Hands-On Review: The 2026 HydroConquest Sees Longines on the Attack

By Rob Edwards - News

Updated: 8 April, 2026

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Readtime: 6 min

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• The new Longines HydroConquest offers astonishing value for money
• The redesigned case feels extremely premium and measures just 11.7 mm thick
• Choose from stainless-steel H-link and Milanese mesh bracelet options
• A wide range of dial and bezel colours offers broad appeal

I’m not entirely sure what I expected from Longines’ 2026 refresh of the HydroConquest, but it’s safe to say I didn’t count on a watch-shaped haymaker launched in the direction of brands that the accepted wisdom would deem beyond Longines’ reach.

The new range (14 references in total) offers a level of quality for its AUD$3,375 starting price that has poured fuel on the already fiery conversation around valuations in the modern watch market. While it doesn’t have quite the same level of finishing (or COSC certification) as, say, a Seamaster Diver 300, it closes the gap considerably. So much so, in fact, that the precisely AUD$8,000 price difference between the mesh-bracelet incarnations of each watch is justifiably raising some eyebrows.

Determined to explore this formidable sub-AUD$4,000, er, Sub-inspired release, I recently had the chance to go hands-on with Longines’ new range during a quick jaunt to picturesque Byron Bay. While there, I asked myself, is the new HydroConquest worth the hype? In answer to that, I’ll say that I came away with a considerable urge to permanently add one to my regular rotation.

Dial and Case

To be evenhanded, there will be those who pooh-pooh the new HydroConquest, accusing it of opting for a less original, but more widely palatable dive-watch aesthetic. And while it’s true that the now-jettisoned Arabic numerals were a part of what had previously made the HydroConquest stand apart from other Submariner-esque timepieces, it’s a pretty hollow accusation for a release that improves upon its predecessors in every way that matters.

Available in 39 mm and 42 mm sizing, the HydroConquest is an impressively svelte piece of work. This is largely due to its thickness of just 11.7 mm across both sizes. The proportions make it immensely comfortable, even on my wrists, which are reminiscent of a 12-year-old’s.

The 39 mm model occupies a real sweet spot for me, but I even feel I could get away with the 42 mm version if push came to shove — it wears smaller than many other watches of the same size.

As for the dial, its numeral-free aesthetic may be more generic for lack of a better term, but it’s undeniably a handsome piece of work. The Super-LumiNova-sporting applied indices and silvered polished hands look the part regardless of whether they’re sitting atop a dial of green, black, dark blue, or the flagship “frosted blue sunray”.

The unidirectional ceramic bezel has also received an upgrade, offering a more satisfying and tactile click than previous incarnations. Longines claims to have taken inspiration from its more upmarket Ultra-Chron release here, and it shows. The bezels are similarly varied in hue, coming in classic black, blue, and slate grey, as well as verdant green and luminous blue. For those wondering, my pick of the bunch is the black dial with the slate grey bezel. It’s one of the more aesthetically subtle within the range, but I think that’s why I like it.

Turning the HydroConquest over, you’ll find a screw-down caseback with Longines winged hourglass logo and a planisphere engraving. Sure, a display caseback would have been nice, but it’s hardly a dealbreaker, particularly when the watch is priced this aggressively.

Bracelet

The HydroConquest also offers a pair of premium bracelet options: a stainless-steel bracelet of H-shaped links or an elegant Milense mesh, both of which offer a double-folding safety clasp and introduce a very welcome four-position micro-adjustment system. This will certainly come in handy in Sydney, where the weather has been all over the place of late, meaning my wrists have been swelling up and going back down again at an irritating rate.

Both bracelets offer excellent comfort and feel premium on the wrist, with a subtle taper as they extend away from the case. Of the two, I have to say my heart belongs to the Milanese mesh, particularly as a fan of the watchmaker’s 10th-anniversary Legend Diver, which was at the top of my Longines wishlist right up until the HydroConquest was revealed.

That said, I imagine most will prefer to opt for the more traditional link bracelet, which is perfectly understandable. In an ideal world, you’d have one of each and swap your bracelet out depending on your mood or the occasion. Fortunately, they are interchangeable, and whichever one you opt for, I’m sure you’ll be able to purchase the other down the road, although at the time of writing, they are not available from the Longines website.

Movement

Obviously, it’s tricky (i.e. impossible) to pass judgment on a movement in a few short hours, but I’m confident the calibre L888.5 will deliver over the long term. It may not offer the same COSC certification as its predecessor, the L888.4, with which it shares much of its technology, but if you’re really concerned about that kind of thing, you have plenty of (more expensive) options to choose from.

This self-winding mechanical movement features a silicon balance spring and offers a 72-hour power reserve. It’s also 10 times more resistant to magnetic fields than the ISO 764 standards require. With the smooth sweep it delivers to the seconds hand and its reliable pedigree, I’d be more than comfortable having the L888.5 keep time for me throughout my day.

Verdict

With the new HydroConquest, Longines has put a number of other Swiss brands on notice by offering a premium dive watch at a fraction of the kind of price point we’ve begrudgingly grown accustomed to. To put it into perspective, you can buy three of these and still have over AUD$1,000 left over from the price of just one of the Seamasters I mentioned at the top.

Now, you can argue the Seamaster is superior (provided you’re happy to choose from a 42 mm case and… well, that’s it), I’m not here to say it isn’t. But when you look at the quality Longines is offering at this price point, it becomes a lot harder to justify handing over that much cash.

Finally, I believe it speaks volumes that three of us from the Man of Many office have already expressed a genuine intent to pick up one of these (each a different reference, fortunately). That’s a first, but a well-deserved one.