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With or without the diamonds? That’s a question you are going to have to ask yourself next time you step inside a Longines boutique. The Swiss watchmaker has unveiled a stellar series of additions to the famed Mini DolceVita range, designed for the elegant one in your life.
For the first time, the collection has been revamped with mixed material construction, with the latest models featuring bi-material case designs, combining stainless steel with either yellow gold or pink gold. The diamond bezel makes for an eye-popping upgrade (and a costly one at that), but even without the diamonds, this wristwear delivers pure elegance.
Over the years, we’ve made no secret of our familiarity with Longines. Models such as the HydroConquest, Spirit Zulu and Ultra-Chron have featured regularly in our best-of lists, courtesy of a dedicated excellence in the fields of aviation, diving, and sport. However, the Swiss brand has also been churning out exceptional dress and jewellery watches since the 19th century.
The Saint Imier favourite unveiled its first rectangular case design as early as 1927, and the style continues to inform the Dolcevita and Mini Dolcevita collections (respectively). And who are we to argue with such timeless sophistication?
Rooted in heritage perhaps, but that doesn’t stop the latest Mini Dolcevitas from exploring new terrain. That is to say, each model punctuates stainless steel architecture with the perfect touch of 18k yellow gold or rose gold on the crown and bracelet. Not only are these materials equal parts sturdy and refined, but they also inject subtle and stylish colour contrast to render a head-turning impression.
Opt for a diamond-studded bezel and the visual pizzazz becomes all the more striking. Presented in straight lines on either side of the steel case, the diamonds expertly straddle a silver “flinqué” dial with blue-painted hands and an understated guilloché effect. So goes a brilliant fusion between colour and material, all of it housed within a slim and elegant framework.
Like so much of their distinguished brethren, the new Mini Dolcevitas run on Longines’ own L178-calibre quartz movement with a water resistance of up to 3 bar. The watchmaker is a master of precision so you can expect the new models to perform to the highest standards, looking downright spectacular in the process. “Elegance is an attitude,” to quote the brand’s ongoing campaign, and this wristwear is here to prove it.
The new Longines Mini Dolcevita comes in either stainless steel and yellow gold or stainless steel and rose gold. Base models are offered at a suggested retail price of AUD$8,400 while the diamond bezel versions will cost AUD$11,975. And so the question remains: with or without the diamonds? No matter where you land, you’re strapping on something special.
- Brand: Longines
- Model: Mini Dolcevita
- Reference: Ref.L5.200.5.70.7 / Ref. L5.200.5.79.7 / Ref. L5.200.5.78.7 / Ref. L5.200.5.71.7
- Diameter: 29mm
- Thickness: 6.75mm
- Movement: Calibre L178 Quartz
- Water-Resistance: 30 metres
- Price: AUD$8,400 / AUD$11,975
