{"id":32747,"date":"2021-11-03T18:00:16","date_gmt":"2021-11-03T18:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/?p=32747"},"modified":"2021-11-05T18:09:53","modified_gmt":"2021-11-05T18:09:53","slug":"new-longines-spirit-watches-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/en\/new-longines-spirit-watches-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"The new 2021 Longines Spirit watches hands-on review"},"content":{"rendered":"

The new\u00a0Longines Spirit<\/strong>\u00a0marked an excellent step forward for the brand. It has opened a new chapter for contemporary\u00a0Longines<\/strong>\u00a0watches, with\u00a0The Legend Diver<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0preserving its heritage-inspired timepieces instead. The truth is that\u00a0The<\/strong>\u00a0Legend Diver<\/strong>\u00a0hit the spot so much that I\u2019m afraid the recently-released models belonging to the\u00a0Spirit<\/strong>\u00a0lineup stay under the radar while being substantial to the brand\u2019s offering and beyond, instead. If a revised metal bracelet is more than welcome \u2013 most people won\u2019t consider buying a watch without any bracelet option \u2013 the addition of a Grade 5 titanium-made new timepiece is a class of its own.<\/p>\n

The new Longines Spirit 2021 watches<\/h2>\n

On a bracelet, the\u00a0Spirit<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is\u00a0Longines<\/strong>\u2018 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,\u00a0there 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\u00a0Spirit<\/strong>\u00a0models too.<\/p>\n

\"longines-spirit-2021-collection\"<\/p>\n

The system, placed amidst the bracelet\u2019s 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<\/strong>\u00a0has closed up on the competition late, but their solution is better engineered.<\/p>\n

In the headline: the Grade 5 Titanium Longines Spirit<\/h2>\n

This piece of news is all but shocking.\u00a0Grade 5 titanium<\/strong>\u00a0first appeared on the exquisite\u00a0Avigation Big Eye<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and, if you\u2019re ready to approve titanium on a quintessentially vintage-inspired timepiece, you won\u2019t be surprised to welcome titanium on any contemporary watch.<\/p>\n

\"longines-spirit-titanium-2021-bracelet-black-dial\"<\/p>\n

The outcome is a lovely wristwatch that won\u2019t be anyone\u2019s cup of tea; yet, if you\u2019re getting over the material, the Longines Spirit in Titanium<\/strong>\u00a0is geared towards purists more than its full steel sibling despite sharing the same brushed-to-polished surface combo since\u00a0it is a no-date-window watch. The\u00a0Titanium Spirit<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n

\"longines-spirit-titanium-2021-bracelet-black-dial-1\"<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, I feel the brand has missed an opportunity; I think a Big Eye<\/strong>\u2018s\u00a0Petrol Blue<\/strong>\u00a0or 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\u00a0Chronometer<\/strong>\u2018s five stars, applied Arabic numerals, and the raised chapter ring would stand out.<\/p>\n

About the Longines L888.4 calibre and overall size<\/h2>\n

The\u00a0L888.4 calibre<\/strong>\u00a0is the latest generation movement initially introduced on the\u00a0RailRoad<\/strong>, powered by a silicon hairspring and whose power reserve totals\u00a072 hours<\/strong>\u00a0when fully wound. We have covered this calibre extensively elsewhere. Finally, a\u00a0Longines Spirit<\/strong>\u00a0offers a\u00a0five-year warranty coverage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"longines-spirit-2021-leather-strap-green-dial-1\"<\/p>\n

The offering includes 40\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a042 mm<\/strong>\u00a0models, either in steel or titanium, sharing a\u00a012.20 mm<\/strong>\u00a0thickness. They nicely taper the wrist, but titanium is a rare bird in this class of products. The full-bracelet timepieces pictured here measure\u00a040 mm<\/strong>, while the\u00a0Longines Spirit<\/strong>\u00a0on a calf strap is\u00a042 mm<\/strong>\u00a0across.<\/p>\n

Final thoughts<\/h2>\n

The bracelet first arrived with the\u00a0Prestige Edition<\/strong>, has undergone a slight engineering process and turns the\u00a0Longines Spirit<\/strong>\u00a0into a multi-purpose product; add\u00a0100-meter water resistance<\/strong>, and you can swim all summer long too. A Longines-branded rubber strap is all I\u2019ll ask for and, hopefully, a\u00a0Limited Edition package<\/strong>\u00a0offering two replacement straps and a watch roll to bring your\u00a0Spirit<\/strong>\u00a0anywhere.<\/p>\n

\"longines-spirit-2021-bracelet-green-dial\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll take an olive green dial<\/strong>\u00a0to the\u00a0blue sunray<\/strong>\u00a0as long as the steel\u00a0Spirit<\/strong>\u00a0concerns, and the\u00a040 millimetres<\/strong>\u00a0is the size to go, no doubt. With that said, which one would you go between steel and titanium? It\u2019s a riddle since the price gap is on the steel side, at\u00a02,310 Euros<\/strong>. The\u00a0Longines Spirit in titanium<\/strong>\u00a0retails\u00a025% more than its steel counterpart<\/strong>, but it\u2019s lighter and hypoallergenic, too. In truth, the no date layout is a game-changer and finally adds to titanium for a more attractive proposition.<\/p>\n