The Longines Ultra Chron 2022 high-frequency watch hands-on

The Longines Ultra Chron name may equally sound bizarre or familiar and trigger opposite reactions: surprise to those not “in the know” or a rare mixture of admiration and relief to all the brand’s die-hard fans eagerly waiting for new timepieces on par with Longines‘ noble history and unrivalled leadership in precision sports timekeeping. The Spirit Zulu Time has been in the headlines so far and holds as the primary commercial launch of 2022; in contrast, the new Longines Ultra Chron is a niche product carrying the brand under the loupe from a technical perspective. The GMT is contemporary, while the latter is quintessentially vintage at heart; they sit on opposite sides of the spectrum while driving Longines into a new market category.

High Frequency at Longines

Raise your hand if you’d link Longines to high-frequency mechanical movements; here is a hidden gem you discover while visiting the brand’s museum in St.Imier, as I did on a trip to Switzerland in 2016. That place collects a century or so of the brand’s endless pursuit to measure one-hundredth of a second along with several devices adopted to time several sports events where Longines was appointed as the official timekeeper. The above mentioned period dates back to the first half of the 20th century and fostered the production of high-frequency wristwatches since the late fifties. The Ultra Chron is the landing point of a development project whose original outcome hit the market in 1959. The marketing department picked a specific model from that era, the 1968 Ultra Chron Diver.

The new release somehow turns the museum inside out; it seems the long-gone technological prowess is popping out of the displays to make Longines the brand it used to be. According to the official timeline, the original Ultra Chron Diver was nine years in the making since the first high-frequency 360-calibre-equipped Chronometer came out.

Design and source of inspiration

I think the Ultra Chron Diver is an excellent format combining high-frequency technology with a sports watch livery. By adding the nostalgia factor to a 300-meter water-resistant divers’ watch, Longines packed a solid technical, aesthetic and aspirational product proposition.

The unidirectional rotating bezel features a sapphire crystal inlay.

A fine sapphire crystal inlay replaces the old-but-gold bakelite bezel’s insert; in this regard, Ultra Chron joins legendary timepieces like the contemporary Omega PloProf and the respected Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Up close and ideally placing old and new ones on a tray, I would have gone for a slimmer bezel to broaden the dial, as brilliantly exemplified by the 1968 model.

The above detail apart, the new recipe adopts the Longines “Heritage” treatment as expected: baton hands, indexes and Ultra Chron logo mimic as faithfully as possible the original model. How much does a Longines Ultra Chron measure? The case is 43 mm across and 13,60 mm high, including the slightly cambered sapphire crystal, whose shape affects the full size. The watch weighs 121,7 grams on a strap and 185,7 grams on a steel bracelet.

However, here is a 300-meter water-resistant watch. Interestingly, I won’t entirely approve the bracelet options; Ultra Chron comes with a full steel bracelet and a replacement NATO strap but not with a tropical rubber strap as standard, which is the most desirable option on a timepiece this vintage looking. You can opt for an exquisite suede leather strap on a tang buckle.

The new Longines calibre L836.

Please welcome a new contender in high-frequency mechanical watchmaking. The L836.6 calibre housed in the Longines Ultra Chron cushion case helps make the Longines Ultra Chron an “Ultra-Chronometer”. In brief, according to the brand’s official release, the new collection is independently tested by Swiss laboratory Timelab to meet the Chronometer Certificate criteria on the whole watch instead of parts as envisioned by the COSC certification test instead.

However, we’re eager to find out more and get further details uncovered by the brand. Once fully wound, the watch can run for 52 hours. It adopts a silicon hairspring and, as a consequence, it offers a five-year extended warranty.

Prices and options

The Longines Ultra Chron will come in two variants, either on a bracelet with folding clasp and safety push-buttons, priced at 3,340 euros or with a strap retailing at 3,080 euros, referenced as L28364526 and L28364522, respectively. The watch is also available as a “Special Box”, including a replacement NATO strap made of recycled material. The box retails for 3,590 euros and 3,390 euros, respectively.

Final thoughts

I think Longines nailed with the new Ultra Chron, an exciting new offering for the product segment and the watch market, and helps extend high-frequency watches to a larger community of aficionados. The formula is a modern take on the original 1968 Diver, whose pedigree will help boost the brand’s awareness; I see a consistent new communication and re-positioning as exemplified by a dedicated web page you can reach by hitting this link.

Details like the historic Ultra Chron logo, the red minute baton hand, the applied indexes and the grained surface finish are a nod to the 1968 model and here is why I feel a few more ingredients are missing to make the recipe even better. Again, a “tropical” rubber strap is a must-have, especially considering we’re approaching the summer holidays; the cushion case usually matches a rubber strap well. Finally, I’m eager to discover how the collection will enlarge; a new chronograph would be welcome moving forward.

(Photo credit: Horbiter®)

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