Introducing the Longines Spirit Pilot and Spirit Pilot Flyback

Intro

Five years after Longines launched the Spirit collection, it has evolved into the Longines Spirit Pilot, thereby closing its ties with the brand’s aviation heritage more than ever before, while concurrently improving on many levels.

The new collection closes a five-year lifecycle while opening a new chapter—based on evolution rather than revolution, except for the latest Spirit Pilot Flyback chronograph.

The new Longines Spirit Pilot is a no-frills Spirit.

An average watch enthusiast might not notice what sets old and new generations apart, as some subtle details require a face-to-face comparison. Others are standing out instead.

Forget the five-star badge and the date window; they’re gone, and the minute track has been redesigned, along with new case proportions, to push readability and comfort to new heights.

With a 39.0 mm and 11.0 mm thick case, the Longines Spirit Pilot joins the fiercely competitive sub-3,000 euro arena it already belongs to with an improved, L888.4-Calibre-Based watch housing a silicon hairspring, offering a 72-hour power reserve and a Chronometer-certified watch.

It is a compelling choice for those who choose a watch for its technical prowess and expect Longines to deliver best-in-class specifications.

Also, the movement is now secured via a screw-down case back. Available exclusively with a black dial, the Longines Spirit Pilot debuts in three options: two with a folding clasp, featuring either a bracelet or a leather strap with a micro-adjustment mechanism, and a new variant with a green, textile-like rubber strap and a pin buckle, a popular choice for a 100-meter-rated wristwatch.

The Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback is a massive improvement over the original iteration.

If you’re looking for the collection’s game changer, don’t look any further. Interestingly, Longines unveils a new Flyback Chrono ninety-five years after first patenting the Flyback mechanical complication.

A new model, which we expect will replace the self-winding model at some point, comes in a much smaller size—size was a hot topic when the first-generation Flyback was introduced—and is a closer representation of the brand’s vintage aviation watches. In pictures, you can also appreciate the new glass box sapphire crystal.

Key details include a downsized case measuring 39.5 mm across and 13.4 mm in thickness. That’s an excellent achievement, and most probably not the landing point of a project aiming to close the gap between contemporary and vintage Flyback chronographs.

A new hand-wound calibre.

Downsizing is possible thanks to a new hand-wound calibre, coded as L791.4, which is COSC-certified and builds on its self-winding L792.4 sibling. It therefore preserves a column-wheel mechanism and delivers 68 hours of power reserve when fully wound.

Best-in-class technology and sleeker proportions come with relevant aesthetic and functional upgrades. While a matte black dial remains unchanged from generation to generation, the Spirit Pilot Flyback features a five-star layout and no gold rings surrounding the chronograph counters, as seen in previous models.

Squaring the Circle

Also, the black ceramic bezel’s inlay now features a countdown scale. All in all, the renovated Spirit Pilot Flyback appeals to a much wider audience than before.

Introduced in two options, the watch features a Spirit Pilot three-link bracelet or a leather strap with micro-adjustment.

The perfect accessory for the watch is the green textile-rubber strap, also seen on a Spirit Pilot, which can be applied since the 20-mm lug distance remains consistent across models.

(Photo credit: Longines)

Giovanni Maria Di Biase @Horbiter®