For what seems like an age, watchmakers have been attempting to bridge the gap between heritage design and modern sensibilities, but few have managed to blur the two with such effortlessness as Longines. Through models such as the Pilot Majetek Pioneer Edition and the Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve, the seminal Swiss watchmaker has built an unrivalled catalogue of vintage-inspired pieces with a contemporary flair, and it’s not done yet. The Saint-Imier icon has just unveiled a dazzling new iteration of its Spirit Flyback chronograph, arriving in steel and 18-carat yellow gold or steel and 18-carat rose gold.
Nudging the top end of Longines’ competitively priced Spirit lineup, the new Flyback chronograph models feature either a green or brown dial with a colour-matched ceramic bezel. Equipped with the same calibre L791.4 that we saw in previous editions, complete with a silicon balance spring and COSC certification, they don’t stray too far from the beaten track, and for lovers of Longines, it’s a good thing.
In recent years, the brand has staked its claim on high-precision movements, and it has the lineage to back it up. With these new releases, Longines is tapping its historic connection to aviation tool watches, a legacy that began when it produced its first flyback chronograph in 1925.
Arguably the maison’s most significant contribution to the watchmaking industry, the unique complication enables a chronograph to measure consecutive intervals of time. Simple and straightforward, the flyback function operates without the need for manual stopping, resetting and restarting of the second hand. Instead, it enables the hand to return instantly to zero and start measuring again with a single press of the pusher.
It’s an incredible feat of engineering that, even 100 years since it first appeared, is a marvel to witness. Thankfully, Longines has allowed us to do precisely that, with both new Spirit Flyback chronographs featuring a transparent caseback that reveals the gold oscillating weight engraved with the Longines Spirit collection’s globe emblem. These gold accents are continued through the crown and pushers, which are available in 18-carat yellow gold on the green-dial model and 18-carat rose gold on the brown-dial model. You’ll also find a handy small sub-seconds dial at 9 o’clock and a 30-minute timer at 3 o’clock.
For Longines, the latest Spirit Flyback chronographs are an elevated take on a historic tool watch. With shimmering new accents and stunning matte dial finishes, the new additions are undoubtedly the collection’s most luxurious entries, but beneath the surface, all the familiar hallmarks remain. The movements continue to impress and the design language echoes the pioneering releases of the past, making for an enticing new timepiece that feels tailor-made for the modern adventurer.
The Longines Spirit Flyback chronograph is available through the maison’s official online boutique and at retail stores now. Priced from AUD$10,150, the models are available with green or brown leather straps to match the colour of the dial and a double-security folding clasp with micro-adjustment system.
Longines Spirit Flyback
- Brand: Longines
- Model: Spirit Flyback
- Reference: Ref. L3.821.5.53.2 / Ref. L3.821.5.59.2
- Diameter: 42mm
- Movement: Exclusive column-wheel Calibre L791.4
- Water-Resistance: 100 metres
- Power Reserve: 68 hours
- Price: AUD$10,150
