Table of Contents
The new Longines Spirit marked an excellent step forward for the brand. It has opened a new chapter for contemporary Longines watches, with The Legend Diver preserving its heritage-inspired timepieces instead. The truth is that The Legend Diver hit the spot so much that I’m afraid the recently-released models belonging to the Spirit lineup stay under the radar while being substantial to the brand’s offering and beyond, instead. If a revised metal bracelet is more than welcome – most people won’t consider buying a watch without any bracelet option – the addition of a Grade 5 titanium-made new timepiece is a class of its own.
The new Longines Spirit 2021 watches
On a bracelet, the Spirit is Longines‘ luxury sports watch proposition in the middle-top luxury segment. The Swiss watchmakers relentlessly worked to improve it and, while the timepiece prides itself with a remarkable design and a gap-free assembly, there still was a missing piece in the puzzle, in the benchmark. The bracelet now comes with a quick-release mechanism, either on the new olive green dial or the full titanium model, and can fit older Spirit models too.
The system, placed amidst the bracelet’s first link, requires some time to get used to but ensures, as said, no gap and a solid build, which is often uncommon elsewhere where I have experienced the bracelet to case fastening is loose. In brief, Longines has closed up on the competition late, but their solution is better engineered.
In the headline: the Grade 5 Titanium Longines Spirit
This piece of news is all but shocking. Grade 5 titanium first appeared on the exquisite Avigation Big Eye and, if you’re ready to approve titanium on a quintessentially vintage-inspired timepiece, you won’t be surprised to welcome titanium on any contemporary watch.
The outcome is a lovely wristwatch that won’t be anyone’s cup of tea; yet, if you’re getting over the material, the Longines Spirit in Titanium is geared towards purists more than its full steel sibling despite sharing the same brushed-to-polished surface combo since it is a no-date-window watch. The Titanium Spirit, therefore, brilliantly blends vintage and modern traits. Additionally, the hands and Arabic numerals glow a vivid blue in the dark, making it an exotic option across the product portfolio.
Nonetheless, I feel the brand has missed an opportunity; I think a Big Eye‘s Petrol Blue or a toned-down purple would superbly contrast the greyish case and bracelet and to a greater extent than the current micro blasted slate grey dial (micro blasting applies to green dial as well), which I perceive as too dark and mainstream for a timepiece this refined. Just imagine how the Chronometer‘s five stars, applied Arabic numerals, and the raised chapter ring would stand out.
About the Longines L888.4 calibre and overall size
The L888.4 calibre is the latest generation movement initially introduced on the RailRoad, powered by a silicon hairspring and whose power reserve totals 72 hours when fully wound. We have covered this calibre extensively elsewhere. Finally, a Longines Spirit offers a five-year warranty coverage.
The offering includes 40 and 42 mm models, either in steel or titanium, sharing a 12.20 mm thickness. They nicely taper the wrist, but titanium is a rare bird in this class of products. The full-bracelet timepieces pictured here measure 40 mm, while the Longines Spirit on a calf strap is 42 mm across.
Final thoughts
The bracelet first arrived with the Prestige Edition, has undergone a slight engineering process and turns the Longines Spirit into a multi-purpose product; add 100-meter water resistance, and you can swim all summer long too. A Longines-branded rubber strap is all I’ll ask for and, hopefully, a Limited Edition package offering two replacement straps and a watch roll to bring your Spirit anywhere.
I’ll take an olive green dial to the blue sunray as long as the steel Spirit concerns, and the 40 millimetres is the size to go, no doubt. With that said, which one would you go between steel and titanium? It’s a riddle since the price gap is on the steel side, at 2,310 Euros. The Longines Spirit in titanium retails 25% more than its steel counterpart, but it’s lighter and hypoallergenic, too. In truth, the no date layout is a game-changer and finally adds to titanium for a more attractive proposition.
(Photo credit: Marco Antinori per Horbiter®)
Gaetano C @Horbiter®
