches of yore, buoyed by some truly 21st century technology. The new calibre L791.4 (a movement reserved exclusively for Longines) is an impressive bit of engineering: delivering what is practically a 3-day power reserve (i.e. 68 hours); a silicon balance spring; and self-winding capability.
That alone would represent fantastic value in a watch below $10,000, but the kicker is that Longines’ watchmakers have even managed to nab it COSC certification. On average, only about 6% of Swiss-made watches are able to satisfy the requirements of the Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.
The new Longines Spirit Flyback starts at $6,725 (on leather/NATO straps) or is available for $6,900 on a matching integrated bracelet. Both accessories options feature a quick-change and comfort adjustment system.
